One has to lend their sense to unfolding these masterpieces, to absorb them enough — to witness what Anouska’s heart has poured onto the canvas. Only then can gaze find no remedy but be swayed by silence and shadows transcending into oblivion. “It’s calming to look at,” says Anouska, who was a bit tizzy, arranging the artworks before the exhibition launch party at Madhapur, hosted by Sofya Events.
Calming indeed! The artworks, although on canvas, swelled out as if they were sculptures. Some stood fixated on mute expectations, some in irrevocable inertia, and some too loud to be silent like the white flowing dress of Marilyn Monroe.
“I have used PoP in layers, stiffened by iron mesh,” the artist says, describing her sculptures on canvas. Interestingly, most of them showcased still-life, mainly a cloth in the ephemeral moment, silkened, idle, casually thrown, with pleats in a spiral-flounce.
The eye remains arrested as one scans the silhouette, the contours, cloth in inertia betakes under the light on Friday evening, each of the paintings threw back the extension, forwards, of a shadow denser and more concrete than its substance had made the moment seem at once thinner and longer.
Anouska wears many hats and is not just about still life. “I don’t limit myself to a specific medium, style, concept, or label. Mural, canvas, SFX, makeup, textured paintings, resin work, digital creations and handiwork are the mediums I’m exploring currently,” says the artist. She further adds: “I constantly experiment and imbibe new techniques in my work with the hope to ignite the joy and spark powerful experiences to patrons and viewers of my work alike. Inspirations and ideas change, but, knowledge evolves.”
“Every piece I create, whether on a wall, a canvas or on myself, are both, an extension of my past, and my vision for a future. Blending together the colours of where I’ve come from and what I’ve learnt with the lessons and ideas that have shaped me,” the artist explains. “I’ve always been infectiously passionate about art and animals. For several years, I have found peace in helping, rescuing and fostering animals in need. I will be using the proceeds from my artwork to support animals, animal welfare organisations and NGOs in as many ways as possible.”
Captain Cor, Anoushka’s brand name, is inspired by her grandfather, Captain PN Reddy, who is one of the first pilots from the city, and her grandmother Roshanara Reddy, who is from a British-Afghani descent. This, because her grandparents encouraged her artistic pursuits, fuelled her endless curiosity and had constantly supported her every step of the way.