By Honorary Reporter Manasha Sharma from India
Photos = Manasha Sharma

Nishat Naaz, Md Farukh, Huzaifa Ghaffar Khan and Subi Khan, four students at Jamia Millia Islamia University of India, and their curator-mentor Anupriya Roy from June 15-21 held an exhibition of Korean ink wash paintings, "Saranghi – Strings of the Heart," at Annexe Art Gallery of the India International Centre in New Delhi.

The title signifies the artists' aim to represent the saranghi, a traditional South Asian string instrument, as the strings of the heart while incorporating the timeless art of Korean ink painting.

From left to right are artists Nishat Naaz and Anupriya Roy, curator Subi Khan and artist Huzaifa Ghaffar.

The university's postgraduate program for visual effects and animation offers a course in Korean painting. Curator Roy has a personal interest in Korean art and culture, specifically ink wash painting, and explained the process of the art form, technicalities required with its limited tools and the sense of harmony needed. 

"Pukhtagi" by Nishat Naaz

Ink wash paintings focus on nature with landscapes depicting the lively yet serene feeling from Earth. The paintings in this exhibition take this a step further to connect Indian penmanship with the Korean art style. Retaining the spirit and spirituality of such works, Ghaffar's "Sakura Sangeet" (Cherry Blossom Melody) and Naaz's "Pukhtagi" (Strength) capture a feeling of harmony and belonging. Tree branches spread through the flow of brushes, with leaves showing an unfinished yet complete texture with a signature tinge of colors.

"Sakura Sangeet" by Huzaifa Ghaffar

Huzaifa's "Ink and Melody" depicts a lady clothed in Indian attire who is immersed in the tunes of the saranghi. She sits beside a river under a tree with thinly silhouetted branches in blending elements of both cultures.

The brushstrokes bring a crucial element in these paintings, with heavily stressed shadows and finely consummated lines. Khan's "Chrysanthemum" depicts this duality of lines and strokes, letting watery strokes dominate the leaves while accentuating the chrysanthemum with finely painted edges. 

"Chrysanthemum" by Subi Khan  

Farukh highlights the contrast of proximity in his "Bold Nature," creating a distance between the subject and the viewer by using a red dragonfly. As one of four distinct plants used in ink wash painting, the bamboo in this work depicts nature's harmony through diverse shades and allows the ink wash technique to transcend two-dimensional space. 

"Bold Nature" by Mohammad Farukh  

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.