An Indian, specifically a Gujarati woman, has three of her works displayed at World Bank. Jignasha Ojha, an alumni of Vadodara's MS University, has made quite a name for herself with her fusion of Indian miniature paintings and western art.
The artist's works are on display in six museums in the United States. “Experimenting with traditional miniature art was not a conscious decision. Temple murals and calendars featuring various gods and mythical episodes fascinated me as kid. While studying for my master's degree, I experimented with the idea of fusing both miniature art with western art,” she said.
A recipient of the Commonwealth Arts and Craft Award, Jignasha captures characters from ancient miniature and shows them in a present day milieu. Her works also portray the current socio-political scenario through the blend of two different forms of art. “At present two works, War and Peace and Dream II are at display in the gallery of the World Bank. The works were exhibited as a part of the 'Imagining Our Future Together- South Asia Artist' that was held between 2012 and 2013,” she said. While 'War and Peace' is based on her reflections of the 2002 Gujarat riots, Dream II is a depiction of man's longing for conventional life amidst the chaotic modern times. "There are no consistent themes, but issues like urbanization, displacement and border tensions can be seen in most of her works. The artworks are mostly satire on modern-day issues without taking any sides," said her husband Jeetu Ojha, a sculptor.
Jignasha's work has been displayed at US museums like Art Institute of Chicago, Dallas Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art and Whitney Museum of American Art.
