Sonaly Gandhi Lakhotia Art Exhibition at Gallery Space, Hyderabad - Curated by Fawad Tamkanat

“Art is not what you see but What you make others see " Edger Degas.

Sweet and sour relationship of a modern man and women painted with great dignity, charm and graciousness. This is Sonaly's poetic expressions. I have been following Sonaly's work for last three years and what I like most about her work is great understanding of visual language and honesty to express her thoughts. She is always trying to capture the essence of life.

Her first solo show is going to be a visual feast. I would like to conclude here with my Father’s couplet.

The present series of works by Sonaly are like a string of beads which are connected to one another by a single thread. The common link in her work is perhaps the conceptual unanimity that makes its presence felt in each painting with equal intensity and strength
Her paintings manifest and exemplify the kind of financial as well as emotional freedom exercised by women, in the present times The works bring forth the versatility of the contemporary women which is immensely powered by independence and self-attained equilibrium Complete, flawless and self-sufficient in each aspect and challenge that life offers, Sonaly’s protagonist is free of any fetters that would hold her back from realising being her true self

Through consistent simplification of the form, Sonaly excels in reaching at a Universal, absolute figure that stands for and relates to all women regardless of their differences/peculiarities and diversities The protagonists in the works surpass distinctions of all sorts and by doing so they unite and amalgamate all women as being one’ similar/connected through a common soul

Rendered in controlled and mature colour palette these strong, modern women in the paintings bare themselves completely and make no attempt to hide or shy away The artist refrains herself from adding ornamental accessories and details, and this aspect of ambiguity
accelerates the Universal appeal of the form The geometrical shapes arranged in chequered patterns cover the figure like a transparent veil Concealing and revealing sections, falling close to the contours of the body they grant the works not only a rich textural quality but also infuse a kind of momentum. The quintessential image of the modern woman, gets exemplified in each work, with a style that accelerates the intensity of the content and a palpable undercurrent of sensation enlivens every part of the picture surface
Sonaly excavates myriad dynamics and paradigms which are an indispensable part and parcel of man-woman relationships. While closely knitting the strands together in her work, she instinctively juxtaposes metaphorical elements, men and women together and as a gifted narrator creates multiple allegories. With fluency of an apt composer she arranges and rearranges her characters on the stage to perform and excel in conveying the core of her concept to the viewers The women in some paintings willingly surrender to the boundless expanses of affection as well as in other works they cut themselves off emotionally from relationships that lack respect and freedom Regardless of the kind of choice they make about relationships, they always excel in refraining themselves completely from pretending or agreeing to live a superficial life.