"When I recently saw the paintings by Sujata Bajaj, I was struck by the consistent way her art had developed. Each picture, a genuine expression of the same mind - gentle, yet ardently intense. What fascinated me further was being in the presence of an intensely beautiful, yet tender expression. Images that are warm and gentle, but at the same time unapproachable, of an intensely concentrated, naked soul." - Arne Eggum, director, Munch Museum, Oslo.

OM, a primordial cry, the original word, OM the energy, are all part of Sujata Bajaj's works of art. Perhaps, viewing its extensive use in her paintings, it comes close to becoming her signature. Warm reds, maroons yellows, orange and deep gorges of black flow from her canvas, as subdued writings of religious scriptures give it the spiritual effect. This family of paintings 'Energy' seem to be part of a whole, part violent, part harmony.

"I dont want to give any message through my paintings. I just want to create positive energy, for me and for the art lover," says artist Sujata Bajaj. Is the positive energy a Feng Shui concept? "I don't know about Feng Shui. It has become a sudden rage in recent times. But I have tried to create positive energy through my paintings right from the beginning itself," she explains. Her paintings are her personal statement of her state of mind, not a portrayal or depiction of anything.

"I have made use of fragments of manuscripts, transcriptions of letters constructing a dialect of sign, syntax and significance. I have worked on numerous layers to create a translucent veil. I found it interesting to work on a variety of media, pigment and techniques," she says on her work.

Sujata's tryst with art began as a child with poetry captivating her heart. Soon poetry with words was translated into art on canvas. As her love for art blossmed, she worked on a thesis on tribal art. Then at the Beaux Arts in Paris she met professor Claude Viseux who used monotype as his medium of expression. "With the monotype, I could find my own language. In the beginning, I used profuse orchestrations and unusual elements and overnourished the plates and paper I worked on," says Sujata.

"I have worked with different art forms and media such as etching, wood-cut, sculpture, murals, cold ceramic, fibre-glass and metal. I am presently working with mixed media and acrylic," Sujata talks on the diverse media she has experimented with.

This young painter has been the recipient of many awards: the Chancellor's Award of SNDT University, Mumbai; the State Art Award in 1979, Maharashtra Outstanding Young Person of Pune award, Best painting award at Nasik Kala Niketan in 1986, Bombay Art Society Award in 1991, among others.

Her collections are available at the Lalit Kala Akademi, Air India, Philips India, World Bank, Vulcan Laval, Indian Merchants Chamber, Solidaire International Marketing, with Indian celebrities and industrialists like Ambani, Bajaj, Birla, Kirloskar, Manjulika Jhavar, Avijit Muzumdar, Kamal Murarka, Gayathri & Arvind Swamy, Harsh Goenka, Anand Kerkar, Asit & Dina Melita and Sangita Singh Kathiwada. Cultural Ministry of Norway, Philips Holland, Danielle Mitterand, Krishna Riboud, Jean Claude Carrière, Marie-Laure Croiziers de l’ Achivier, S H Raza and other private and public collections; also in Mexico, Germany, Norway, Holland, Sweden, Canada, USA, Japan and Great Britain have patronised her work.

"There is a marked evolution visible in my technique; the monotype has grown more discreet, voluntarily ceding place to the brush and collage. Traditional signs and language are more physically emphasised," avers Sujata.

By Anupama Vinayak