Falcon's Vision depicts UAE symbols.

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Circle of Life is an upcoming solo art exhibition at Gallery 76 in Dubai International Art Centre by Dubai based Indian artist Pari Sagar (Dec. 11 – 24). It will be inaugurated by Yasser Al Gergawi, Chairman at Dubai National Theatre and Director of Programs and Partnerships at the Ministry of Tolerance and Khalil Abdulwahid, Visual Art Manager at Dubai Culture and Art Authority. The artworks are for sale.

“The exhibition is a culmination of several years of my artistic journey in self-expression and creative freedom,” Sagar says. “The reason it’s called Circle of Life is because, when the world faced a global pandemic in 2020, everyone took a pause to reflect and look inwards. “For many, this was the most challenging period of their lives.

It gave an opportunity for Mother Nature to heal, recharge and replenish. This road towards self-discovery turned in to works of art.”After publishing her book Numerology — Self-discovery Through Numbers in 2020, Sagar says she needed to reconnect with herself. “An artist often wanders inwards to be able to express herself through art,” she says. “The Circle of Life taught me to re-centre, recreate, realign myself and channel my emotions into my artworks and I realised I had been subconsciously creating circles in all my paintings — a form of meditation and healing.

 Indian artist Pari Sagar is based in the UAE.

“The show represents hope, faith and love in their purest essence. They create a mirror of one’s inner self: to touch the side of one’s personality that is rarely shown in public.” DIAC is a non-profit organisation owned by its members and managed by a board of directors. It is one the premier centres for arts education in Dubai, offering the community over 80 different art courses and workshops, language courses and gallery exhibitions.

It was founded in 1976 by the initiative of a few artists and art enthusiasts residing in Dubai. Today, its growing membership stands at over 1,100 from 67 different nationalities. Sagar speaks to Gulf Today Is a crisis — such as the pandemic — an opportunity? How does a crisis convert into art? The coronavirus pandemic was the most significant crisis of our times. During the global lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, the world was facing hard time, such as losing health and unemployment, which was hitting people badly.

For many, this was the most challenging period of their lives. It was difficult to see a silver lining. When there is a crisis, there are two ways to deal with it: either you feel miserable and not do anything about it, or you can take it as an opportunity. So in a crisis, there can be benefits for our mental well-being and personal lives. Our priorities have changed. Things which didn’t seem significant before the pandemic, are so much more important now; our health and connections with family and friends, for instance.

 This artwork is titled Window of the Soul.

We have become so much more grateful for simple gifts such as food, water, a roof above our heads and having a solid foundation for our lives. My realisation was that one should allow Mother Nature to heal, recharge and replenish. This road towards self-discovery turned into works of art. Strange but true, in every art piece, I was creating circles. It may be in the form of illustration or abstract painting. Where do you place the Emirates in your circle of life?The Emirates plays an important part in my life.

It’s my home away from home. I have stayed in the UAE more than in my motherland (India). I was born and brought up in Mumbai, India. I didn’t receive any formal training in art; but in my free time, I loved to sketch portraits. The only materials I needed to be happy was a pencil or charcoal and paper. In 1991, I got married and moved to Dubai. Marrying at a young age, and soon becoming a mother of two children, filled my life with responsibilities. I was so busy with my family life that I didn’t have time to follow my passion for art. At that point of time, my young children were my priority and I devoted most of my time to taking care of their needs.

In the year 2000, after nine years of marriage, my journey towards self-discovery and self-healing began. A power beyond me was shifting me and preparing me for change. My life experiences had led me to seek answers through art. I believe that true art is characterised by an irresistible urge towards creative freedom and self-expression. This land has taught me this, among many things. Doesn’t the feeling that you end where you start — as in a circle — make art depressing?No, it is not depressing.

Because every time you start a new circle, you are a better version of yourself. You learn from your experiences, mistakes, and you learn more about yourself. It has allowed me to be more confident when my next journey begins. I appreciate things more and it gives me the ability to make decisions which lead to a happier and healthier life. Your circles are filled with bright colours. Why? In art, colours represent language, where an artist shares his or her feelings and emotions.

My palette includes colours such as purples, blues, sea greens, yellows and oranges. I love the dance of hot and cold colours. I cherish brightness; but I do sometimes lean towards dark shades. The warmth of green represents Nature, but I may use it as a shades of blue or orange or purple. But each colour has its own definition. What is the symbolism of your circles?The end of one journey is the beginning of the next. Every time you start a new journey, you are wiser, stronger and smarter. You cherish your past experiences and appreciate the people and things in your life.