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Lot Essay
One of the recurring images in Arpita's works is a central seated figure surrounded by smaller vignettes and objects. As we see in the current picture, there may not be a common theme that runs through them. Rather it is made of fragments put together according to her own personal system. Arpita's canvas allows elements from different places and context to come together in an "uncanny destiny."
"The colors are rich, astringent, and even garish, the outlines crisp and stiff, the drawing consciously naive... Like playing card characters all these images are scissor-cut and tailored to fulfil a specific role, they are actors who have spilled on to a planar surface and there take part in a elaborate and variegated pageant. If some figures stand on their heads and others are only seen in part, this is the way the artist has planned their being. In the total structure the eye travels from motif to motif as in a carnival and like in a carnival there is restlessness and laughter." (J. Appaswamy, 'New Images in Indian Art: Fantasy', Lalit Kala Contemporary 15, February 1973, p. 9.)
"The colors are rich, astringent, and even garish, the outlines crisp and stiff, the drawing consciously naive... Like playing card characters all these images are scissor-cut and tailored to fulfil a specific role, they are actors who have spilled on to a planar surface and there take part in a elaborate and variegated pageant. If some figures stand on their heads and others are only seen in part, this is the way the artist has planned their being. In the total structure the eye travels from motif to motif as in a carnival and like in a carnival there is restlessness and laughter." (J. Appaswamy, 'New Images in Indian Art: Fantasy', Lalit Kala Contemporary 15, February 1973, p. 9.)
