Delna Dastur grew up in Bombay, India. She notest that "life there is loud and crowded, teeming with humanity filling the air with the sound and aroma of constant flux. These memories are embedded in my subconscious and infiltrate my work through a palette that reflects bright, intense color and through patterns decorating the surfaces. The compositions are dense, brimming to the edge with imagery reflecting my thoughts and memories.
My body of work reflects my continuing investigation into the fraught relationship between Humanity and Nature. Some of the imaginary landscapes I create are abstracted from reality through the portrayal of urban consumption of Nature. Others reflect Nature’s victory in the face of adversity. Some of the paintings are filled with lightness and optimism; others are somber and pensive. I want the work to reflect both the seeds of hope and wonder combined with the irreversible damage caused by the brutal and thoughtless destruction of land.
I use materials and ideas to cross pollinate, juxta positioning the old with the new, the East and the West. The work starts with materials from my Indian roots, printing with primitive Indian woodblocks and using handmade Indian paper for collage. The initial layers, embedded within gels and pastes, are covered by acrylic drips and paint connecting them irrevocably. I do not start with any preconceived ideas. The work grows organically, and I let my instincts direct me to its conclusion. I incorporate varied ideas and tools in my painting and drawings, continually reinforcing the overarching theme of conflict between mankind and nature."
The below work will be at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center in Washington, DC, one of the 15 venues hosting the Women Artists of the DMV show.
