From Backyard to Bombay

Photocollages by
Rashmi


Artist Reception: Sunday, September 12, 2004

"RASHMI means Ray of Light," says Rashmi, "a name that inspires me to see light even in the darkest moments. As the light in nature constantly changes so does my work diverge, be it fiery abstracts celebrating untamed forces of nature, satirical cartoon strips on large canvases or collages of my photographic images."

Rashmi comes from Bombay, where she studied Fine Art Portraiture, Ceramics & Pottery and Photography, at the Bandra School of Art, the Sir J.J. School of Art, and the Photographic Society of India, where she also learned color and black & white lab processing. She is presently Guest-Artist at Lyman Hall High School in Wallingford, where she gives presentations of the history and techniques of Henna painting.

She is also in charge of the Art Department at Wallingford Parks and Recreation. In 1989 and 1990, she worked as a professional photographer in the Sultanate of Oman.

Rashmi "FAIR HAVEN"
photocollage on panel 48" x 32"

 

"My obsession with the camera for over two decades, be it at home or while traveling worldwide, has yielded a vast collection of photographs depicting a myriad of forms, colors, textures and flavors. Wanderlust, and constant experimentation, have added dimensions to my art, which manifest in new styles and a merging of Eastern and Western cultures. I find that there are over one thousand different blues of the sky, and that the light throws a different spectrum of colors on different parts of the globe.

"My collages are a series of photographic images juxtaposed in a harmony of shades and forms to create dramatic compositions or everyday themes. They harmoniously combine pieces of European cities with my living room, or Asian monuments with American beaches -- amalgamating varied cultures together in a cohesive play of colors and shapes. Seemingly unrelated images jigsaw together with something new and intriguing at every glance, each a new product of my imagination, and a result of the decisions I make as I create each collage. Each is a revelation of my inner self."

In Connecticut, Rashmi has had solo exhibitions at Gallery 53, Meriden, at Landmark Gallery, Wallingford, and at Living Traditions Gallery, Bristol. In India, her work

was purchased by the Roopankar Museum in Bhopal, and the Ministry of Energy & Resources, and by many private and corporate collections, and exhibited at the Triveni Gallery in New Delhi, and the Bajaj and Jehangir Galleries in Bombay.

Exhibit: September 1 - 28, 2004

The York Square Cinema Gallery

Gallery curator: Johnes Ruta (203) 387-4933
azothgallery@comcast.net http://azothgallery.com/