Exhibition of Paintings by Swati Parikh
Write up by Priya Adhyaru Majithia
Spiritualistic Painter Swati Parikh’s works inspire awe and faith. Each of her strokes has scent of peace and bliss. Swati paints with a purpose to preserve trans-theistic philosophy of Jain Dharma, an ancient Indian religion.
Her series, Jain Chronicles – ten oil on canvas – traces spiritual ideas and mythology linked with Tirthankara and Mahapurusha. Her paintings narrate pious tales from lives of Jain sages.
She has lucidly painted the process of transformation that the pious sages have undergone on their way to attaining Keval Gyan (omniscience).
Her paintings are an embodiment of her devotion for the Jain mystics who have prescribed Ahiṃsā (non-violence) and dharma (ritualistic restraint) to halt saṃsāra chakra (cycle of life and death) and attain to moksha (salvation).
Her artworks are testimonial to her religious conviction and are infused with spiritual symbolism and surrealistic mysticism. The Mystical message they contain is complex and lofty; rich with multitudes of perspectives. However, Swati has beautifully encapsulated those multitudes on a single surface and has presented it simplistically.
Her artworks are manuscripts illustrated. The illustrations are square-ish canvases with brilliant and balanced compositions in jewel-like colours. The figures are seen in the side profile, with distinctively sharp noses and protruding soulful eyes.
The series is based on episodes in life of Shree Bahubali Muni, Shree Metarya Muni, Shree Mahaveer Swami, Shree Ashadhabhuti Muni, Shree Bharat Chakravarti, Shree Dhandhan Muni, Shree Meghkumar Muni, Shree Aaimutta Muni and Shree Revati Shravika.
Self-taught artist Swati, 43, is a software developer by profession. A decade ago she worked and lived in the UK with little interest in Jainism. She relocated to Ahmedabad in 2011. Her life changed drastically after listening to a Jain Acharya Shree Yogtilaksurishwarji in 2012.
As she puts it, “After working successfully as an IT professional in the UK, I had to leave job and move back home permanently. However, I decided to use this phase of life as an opportunity to pursue painting – a desire from childhood. During my stay in Europe, I had often visited the Leeds Art Gallery and had observed artworks displayed there. I had also explored Louvre Museum a couple of times with an inclination to study the western classics. For flourishing my connection with art, I met senior artist Shardaben Patel in 2012 in Ahmedabad and since then she has often guided me.”
Simultaneously, while visiting Derasar and Vyakhyan, she listened to chronicles from the lives of Jain sages. This learning gave her strength and peace. And this inner strength led her to recognise her true calling — which is to paint her learnings from Jainism.
By Priya Adhyaru-Majithia
Writer and Art Curator