Artist Prabha Dudhat, age 58 years does not see herself as an artist, but as someone who strives to preserve India’s rich culture and glorious history. Her artworks are a testimony to this fact, and more, as they depict with stark clarity several events of mythological and religious significance. she used to make portraits of national leaders as well as Gods. Her talent and creations grew in stellar proportions over the years. The artist is exhibited his latest works ‘Ramayana Scroll Painting’- 12th Oct, 2015 to 20th Oct, 2015 at Rangoli Metro Art Center, Bengaluru.
“Initially, it was the thrill of seeing every painting takes shape. Later, my aim was to create works that were unprecedented in terms of concept as well as magnitude. I realized that Indian epics, religious texts as well as historical events would be the best artistic inspiration,”
Her educational qualifications and contributions, exhibitions and collections are plenty and have been lauded world over. Highlight of her career as an artist is the scroll painting work she undertook first in 1985, in order to widen his horizons and translate her ideas into real work. “I always felt that an artist’s creations should be of use to the society in terms of information and insights. That is why I started to create scroll paintings of the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Bible, history of India — how our country has shrunk due to centuries of wars and annexations,” she said as she sat in her home with all the massive paintings. From a 1200m scroll painting based on the Mahabharata that she started in 1987 and completed in 1991, to several others, Prabha continues this work till date.
Prabha Dudhat’s painting has 88 panels on which the Valmiki Ramayana has been depicted. The first impression one gets on seeing the panels and the style, is that it resembles the Madhubani form.At first sight you might think this resembles Madhubani, but the ideas for details are incorporated from Saurashtra-based artwork, which is evident in my scroll painting. At first glance, Prabha says the foundation of my works is based on Indian art.The biggest influence on her work is perhaps the paintings in the Ajanta caves. He says she is inspired by the precision, details, motifs and manner in which the colours remained preserved for the last 2,000 years. I go to the caves at least five times a year. No international art boosts my imagination and creativity as this does, Dudhat said. But her inspiration doesn’t end at that. Prabha also attempts to preserves her work in the same way as the cave paintings have been kept intact. Helped by her Son Kailash, and Husband Bhanu Dudhat worked on the painting for five years, often forgetting to eat for hours. Besides painting each scene in a fairly detailed manner, Prabha has separated each panel by incorporating bamboo pillars.But this is not her first attempt at painting a large canvas. In the early 1990s, Prabha had painted the scenes from the Mahabharata on a 1,800-metre canvas, possibly making it the longest in the world. This painting is now with the Delhi-based Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts. Prabha is choosy about whom she sells her work. I don't sell my artwork to people who want to mount it on their walls or curtains. It derides my work, she said.Keeping up with the times.
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