Mona Rai

MONA RAI Born in Delhi in 1947, Mona Rai studied M.A. Psychology, Delhi University and attended art classes for a couple of years at Triveni Kala Sangam. The space of painting is often thought to be one of quite contemplation, of refuge, seclusion and withdrawal from the world. For Mona Rai it is exactly the opposite: it is a space for experimentation and risk – taking, where danger can be courted and limits exceeded. For Mona painting is a space which allows things that are excluded from daily life to happen with passion, rigor and even rage. Her looming, square works epitomize her artistic attitude. Textures fascinate Rai; dots, dashes, slashes, directional strokes and streaks create her particular style. Square canvases are seldom used in figurative or narrative art, since dramatic distortions are hard to accommodate. The same format, however, seems more feasible with regard to abstract art, where problems of proportion and perspective do not arise. The quality of tension and striving in Mona Rai's canvasses is indeed intriguing. The constant repetition of see what first appears to be randomness unified by the demands of color, gives way to a feel of stillness, and tranquility. She has been quoted as saying: "I need to feel the experience of actually hurling paint onto the canvas. I can see my work opening itself up more and more." Her work also evokes deep meditative ness. Her work mostly relates to the cosmic mystery of open space, light and time, that is intangible and cannot be easily 'boxed or compartmentalized. During her long and distinguished career, she has had many solo and group shows. Her work has also been been exhibited internationally and features in several prestigious collections such as National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; Lalit Kala Akademi; Air India; Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, Punjab University Museum, Chandigarh and in other private collections in India and internationally. She lives and works in Delhi.