Inspired by the works of the renowned Romantic landscape painter John Constable, the
paintings explore English countryside through the lens of South Asian Pahari miniatures. Relying
on Constable’s pictures for structure, the compositions highlight the beauty of, and our
inextricable link with the natural world. While the 19th century inspirations were done in oil, the
works for ‘Gardens, Flowers & Landscapes’ are painted in gouache & watercolour and built up
through numerous layers of delicate rendering and detailing as is typical of the miniature
technique; and also somewhat of a parallel to the underpainting, glazing and dry brushing in oil
paintings on canvas to create depth, texture and form.
The works aim to highlight the atmospheric qualities of nature through the portrayal of different
elements; sky & clouds, trees & foliage as well as water, which amalgamate to create imagined
spaces that subtly reference different geographies and times. This body of work also draws from
the Company School of 18th-19th century India where a hybrid style flourished; combining the
stylization of Mughal miniatures with the realism & perspective seen in Western art.