Depicting the man-nature co-existence

Palettes and Palates’ was an interesting show depicting life and nature to the fullest, which has been Jaya Baheti’s signature style. She adopts a semi-abstract and figurative method to create her acrylic on canvas filled with elements of rural-urban life flora and fauna included.

Her works (acrylics and mixed media) indicate an intriguing fusion – while the imagery may be drawn from bucolic themes her way of painting is contemporary! Her canvases are pretty macroscopic encompassing various elements including nature in a large way and allude to harmony. So one may see faces juxtaposed with flora, fauna, abstract landscapes and even glasses of different kinds and fruits. The ‘triptych’ – canvas upon canvas in different sizes ‘portrays’ some kind of peaceful co-existence between man and nature.

The presence of many elements may give a feeling of clutter or claustrophobia which is reflective of life but yet at the same time the soothing open spaces (white or coloured) balance it out. Jaya blends in colour which looks like blocks at times yet it blends in well with the compositions. The colours she uses may be bright like reds, mustards, black, olive green, or even touches of gold but are soothing to the eye. Her paintings are in different sizes – some are like long panels too. The paintings need to be looked at in detail to be ‘decoded’. There is a sense of realism, surrealism and even a mystique attached to them.

This time around Jaya has also created some interesting artefacts. She has painted porcelain pickle jars, some different-sized boxes and even a wooden tray (used in Maharashtra to make bhakris!) with her images. On the whole the imagery created by is interesting and the works are magnetic enough to attract the viewer.

- Radhika Rajamani