Rooted Landscapes: The Art of Rini Dhumal

The pictorial world of Rini Dhumal is an amalgam of myth and realism, where nostalgia and sombre tones meet to create powerful protagonists that exude raw primal energy. We see representations of memory and recollection, distilled by her imagination which emerges from deep convictions and courage. Incarnations of the quintessential Indian Woman, quiet, with aloof confidence and devoid of any fragility, dominate the earthy landscapes. Stories of displacement, chance encounters and tales of far-away lands, integrating with symbolism and perception, are all part of her oeuvre. One comes upon, at once, the universality and intimate familiarity in the fluid forms. Trained as a painter, Rini Dhumal has experimented with every conceivable medium ranging from print-making, graphics and ceramics, with fantastic results, and created a cultural vocabulary uniquely her own. Her sketchbooks, with jottings of her initial responses before they take shape as paintings or other artworks, reveal the coming together of her hand and spirit. Drawing upon a storehouse of historical details, the splendours of her childhood, and anecdotal references from various travels, she creates a vivid aesthetic in her art-making.