A silent call for help through an exhibition of stimulating avian artworks
Capt Krishan Sharma
India Post News Service
The first solo exhibition by Rupa Samaria, artist, educator and conservationist, showcases a myriad of birds from India and other parts of the world. “Birds have always fascinated me with their uniqueness and striking plumage”, she said, while interacting with India Post.
She is able to bring life to her art with vibrant and vivid watercolors depicting these sprightly creatures. Her exhibition draws from the album of birds and fires up one’s imagination through exaggerated and brilliant brushstrokes and hues. ‘A Bird Call’ celebrates these beautiful beings, as well as, creates awareness about the danger birds face today. It is their silent cry for help.
In the exhibition, while she explores the avian world through life like imagery and stunning colors, she also understands the vulnerability of endangered birds and their homes.
The exhibition is an endeavor to give a voice to birds that are fast disappearing today and thus the show’s subject is very close to her heart. It is her hope that perhaps one day, everyone will be able to understand that these beautiful precious creatures of nature, which they take for granted, are in danger of becoming extinct.
In India, the illegal trade of protected bird species has been going on for years. Owls, especially, have been on the receiving end of this for they are sought for their body parts like skulls, talons, beaks, feathers, and even blood, a practice driven by irrational myths. Meanwhile, sparrows are being rendered homeless due to the modern ‘matchbox style’ architecture that makes it difficult for the bird to build nests. These birds have been pushed to the brink of extinction. Its high time people do something to save them.
Knowledge of this also helps the public to understand why it’s so serious when a bird species declines or goes extinct. It’s not just a pretty bird disappearing thousands of miles away; it’s the loss of a vital component in a complex web of biodiversity. Without it, the whole ecosystem may fall.
While, artist Rupa Samaria gives a voice to the birds’ silent call for help through her solo exhibition of 50-60 stimulating and mesmerizing avian artworks at the Visual Arts Gallery of India Habitat Center in the month of March.
March 20th is also World Sparrow Day. Some of her artworks encompasses the beauty of these humble birds and is a reminder that they are fast declining in the concrete jungles of India’s cities.
Delhi Based Rupa Samaria was born and brought up in Patna. She has displayed her artworks across India, including Andhra Pradesh, Dehradun, Mussourie and several other cities. You can reach her at www.abirdcall.com
