ABOUT

Delna Dastur

I grew up in Bombay, India. Life there is loud and crowded, teeming with humanity filling the air with the sound and aroma of constant flux. These memories are embedded in my subconscious and infiltrate my work through a palette that reflects bright, intense color and through patterns decorating the surfaces. The compositions are dense, brimming to the edge with imagery reflecting my thoughts and memories.

My body of work reflects my continuing investigation into the fraught relationship between Humanity and Nature. Some of the imaginary landscapes I create are abstracted from reality through the portrayal of urban consumption of Nature. Others reflect Nature’s victory in the face of adversity. Some of the paintings are filled with lightness and optimism; others are somber and pensive. I want the work to reflect both the seeds of hope and wonder combined with the irreversible damage caused by the brutal and thoughtless destruction of land.

I use materials and ideas to cross pollinate, juxta positioning the old with the new, the East and the West. The work starts with materials from my Indian roots, printing with primitive Indian woodblocks and using handmade Indian paper for collage. The initial layers, embedded within gels and pastes, are covered by acrylic drips and paint connecting them irrevocably. I do not start with any preconceived ideas. The work grows organically, and I let my instincts direct me to its conclusion. I incorporate varied ideas and tools in my painting and drawings, continually reinforcing the overarching theme of conflict between mankind and nature.

I am represented by the Atrium Art Gallery in Charleston:

Atrium Art Gallery
61 Queen Street
Charleston, SC 29401
www.atriumartgallery.com
Tel: 843-973-3300

India Connection
Currently I tend to spend the winter months in India. Not wanting to give up my daily practice of working in my studio in the United States, I use the small, covered balcony in my Mumbai apartment as my studio. It is interesting to work in a space that is so very different, open to the atmosphere, smells and noises.

I am represented by Gallery Art Motif in New Delhi:

Gallery Art Motif
A1/178 Safdurjung Enclave, 4F
New Delhi, India 110030
www.galleryartmotif.com
Tel: +91 11-42664343

Embracing Arlington Arts

Listen to Delna talk about her work

October 17, 2023

Delna Dastur was interviewed by “Embracing Arlington Arts Talks” for a podcast discussing her exhibition at the Fred Schnider Gallery of Art. On the podcast she discusses the important theme of climate change that underlies her work. She also talks about how her teaching career developed and touches on the various materials that she uses in her creative process.

"Cross Pollination"

Fred Schnider Gallery Exhibition
November 10-December 30, 2023

Opening Reception: November 11, 2023 5pm-8pm
Artist Talk: December 9, 5pm-7pm
Free and open to the public

Cross Pollination, mixed media on oil paper, 30x22, 2023