source:TOI
Sarasvathy TK has a BTech degree in computer engineering but the New Jersey-based artist gave up an engineering career when she was drawn to hyperrealism in art in 2007 and took up painting. Visits to art galleries, fairs and exhibitions gave her a glimpse into the fascinating world of depiction of western food – burgers and cakes – through the lens of realism.
And it also started her off on a journey of depicting Indian food – jalebi, idli and chole bhatture – in the same way. “I loved how other cultures created food art. But our Indian food did not exist in art and that’s what I decided to do,” Sarasvathy told the Times of India from her home in New Jersey. She started painting hyper-realistic still life in the European tradition – oil on canvas paintings started in her kitchen from where they moved to her studio.
“Nobody had done this before with Indian food and the idea of depicting our food realistically through painting did not exist in our culture. For me, the experience was of bringing together memories of Indian cooking and of my roots and the culture. I use strong images of food to recreate on canvas the associations that come with it — memories of my mother cooking, favourite dishes, the first taste of a new cuisine, or a joyous evening with friends,” she says.
Her research has taken her into the rich history and tradition of Indian and South Asian cuisine and its influence around the globe.
The journey, which she hopes will be her gift to the world, begins in her own kitchen where she starts by preparing or sourcing the food. “It could be 20 to 30 idlis or jalebis. The next step is taking 200 or more photos from different angles before I start painting. I use a simple background of white crockery to highlight the rich textures and colours of Indian food. Each painting takes two to three months to complete,” she says.
Drawing on her background in computer science, Sarasvathy creates eye-tricking works with a process that involves cooking, plating and lighting. The hundreds of photos that she takes followed by her sketches helps her to achieve the extensive detailing and exactitude of every component. Each canvas also reflects her deep research into the dishes and how they have travelled across generations and oceans. In fact, her engagement with the Indian American community through her unique food journey is strong. And back on March 30, 2020, Sarasvathy created quite a buzz among the Indian Americans when she released local customised US postage stamps to commemorate World Idli Day.
Her first solo exhibition of 12 paintings of Indian food in hyperreal style, Bhojan, will be on at Foley Gallery in Manhattan, New York, next week between June 9 and 12. From mango lassi as an aperitif, to several main courses and jalebis for dessert, the paintings are true to life in their colours, textures and vividly captured details.
South Asian Womxn’s Creative Collective (SAWCC), a non-profit arts organisation dedicated to the advancement, visibility and development of artists and creative professionals from the region, is collaborating with her on public programming that will provide a deeper context into the foods of the Indian subcontinent. The exhibition, which was first planned in 2021, was pushed back because of the pandemic and her illness.
“I feel proud of being able to display our cuisine in New York City not only from the perspective of art but also because of the rich culture behind our food and our spices. Indian cuisine is famous globally and now I am hoping it will also get recognition through the world of art,” says Sarasvathy who was born in Pondicherry and grew up in Chennai before moving to Abu Dhabi with her parents.
She moved to New Jersey in 2017 with her husband PV Nagraju, a finance professional. The idea of taking up food art was first conceived by her when she moved to Singapore with her husband. “While I loved to see hyperrealism in art and started replicating the textures of food; I also started delving deep into the subject of Indian food through research,” she said.
Sarasvathy has won several accolades for her work, including an award for merit at the American Women Artist’s 2020 spring exhibition. She has exhibited at several museums, galleries and art festivals, including Monmouth Museum in New Jersey and Affordable Art Fair in Singapore
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