On Anju Dodiya, mattresses and dreams

Anju Dodiya, a prominent Indian contemporary artist, is renowned for her introspective works. Her career spans several decades, characterised by a profound exploration of self-identity and the human condition. Dodiya's art, rich in narrative and emotional depth, often employs a mix of watercolours, acrylics, and charcoal. She delves into themes of personal and collective anxiety, dreams, and mythology. 

Dodiya draws inspiration from a blend of personal experiences, literature, mythology, and art history. Her works are deeply personal, reflecting her inner world and emotions, often incorporating references to poetry and mythological tales to create layered narratives. Influences from both Western and Eastern art traditions are evident in her pieces, blending classical techniques with contemporary themes. Dodiya’s art explores the complexities of human emotions, depicting states of fear, introspection, and resilience, and effectively connecting the personal with the universal to create a dialogue between the inner self and the outer world.

Dodiya's innovative use of mattresses as a medium in her art is a striking element. By painting on mattresses, Dodiya transforms these everyday objects into canvases that convey vulnerability and intimacy. The mattress, a symbol of rest and personal space, becomes a site of introspection and psychological exploration in her hands. This unconventional choice allows her to juxtapose the softness and domesticity of the mattress with the intense emotional themes she addresses. Through this medium, Dodiya effectively blurs the lines between art and life, inviting viewers to engage with her work on a more personal and tactile level. 

The Reader, 2017, Acrylic on shaped mattress

This work titled ‘The Reader’  makes use of a printed mattress to portray a female subject reading under a chair. The chair has arrows stabbed in it; the light and dark tonal contrasts on the soft cushion of the chair stand out against the piercing arrows. The white and black houndstooth print adds to the monochromatic feel of the work, as subtle elements such as the curtain, the books and the wash of turquoise in the bottom left ease in some colours. What stands out to me most is the varying levels of translucency, wherein some elements allow for the base print to appear more strongly and others lay on it with opacity. The woman appears to be hiding under the chair, having the arrows just missed their aim on her, profusely reading with an almost haunted look on her face. The circular frame of the work keeps the eye moving around the composition, keeping the viewer engaged. 

The Path of Berries, 2006, Acrylic on mattress

This is another one of Dodiya’s work on a mattress, titled ‘The Path of Berries’ on a floral printed fabric. It shows 2 scenes, one where a woman stretched out of / behind a rooster and the other a couple in embrace. These two scenes are seamlessly connected, with the rooster's claws gently gripping the man's shoulders. 

The embrace of the man and woman seems like a scene of departure and sadness, the expression on the man's face hints at perhaps realisation of this departure as the woman comforts him (maybe for the last time). The use of colours for this half of the composition is sombre, with dry brushed strokes of black. The woman’s face is hidden, but her hand caressing her partner’s head shows her affection toward him. As for the second half of the paintings, roosters typically symbolise new beginnings, as they usher in the dawn with their unmistakable crow, reminding us of the cyclical nature of life and the promise of a fresh start every day. The woman stretching out of it is painted in brighter colours, her coral dress playing off of the red of the roses in the background, and the red in the rooster's face and beak. The progression from the latter morose scene to this more colourful one could hint at a larger theme of renewal and a shedding of old identities. The scatter of jamuns reiterates this idea as the berry is known to be a blood purifier, helpful to women during menstruation when they lose blood. Overall, this painting reads to me as a powerful reminder to women, to give back to our other identities of self-hood and independence, and move away from being defined in regards to the men in our lives. 

Dodiya’s body of work is like a good book that unravels new mysteries with each read. I find new interpretations each time, and the clever use of allusions in her oeuvre leave me awed every single time.

Bibliography:

Anju Dodiya. Chemould Prescott Road. https://www.gallerychemould.com/artists/29-anju-dodiya/