Hands that bind

Veteran artist Vishwa Sahni’s fascination with human hands continues in his ongoing exhibition ‘Lead Kindly Light’ at Nehru Centre Art Gallery where he seeks to explore issues such as the social stigmas and women empowerment. The artist uses light as a medium to display various emotions that women undergo on a daily basis. “Women have always been dominated by patriarchy and treated as a dispensable commodity. I want to explore the light within each of us that can help women to get out of the shadows and find their identities,” says the artist.

While working on his creations, the artist was disturbed by issues that plague the existence of women in India such as honour killings, acid attacks, dowry deaths, rape, trafficking and female infanticide. For instance, one of his paintings symbolises the power of social stigmas where hands act as a deterrent in taking a stand in the society.  “The true beauty of a woman lies in her empowerment when she finds the light that can cast aside the shadows,” adds the artist.

Vishwa uses the diya or the lamp or simply resorts to mood lighting to reflect the myriad moods of women in his works. Whether it is a housewife who is lighting the lamp to brighten her home or the someone who unwittingly carries the lamp to brighten her neighbourhood, unaware of the hands in the shadows that are waiting to harass her There is so much that Vishwa’s strokes have to say.  Each work carries a story in itself and the reality is so stark that it transports the viewer into its frame, telling the tale subtly, realistically yet leading them to the light beyond the shadows.

Vishwa for more than a decade has been using hands has his way of expression. In the recent times, the painter has realised that his thoughts are dominated by the change he wants to see in the society and hence started using light as a new way of putting his thoughts across. “My mind is like a flowing river and light inspired me as it symbolises positivity. I will be using light as a symbol till I am done expressing my thoughts,” he says adding that everything at the verge of disappearing has a way of showing its strength, similar to the light - as it burns bright before defusing. “Now, people at least know the difference between an art piece and a print and they visit art galleries. I think times are changing, in fact, the young generation is brilliant, and they respect art,” he says firmly. The artist also observes that there's a difference in the mindset of the millennia in India and abroad since there's a lack of urgency to create something new and rat race is given the primary importance. However, in the west, things are other way round.