Venkat Raman
Auckland, May 28, 2021
The works of Laxmi Jhunjhnuwala were sold for $28,000, which, with matching contributions from Vodafone New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand Foundation accounted for an impressive $84,000 in aid of Covid-19 that has had a devastating effect on India.
Ms Jhunjhnuwala’s paintings were on display and sale at Sudima Hotel, located at 63 Nelson Street (Corner Hobson), Auckland City from May 18 to May 20, 2021.
She had announced earlier that the entire proceeds of the sale of the paintings will be donated through UNICEF New Zealand (@unicefnz @givealittlepage) for use in India which is currently reeling under the adverse effects of the deadly second wave of Covid-19.
The Journey of life
The exhibition, comprising her paintings done over the past several years, was held under the theme, ‘The Journey.’
“Life is a journey. We have many experiences which create our memories. Some which we share with people. The journey is very crucial and is never ending. It is an ongoing process. It makes us what we are now,” Ms Jhunjhnuwala said.
She said that her studio methodology brings with it traces of history, culture and spirituality, reflecting her Indian heritage.
“Having always been inspired by Eastern mythology and Western modern concepts, my art practice has become an amalgamation of the two. Using a festive colour palette not only offers a cultural identity but brings with it a sense of life and activates the surrounding space. Colour combined with scale has transformative powers, which lets viewers have an experiential encounter with my work. The concept of simplicity in my work allows for purity, which is rich in repercussion. It is free of explicit representational contents,” she said and quoted Wolfgang Laib, popular German artist and sculptor: “The more you complicate things, the more you lose. In renouncing you achieve more.”
Dine for India
Guests visiting the Hotel’s East Restaurant not only enjoyed a unique experience of the vegetarian and vegan delicacies of South Asia and South East Asia but also contributed to the cause- the entire proceeds were donated under the programme called ‘Dine for India.’
Sudima Hotels Founder and Chief Executive Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala said that the customers dining at East Restaurant and at Vice and Virtues and Virtues (located at 49 Salisbury Street in Christchurch) contributed all their spend to India through UNICEF.
“All the money collected on May 20, 2021 at both the restaurants- lunch and dinner- was donated via UNICEF New Zealand through @givealittle page, and both Vodafone New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand Foundation will match proceeds with their donations; for every $1 donated, $3 will go to help India, meaning that your contribution will go even further,” he said.
About Laxmi Jhunjhnuwala
Indian Newslink has been reporting on the works of Ms Jhunjhnuwala for the past more than 11 years, during which she has held many exhibitions in Auckland and Wellington.
As we have known her, Ms Jhunjhnuwala is an optimist, with a positive outlook in life, of people and the world itself. Which is why, she uses bright and bold colours to make everything around her resplendent.
She merges themes from Eastern mythology and modern concepts of the Western world to create a fusion that not only pleases the eye but also elucidates the spirit of unity, plurality and purity that are common to many cultures.
Finer aspects of environment
Giving vent to her creativity, she observes the finer aspects of environment, people and life in itself, much of which are transposed on to the canvas, wood or any background that bear her paintings.
“The bold vibrant colour fills the environment with joy and happiness and generates positive aura, the purity of which transcends all limits. It has no beginning or end, edges or boundaries. Absoluteness is an impossible feat; for, even humankind and the life around us have evolved through time. Transformation can occur gradually or abruptly, but it is a process that is constant in our world,” she said.
Blossoms In The Fall
Wellingtonians were struck by her creativity in May 2010 at her solo exhibition held at the Grand Chancellor Hotel under the theme, ‘Blossoms In The Fall.’
The exhibition affirmed Ms Jhunjhnuwala as one of the finest and arguably the most assertive painters of contemporary New Zealand. She was described as a woman with a vision and passion for colours; her experiments with various themes have resulted in a collection of creative concepts, which are now evincing widespread interest.
Among the paintings that struck high notes with visitors to her galleries in Auckland and Wellington were ‘Untitled 2010 Perspex & Pigament,’ ‘Sacred Orb’ (Acrylic on Canvas) and ‘Path in the Bloom’ (Turmeric on Staircase).
We understand that art critiques perceive paintings from varied angles but some of the best accolades have gone to works that bring out ‘the colours of life.’
Inner creativity expressed
As Ms Jhunjhnuwala said, “I have heard many from the Westerners saying that their world is rather grey and that Indians wear, enjoy and celebrate colour. It overflows in every aspect of our lives, generating a mood of festivity.”
Artists give vent to their inner creativity through their paintings, while some also express their observations of things and people around them on the canvas. As the influential American painter (Paul) Jackson Pollock said, ‘Today painters do not have to go to a subject matter outside of themselves. Most modern painters work from a different source. They work from within.”
She believes in liberating her works from explicit representational contents.
“I am interested in the notion of materiality in the physical, philosophical and theosophical senses. I am exploring materials like paint, pigments, plastics, wood, turmeric, chili and flour, to create an ecstatic vision that overwhelms the viewers with a sense of mystery and emotion,” Ms Jhunjhnuwala said.
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