Mamata Shingade
Waves of Memoirs
Recent series of innovative endeavours created by a talented contemporary artist, Mamata Shingade truly exemplifies subtle nuances of her skilful technique and command over the medium and style adopted in order to adorn the work with the desired visual perspectives and the expected parameters of artistic expressions in apt arenas. She has created this unique series of artwork using Acrylic colours on canvas which illustrates her indelible impressions about the freedom and liberty that are necessary vital for the natural and unhindered development and will being of any living creature on this globe, be it a human being, a bird, an animal or any living organism in this world. She has artistically depicted their inherent urge to live a free and meaningful life in this world full of chaos, tension, gloom, sadness, anxiety and to so extent, the utter pessimism prevalent in the surroundings at all levels and perspectives.
She hails from Malvan, a rural area of Konkan that has been bestowed with abundant and rich treasures of the Nature's wealth and wonders in all seasons throughout the year. Her childhood memories of that region, hover around strong obsession with freedom enjoyed by birds, animals and other human beings or living organisms along with affinity add sentimental attachment with them.
She has keenly observed various fishes and the vivid marine living organisms in waterbeds, rivers, seashores etc., and their peculiarities in apt perspectives of environments. Also, her keen observation of the sentiments in the mind of a young lady in company of birds, animals and other animals finds an artistic and aesthetic expression in her creative endeavours which are bright, lucid, picturesque and expressive as well as exhilarating and eloquent in their own way.
She has used varieties of iconic motifs to adorn her works with the desired visual perspectives and the expected sentimental effects in the apt arenas. She has depicted treasures of sea wealth of fishes and other living creatures in waterbed or sea to illustrate freedom enjoyed by them in their life by free movement. Also, she has focussed on the free movement of birds, animals etc., and highlighted their joy of life by chirping, making happy gestures, the affinity of love and attachment of sensitive human beings towards their pets in life and the unconditional emotional affection prevalent between them. She has also focussed on the sensitive mindscape of a young girl in company of an owl to demonstrate that the owl looks at the world with its open eyes whereas the eyes of girl appear to be closed towards the outwardly things but the inner sensitive subconscious mind is often active and motivates her to look at the world through a different vision based on the sound and sensitive advice to enjoy freedom in life and attain the life's goals / ambitions. The work on 3 village girls in simple rural areas depicts their sensitive mindscapes illustrating the past memories, the present period of struggle based on past memories and optimistic attitude/vision and the hope for a bright and meaningful future. The apt colour pattern, their tonal harmony and the specially desired effects of textural finesse at the desired arena together enhance and highlight the visual glory of the work. The works on beauty of nature, various fishes and the natural wealth in various seasons illustrate the textural effects in greens and blue colours that enhance the visual perspectives. Her other works are based on meditation and other religious practices adopted by human beings to achieve freedom and liberation from these worldly perturbations/catastrophes in life. The work on Saraswati playing Veena and thereby spreading divine joy and happiness in various strata of society and in turn, showering the eternal bliss and ecstasy on the entire mankind is really an iconic illustrations of the rhythm and divine eternal gradeur of Music which is aptly called the 5th Ved or Panchan Veda in vedic literature. The work truly depicts the overall peaceful and serene visual of effect of Music on the entire mankind
In a way, her present series is the thematic ode of an illustrative excellence to the perceptive idea of the freedom of expression and the eternal freedom enjoyed by human beings, birds, animals etc., to attain Moksha or the eternal goodness in life. These works bear testimony to her inborn artistic talent,
creativity and command over the medium & techniques used along with her sound and sensitive mind having a rational outlook and optimistic as well as positive thinking in the apt perspectives of visual art.
R.S. Pande,
Art critic.