I finished my Masters in Fine Arts (Mural) in 2005 from the Faculty of Fine Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda. Straight after that I took up a job as an Art Teacher at Welham Girls’ School, Dehradun. However I continued to paint and exhibit my works in various solo and group shows in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

I have been exposed to ‘art’ right from childhood as both my parents are artists. They make traditional paintings for Swaminarayan Temples where human figures are given special importance along with ornamental use of gold, silver and semi precious stones. I had the opportunity to learn these techniques while assisting them.

Thereafter I went to study painting in Baroda where I learnt about contemporary Indian art and artists, their styles and various movements. This gave a new perspective to my vision in art. In the initial years of college life I struggled a lot to derive a particular language as there was a conflict between my skills of a traditional artist and academic intellect. This led to a long experimental phase of trial and error, until I gradually settled into a particular language.

I have been using oil and acrylic on canvas, along with gold and silver foil as media to transfer my thoughts into visual language. I use gold and silver foil not always with an ornamental purpose but at times to define particular feelings, I use it in a more abstract and subjective way. My work moves with an autobiographical language, where feelings and expressions are the most important factors. I use human figures which are genderless because I feel that such details distract the viewer and cause them to deviate from the true feelings. My themes are related to everyday experiences. From watching Television, to riding a bike or in moments of idleness… my work says it all.

The figures are caught up in a time frame doing something; all of us would have done at some point too. Therefore the viewer can identify with my work. As long as humanity exists, I will derive inspiration and continue to paint frames form the absurdity that we call ‘Life.’

Ruchin Soni