How three artists explore different styles in their first Mumbai exhibition

Aesthetic is a unique trait in every artist Unless one possesses a strong streak of individuality they can hardly claim to be an artist By that sense Sakti Burman Maiumlteacute Delteil and Maya Burman would pride themselves in their distinct style Yet the three artists are bound together in a familial bond that makes their first group exhibition of their works this week all the more unique Titled Reverie amp Fantasia the exhibition curated by Art Musings at the Jehangir Art Gallery will offer a peek into their latest works over the last two yearsDelteilrsquos Birdrsquos Songs oil on canvasldquoArt has always been a personal journey for me I work with themes and concepts that have soaked my imaginationrdquo the 88yearold Sakti Burman shares over email adding that his influences come from diverse sources mdash old mythological tales in the family miniature art and Kalighat paintings and the European masters While Sakti turns to concepts of the past Delteil turns to nature She explains ldquoMy work is largely classical Nature has been one of my greatest influences Even now I am in the habit of sketching every day I am also greatly interested in the European masters and often study them in an effort to bring more nuance into my workrdquoMaya Burmanrsquos Automn Games watercolour pen and ink on paperIt was this shared love for art and the European masters that brought Sakti and Delteil together as students at the Eacutecole des Beaux Arts in the late 1950s They would often travel across Europe to museums observing and studying the past masters While this would have suggested that any child growing up with such parents would have a natural inclination to visual arts their daughter Maya chose architecture before the canvasSakti Burmanrsquos A Quiet Evening oil on canvasFiftytwoyearold Maya admits as much by saying that she has built her style over the years ldquoPainting is a way to express our complexity Every painting will reflect a new side of our personality In that sense I didnrsquot choose to work in a style that follows my parentsrsquo style I surely have absorbed what I loved in their paintings Perhaps the bright colours of Maiumlteacute or the poetry of Sakti There are little things in my work that I might link to something I saw in their artrdquo the daughter elaborates Delteil concurs She notes that while both hers and Mayarsquos works share a fascination with nature Maya and Sakti retain a sense of playfulness in their figuresFrom left Sakti Burman Maya Burman and Maite DelteilIt is rare for a trio from the same family to have such distinct individual styles How then does one unite them for a singular exhibition Gallerist and curator Sangeeta Raghavan of city gallery Art Musings remarks ldquoAll three of them are strong artists and I did not want to make a curatorial theme The setup is not designed to capture their individuality but rather to allow the works to speak with each otherrdquo It might be interesting the gallerist adds to see how the artists respond to their own work as wellSakti shares ldquoI have great admiration for the work of Maiumlteacute and Maya While all three of us are familiar with each otherrsquos work itrsquos also interesting to see the new directions they takerdquo Maya remarks ldquoYou can see it from many perspectives mdash three personalities an artist couple a family of artists Now that my parents are aged it also has a sentimental meaning to exhibit along with themrdquo It is a sentiment that art lovers in Mumbai will shareFrom Tomorrow to December 4 11 am to 7 pmAt Jehangir Art Gallery MG Road Kala Ghoda FortFrom December 5 to December 31 11 am to 7 pmAt Art Musings Admiralty Building Colaba Cross Lane Azad Nagar Cuffe ParadeCall 22163339