Of little joys and lot of hues

Paris-based Maya Burman returns to the capital after a decade with a solo exhibition that will put on display her artworks, which are not only intricately detailed but also have a strong fantasy element.

When your parents are known artists, comparisons are bound to happen every time you pick up the paintbrush. When you are the daughter of prominent artists like Sakti Burman and Maite Delteil, the challenge to create your own forte rises manifold. But Paris-based Maya Burman seems to have done it with relative ease. Her characteristic style can be observed at her solo exhibition, which begins on Friday at Triveni Kala Sangam.

Her show is titled “Joie De Vivre: Celebrating Life” and it marks her return to the national capital after a decade. She attempts to portray a lot of joy through her paintings and doesn’t like working with a specific subject. She feels people see and interpret happiness in her paintings as they are very colourful. “Through this show, joie de vivre is something that I expect to give to people. It is important and very difficult to bring the feeling of joy to people. And perhaps, even to myself. My painting is not contemplative and meditative. There is a lot of dynamics in it. I try to show the small joys that we all have in everyday life,” she adds. Adding more on her technique, she says, “As a painter you have to find your own way. Even after 20 years of work, there are no set rules to follow. It is a lifelong process of learning and unlearning.”

Though she also keeps participating in many group shows, she feels she needs appropriate time to create her pieces. “It is not possible to create a perfect body of work in a short while,” explains the 46-year-old, who recently had an exhibition in Mumbai as well. Presently, she is busy working on a range of paintings that will be displayed in her upcoming series. She is also working on a book capturing 20 years of her artwork.

She has been part of many exhibitions all over India and feels that each experience has left her feeling enriched. “My connection with India is not always complete as I don’t live here. I got to know many artists and painters through exhibitions and share a cordial relationship with everyone. Each time is a new experience and I learn a lot as well,” says the artist, who usually makes medium sized paintings.

Burman never attended art college and instead chose to study architecture and yet art drew her towards itself. “I had my parents to give me direction. It was an informal training with dialogue more than a technical approach. We discussed more about what is painting and why to paint this and not that,” she reminisces and adds, “My training in architecture was very important. It is where my art started. I discovered drawing and didn’t want my creativity to be limited. Architecture has a massive influence in the way I build my composition. I work with a lot of detail and pattern. My work is like a theatre, with a lot of characters moving everywhere,” says Burman, who works mainly in pen and ink and watercolour and her paintings are intricately detailed with a strong fantasy element.  

The show will continue at Gallerie Ganesha from November 16 to December 7