Amrita Sher-Gil: The Passionate Quest’, a film about painter Amrita Sher-Gil, was screened at the National Gallery of Modern Art recently.
An exhibition of her paintings was also held on the same day and will be on till April 30.
The beautiful documentary gave a glimpse into the letters that she had written to her parents, her interaction with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, her life in India, her disillusioned marriage and her art.
The film was helmed on the lines of Amrita’s personal space and her life in India.
It had contributions from Navina and Vivan Sundaram, who furnished the pictures of Amrita’s family.
The documentary showed the early life of the painter and provided a never-before-seen peek into her personal life.
It not only portrayed her as a successful painter but also as a woman finding her grounds in a new country.
Curated by Yashodhara Dalmia, the ongoing exhibition has photographs and letters which evoke nostalgia.
It has some popular paintings of the artist on display like Brahmacharis, ‘Women Resting on Charpoy’, ‘The Bride and Her Toilet’, ‘Indian Village’ and her final painting, which was left incomplete.
Art-lovers flocked to see the paintings and learn more about Amrita’s life. Vivian and his friends, who were there to see the exhibition, were enthralled by the work of the painter.
“I have heard so much about her and it’s great that I got a chance to see some of her original works. However, the lighting could have been better. The paintings did not stand out due to the shadows. However, it is nice to see them. Some of them were wonderful,” he said.
The documentary also highlighted her interaction with Pandit Nehru and how she was impressed with his taste in art and his good looks.
It gave an insight into her life beyond art, her equation with her parents and sister Indira.
Anjali, a young art student, said that all young artists aspire to paint like Amrita.
“She is my role model. I look up to her not only for her style of painting, but also
because how she weaved the rural landscape of our country into her art.
The exhibition has given us a chance to see some of her works and many of them are quite famous. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to learn,” she said.