DIT-DOT-DASH -- collages with a dash of dot" by Manjula Padmanabhan

Another Subcontinent is glad to present our second exhibition of art by Manjula Padmanabhan. This exhibition will be featured on the site till June 13, 2008 and will be archived thereafter in the "visual" features section (see links at left).

To view this exhibition click on the thumbnails on the right. Each will open a larger image in this center window. To view a fresh set of thumbnails click on the gallery links; to return to this introduction click on "front". Copyright for all images is retained by the artist and these images may not be used, disseminated or displayed without her permission.

After viewing these galleries we invite you to visit our Visual Arts forum to discuss your own responses to this exhibition. Manjula will stop by to answer questions and talk about her work.

Another Subcontinent's previous exhibition of prints by Manjula Padmanabhan was featured on the site from March 22 to April 21, 2005: "Travels on an ElepHAND".

Manjula Padmanabhan on this Exhibition

"A better name for these pieces might be "hybrids" or "squiggle-paintings". I began working in the medium maybe a year ago, initially using the paint (a type of acrylic) directly on coloured foam-boards. I switched to collages of hand-made paper later on, because I loved the range of papers and textures available.

I have explored three simple themes in this work. One, the Sunset Theme: a line separating two colours with a single element representing the sun or moon (e.g. RED FIELD, LINEAR MOONRISE). Two, the Object-Portrait Theme such as a head or a rock or even two rocks, filling the frame (e.g. ROCK, FACE, PIGEON). Three might be called The Refraction Theme - one element, such as a line or a squiggle, is shown "passing through" a block of different colour, and is transformed by it in some way (e.g. GOLD RAIN, RED SHIFT).

Finally, there's an underlying theme of nonconformity. Despite the many repeating patterns of dots, squiggles and lines, no single element is identical to any other element; they're similar but not the same.

This theme of NOT-sameness is one that I am especially fond of. I particularly like starting a pattern only to break away from it. There are many different patterns represented in these collages. Some are more regular and others are less so. In some, being irregular is the pattern! Looking for patterns, finding them and also attempting to break away from them - this is what I have enjoyed and what I have hoped to communicate while producing these pieces.

They were exhibited alongside my prints at a one-person show at the Sarala Art Centre in Madras, in December 2004.

I am currently working on a new series of paintings, this time in acrylic on canvas."

About Manjula Padmanabhan

Manjula Padmanabhan (b. 1953), is a writer and artist. Her books include "Hot Death, Cold Soup" (Kali for Women, 1996), a collection of short stories and "Getting There" (Picador India, 1999) a travel memoir. "Harvest", her fifth play, won first prize in the 1997 Onassis Prize for Theatre. It was published in India by Kali for Women in 1998 and subsequently in three separate international anthologies. "Kleptomania" (Penguin India, 2004), a collection of short stories, was published in 2004.

She has illustrated 24 books for children including her own two novels for children, "Mouse Attack" and "Mouse Invaders" (Macmillan Children's Books, UK, 2003/2004). Her most recently published work is "I am Different!" (Tulika, 2007), a picture puzzle book. Her comic strips, featuring the character Suki, appeared regularly in The Sunday Observer (Bombay, 1982-86) and in The Pioneer (New Delhi, 1991-97). In 2000 she published a selection from the strips entitled "This is Suki!" (Duckfoot Press) and in 2005 a separate collection called "DoubleTalk" (Penguin India).

Price List

Small Pieces (size: 12"x12") : $200
Large Pieces (size: 18 x 25") : $500

Those interested in purchasing these pieces should contact the artist directly. Another Subcontinent will not be responsible for transactions and interactions between the artist and potential buyers.