Surviving All Odds by Shirley Matthews is a Celebration of Nature’s Victory Despite Mass Urbanization
Surviving All Odds by Shirley Matthews is a Celebration of Nature’s Victory Despite Mass Urbanization
Bengaluru-based artist Shirley Mathew says, “Lockdown was a tough period for everyone, but with time, nature started coming to the fore.” “During this trying, we survived, animals survived, nature survived. That existence is a depiction of hope – nature survived against all odds and now we need to nurture it.”
“A lot of my work reflects my concern for the felling of trees and how we have urbanized to such an extent that trees are struggling to survive. As an artist, I express myself this way – other people take a more outspoken stance and I support them in my own way – through my art,” says the artist, whose work has led to the cause since 2011. has shown.
Artist Shirley Matthews | photo credit: special arrangement
“My series on urbanization is not negative in any way. I believe that architects are creative in their own right, but there must be a way to coexist with nature, without detracting from the landscape and replacing it with glass and cement. My tasks usually have a tree somewhere to show the ongoing conflict. ,
Surviving All Odds includes mostly black, white, and earth tones. “Although I usually use a strong color palette and bright tones, this series is different, very monochromatic,” says Shirley, adding that it is a reflection of her time in lockdown. “We all learned to do with what I did in that era in a variety of ways. I couldn’t go to my studio where I normally work; I used a rice paper collage to make an introduction. organic ingredients as well as other mixed media.”
There is also an inherent element of reinvention in her work. For example, Gradients in Time now has multiple colors, while the original, created in 2011, initially featured foliage and building blocks. “I added to it more interest, more life, mainly to say ‘this is what we’ve done.’ There is one,” she says, adding that the rest were made during the lockdown.
Surviving All Odds by artist Shirley Matthews in the series of the same name | photo credit: special arrangement
Shirley has always had an inclination towards the stage and says that apart from art class at school, she only used to paint when she was home in the evenings. Largely self-taught, Shirley says her father and brother felt she could benefit from a structured education in the arts and encouraged her to take it seriously.
“I appreciate self-taught artists but I benefited from art school. The teachers guided me and helped hone my talents. Their constructive criticism gave me a sense of direction where my work was concerned. . I would have stopped otherwise.”
Shirley studied at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington DC, and further trained at Escola Lotza in Barcelona. “Trainers clearly pushed us in the direction of our strengths. Over the years, I’ve felt I’ve thrown off my ego and stood me in good stead just by listening to others’ evaluations of my work. .
His first solo was to raise funds for the NGO Concern India in 2002 in Bangalore. The exhibition was a success and marked the beginning of his journey as an artist. “I realized I could express myself through my art, and that’s been my journey. I love working with mixed media because you start with acrylic, and then finish it off with oil. First let’s make it by adding more elements to it.”
Artist Shirley Matthews’ series Surviving All Odds | photo credit: special arrangement
“Mixed media lends itself to other elements—I use whatever comes on hand—rice paper, dry pastels, Indian ink, corrugated sheet, a piece of honeycomb. No one can tell a story to the different media. Can see it happening, which adds to the charm of a piece.”
While many artists choose to leave their works untitled, opening them up to audience interpretation, Shirley believes otherwise. “There is a lot of symbolism or representational elements in my art. I believe that by naming a work, those few words can help the audience understand what the artist is trying to convey.”
She believes that much of her work is philosophical. “I have used trees as a symbol to show how we have all gone through a certain stage of life. You will notice that the tendrils are rising up even when a large trunk has been cut. ,
Artist Shirley Matthews | photo credit: special arrangement
As an artist, curator, art consultant and collector today, Shirley says that helping promote other artists brings her great pleasure, especially those from far flung areas. “It is so exciting to see amazing works from other artists and you want to promote them because, in a way, the artist community is isolated. We need to help each other rise up.”
Surviving All Odds comprises 30 works of mixed media on paper as well as oil on canvas and will be on display at the MKF Museum, Lavalle Road, Bengaluru from August 13 to 28.