An Engineer's Unique Artwork Through Miniature Paintings

By Thivyamalini Ramalu KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- Ami Jesal, 31, once an engineer by profession, has embarked on a long and satisfying journey of learning miniature art since 2011, realising that it was her true calling. Ami, from Mumbai, spent a few months at the Indian Himalayan city of Dharamshala in the Kangra valley, learning how to paint and imbibing the traditional way of life. Today, she proudly presents 16 Indian miniature paintings in her first art exhibition themed 'Meraki', from the Greek word which means, besides love, passion and a lot of soul, "the essence of yourself that is put into your work". "Emotions of the painting transform me. It makes me more meditative and calmer, and I am looking forward to exploring the Mughal Empire soon through miniature art since it is a vast field and not restricted to religious purposes. "This is just the beginning and I hope to nurture and preserve this form of art and be at the forefront for the next generation of miniature art practitioners," she told Bernama when met during the exhibition on Thursday. Held in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur International Arts Festival 2016 (DiverseCity), Meraki, a unique collection of painstakingly-created miniature paintings on paper and faux ivory, explores the themes of love and presents a layered world of meanings. The soft-spoken artist said each of her paintings took one to two months to complete since it had to be polished with water colour while adding layers to create a 3D-effect. "I'd like to pass on the love through traditional art that develops an undefined feeling; a mixture of harmony, peace and imagination," she said. Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, T.S. Tirumurti who opened the exhibition on Wednesday, said the conceptualisation portrayed by Ami brought out the passion and mood of love. Art lovers and the public can visit the Meraki exhibition at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre, Brickfields from today until Oct 2. Admission is free. The five-week event (DiverseCity) from Aug 31 to Oct 2 at several venues in Kuala Lumpur, also showcases a lineup of cultural performances featuring more than 100 international stars including from ASEAN countries and India. --BERNAMA