Using art to tell stories

Artist Darshani Kistama is “honoured” to be among veteran Guyanese artists exhibiting their artwork at Castellani House. This is Darshani’s inaugural exhibition at the art gallery.

Darshani has on display artistic paintings, drawings, saris and beautifully hand-painted bottles.

The on-going exhibition, themed “Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey”, is being held to commemorate the centenary of the abolition of the Indian indentureship.

Speaking to Sunday Times Magazine, Darshani said she is inspired by nature and her “commitment” to her religion, which is a central theme in most of her art.

“Nature is my number one inspiration.  I am influenced and inspired by the magnificence and splendour of the natural environment. However, due to my commitment to my religion, I am often driven to produce works that are closely related to my culture, that is Hinduism,” the artist expressed.

Darshani is a graduate of E.R.Burrowes School of Art. Her minor at the institution was art and major was in textile designs.

She recollected that since childhood she “always loved looking at the different forms of artwork and the various techniques used in creating those masterpieces”.

“For as long as I can remember, I have always loved to draw and paint. I cannot remember a time when I did  not have a pencil or pen in my hand. I guess my love and appreciation for art also stems from my late grandfather who has always been a big fan of paintings,” Darshani recalled.

For the artist, music always sets a mood in helping her be creative. Whether it is soft slow songs or fast rhythmic tunes, Darshani gets inspired.

According to Darshani, art challenges her to better herself. For her, it is not just about paint and canvas, but a connection to her feelings and dreams. She would ask herself, “How do I bring those things to life on a canvas?”, and then challenge herself to be better every time she picks up a brush/pallet knife.

She also pointed out that she enjoys painting still life objects. Otherwise, she would often find herself painting landscapes or art inspired by her religion.

“I want to raise awareness that life is a beautiful, colourful dance of revealing and concealing what we think, feel, say and do in any given moment. While some artists prefer displaying works that are intellectual and mysterious, you would find that only a few in an audience would actually understand what they are looking at.

“What I try to do is to not only help my audience understand what they ‘see’, but to effectively communicate a story to them that would touch them in one way or the other. I believe painting becomes just another way of telling a story or expressing your feelings, there is no need to read a book or caption, just walk into a gallery and phase through different feelings, different moods and different stories. The beauty of painting is that it is immediate to an audience,” the artist explained.

Darshani displayed her works at Umana Yana in 2016 as a graduate of Burrowes; at Night Cap in September 2016, when it launched its first art exhibition; at the inaugural Guyana Coconut Festival, where she placed in the top ten for a painting she displayed at the event; and at the National Library, where the “Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey” exhibition was being housed from March 28 to April 1, 2017.

Currently, Darshani is working on making her small business, Touch of Art, successful. She also intends to further her studies by pursuing a degree in art at a foreign university.

“I think art should be encouraged in more primary and secondary schools, as well as setting up more art exhibitions and workshops to expose children to the different types of art there is. I think it is a good way for kids to show their true potential and a way for them to learn to be creative in their own way, as well as to look at something with a different perspective,” she declared.

Darshani encourages young and aspiring artists to “paint what you feel; everyone may have their own different techniques and skills, which makes them unique at what they do, but stay true to yours; donot give in to discouragement and always try to excel yourself in whatever form of art you wish to pursue”.

In addition to painting, the artist enjoys recycling wine and liquor bottles by hand-painting beautiful designs on them, transforming them into functional, artistic pieces for homes. She also does henna designs for weddings and other occasions.

“Ganga Ship 1917: The Long Journey” at Castellani House, Vlissengen Road, was opened on April 11 and will continue until May 9, 2017. Admission is free.

For more information on the artist, visit Touch of Art on Facebook or her website at darshanikistama.tk.