“Colour Me India” is Anita Revel’s 4th solo exhibition, and celebrates the inherent symbolism of colour in Indian life.
India is a colourful and vibrant country, in more ways than one.
Colour communicates religious beliefs, societal roles, national pride, and is the cornerstone of festivals and celebrations. This collection of work documents what colour means to the Indian people, through the depiction of daily life scenes and events.
- Red — purity, brides, Durga.
- White — funerals, peace, purity, Bishnoi.
- Blue — sky, ocean, Lord Krishna, Jodhpur, the Indian cricket team.
- Green — harvest, new beginnings, nature, happiness.
- Yellow — commerce, honour, sacredness, curry, Jaisalmer.
- Purple — reincarnation, comfort.
- Pink — feminine, princess, Jaipur.
- Orange — courage, sacrifice, faith, saffron, turmeric, the sacral chakra, marigolds, celebration and community.
Via the Times:
The impact and lasting impressions of a recent trip to India inspired the theme for Anita Revel’s fourth solo exhibition: “Colour Me India”, opening at Sugarman this Friday.
“During a recent trip to Rajasthan, I was blown away with the colours — as an artist who uses vibrant palette, India was a dream come true,” she said. Delving deeper, she learned that colour plays a vital and intrinsic role in how India functions — it communicates religious beliefs, societal roles, national pride, and is the cornerstone of festivals and celebrations.
Anita subsequently created a collection of work documenting what colour means to the Indian people, through the depiction of daily life scenes and events.
Anita says that she was reluctant to go to India, as it has always scared her.
“I was always petrified of India — I’d read too many books about the poverty, despair, filth, corruption and hardship, and let’s not forget the reputation for belly bugs, con artists, thieves, insane traffic, slum living and child abuse,” she explained.
But as she soon discovered, India is a kaleidoscope of colour, movement, energy and positivity. From the heaving markets, to the meditative temples, to the children waving hello in the streets, she discovered a welcoming smile on most faces.
“From my first step on Indian soil my senses were assaulted — my eyes popped at the colour and movement, my nose itched with the myriad of smells, and my ears were overwhelmed with the cacophony of noise. It was love at first sight!”
Anita’s observations during her three-week tour suggest that India is evolving into a modern-day country rich in intellectual, industrious and professional people at the top, and a happy, welcoming and warm-hearted population from top to bottom.
She thinks this evolution can be attributed to a country-wide “philosophy makeover” spear-headed by the Ministry of Culture.
A group that calls themselves the Sakalp Se Siddhi (translating to “Attainment Through Resolve”) instigated a five-year program to accomplish a New India that is clean, and free of poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism. This initiative celebrates 70 Years of Independence (from the British), and was inspired by the pledge taken by freedom fighters in 1942 to rid India of the invaders — a goal they achieved within five years of taking the pledge.
“I saw no sign of the struggle or fear that I’d come to expect from reading so many novels and watching films about partition and the British withdrawal. Instead, I was beholden by the colour, movement and beautiful natures of the everyday people going about their daily lives.”
The exhibition will be opened Friday 15 February from 5-7pm at Sugarman, 142 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River.