Curious Charms The Magic of Aquarelle

Unique Creation and Arts Gallery presents the first solo exhibition of well-known radiologist Dr Sushma Mahajan in Delhi, titled ‘Curious Charms ~ The Magic of Aquarelle’ from 1st to 4th April 2023 at the Visual Arts Gallery, New Delhi. The exhibition, curated by Dr Alka Pande, attempts to view the beauty of flora and fauna through the creative imagination of the artist with a difference.

A self-taught artist, Dr Mahajan, chose the more difficult medium of watercolours to depict her well-defined artistic expressions. The Curious Charms ~ The Magic of Aquarelle series captures a wide spectrum of her imagination through her eyes, ranging from animals to birds to architecture to still-art.

Curator Dr Alka Pande says, “Dr Mahajan is a trained radiologist and, through her passion as a painter, looks at her environment through her own personal lens. She dives into the landscape and paints the most evocative landscapes where birds and mammals are placed in the human environment. She proves that you don’t have to be a trained artist to paint evocative pictures.”

Flowers and animals have always been part of the natural habitat of the human environment. The artist has a unique way of viewing the artworks and immerses into the inner worlds of the animals she paints. She brings out the ferocious gaze of a big cat and the tender cuteness of a squirrel with the same ease. Her animals speak with her eloquently crafted eyes; this is something that sets her body of work apart and lends it a unique appeal. The beautiful bond that humans share with animals also inspires the artist’s brushwork.

Says artist Dr Sushma Mahajan, “Creativity takes courage. And it is all the more daunting when you are foraging in seemingly alien waters. Being a radiologist by profession, my aspirations were very basic when I initially started to dabble in watercolours a few years ago. However, it has evolved into an abiding passion now. Painting is a sort of catharsis for me. My art is vibrant and colourful, it heals the soul from the hits of everyday life. All in all, painting has become such a powerfully liberating force in my life.”