THE GRAMMATOLOGY OF SYMBOLS
An exhibition by Richa Navani
Centre d’Art, Citadine
October 2 – 13, 2017 (10:30 – 12:30 and 14:30 – 15:30)
Centre d’Art, Citadines is welcoming New Delhi artist Richa Navani, who will show for the first time in Auroville her brand-new exhibition called “The Grammatology of symbols’.
With a remarkable Curriculum Vitae including a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, Delhi University and a Masters in Painting from Jamia Millia Islamia University, Richa has participated in 4 residencies (France), numerous solo and groups exhibitions (India and France), and has received awards from the annual All India Art Exhibitions. Richa is also versed in the Vedas and Upanishads and this is reflected in both her past and her more recent works.
On display at this exhibition will be 18 pieces, among them 1 acrylic on silk and canvas, 16 paper pulp sculptures and 1 video installation.
Achievement is a great award and the path to achievement is an even greater prize. In Richa’s case, it is her journey that is very touching. It is the story of a little Indian girl who was born and raised in New Delhi but attached to her family village of Garhwal near Dehradun, a city located at the foot of the Himalayas. There she used to observe the family pujas, wondering about the meaning of those magical shapes. This interest later turned into a deep fascination for geometrical forms and symbolism in Indian vernacular (sacred) art.
From this time on, everything with geometry started to be important – architecture that she describes as a structure that has ‘seen’ so many things, as well as religious and esoteric symbolisms. Inspired by Carl Jung, Vorticism, Cubism and avant garde theories, she developed her own abstract geometrical visual language. Purely abstract, her art is of the spirit. She wants you to look and catch the symbolism behind geometrical shapes in order to allow you, for one moment, “to be in a space out of where you are doing” and make your own understanding about the form.
In all of her compositions, nothing is random.
Shaped by childhood memories and becoming a well-known Indian artist, she is an inspiration to women in India. The first female artist from her village, she wants her art to convey the message of gender equality in India and the world.
For her, art is not only about shape and colour, it is also about empowering women, and to me she represents the modern Indian woman: intelligent, independent, strong, intellectual as well as spiritual and very beautiful.
What a blessing it is to be able to express all those qualities through Art and Beauty and what a gift for all of us.
My wish for you all is that you have a few moments to get lost in this allegory of art, geometry and Indian women in this exceptional “Grammatology of symbols” exhibition.
Chana Corinne Devor for AVArtServices
