• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 

Nikita Parikh

Nikita Parikh

Subtlety of statement, clarity of vision and serenity of philosophy mark the paintings of Nikita Parikh. Born in 1974, Ahmedabad, Nikita did her BFA and MFA in painting at the faculty of fine arts, MS University, Baroda. Born to a very religious family, Nikita’s aesthetics is informed of religious themes and sentiments. She has been visiting the famous Nathadwara temples where Lord Krishna is worshipped as Srinathji. She got her initial inspirations from the traditional Pichwai paintings and Shekhawati murals. As an ardent student of Indian folk tales and mythologies, Nikita developed a unique style of painting in which patterns and playfulness of colours are given more importance than the perfection of anatomy. She likes to works in the medium of paper though she has been experimenting with plywood and aluminum sheets for the last one year. She divides her time between Ahmedabad and Baroda.

Nikita’s entry into the field of art

“I was born in a religious family and we used to visit the Nathadwara temples quite often. I used to observe the traditional paintings in and around the temple towns and got inspired by them at an early age itself. As a child, my sole interest was in drawings and paintings. Though nobody in my family had any artistic inclination, they encouraged me to dabble with colours.”

Why Fine Arts Faculty, Baroda?

“I have many relatives living in Baroda and I have been visiting the city since my school days. I knew about the fine arts faculty and even used to visit the annual Garba function there. After schooling I decided to join the fine arts faculty and study painting.”

How did the faculty help Nikita to evolve?

“I was lucky to have teachers like Vasudevan Akkitham and B.V.Suresh. They encouraged me to see and learn more. My paintings were very naïve in style. I liked the works of Ken Kiff, Paul Klee, Joan Miro, Marc Chaggal and so on. I used to doodle a lot and they looked like the early drawings of Rabindranath Tagore. However, I was slightly worried as my life studies were not so great. But my teachers told me that I had the ability to draw in a different way and I should be developing in those lines. This gave me tremendous confidence.”

How did Nikita evolve in her MFA days?

“I closely studied folk paintings, miniatures, murals and local traditions. Besides, I read a lot of folk tales and myths. These activities helped me to evolve my own style. I started using bold colours and strokes against flat surfaces. Also experimented a lot with watercolours and ink. I liked the accidental results that the experiments gave. Slowly different motifs started coming in the pictorial surface. Later, as I became familiar with the textile industry and block printing methods, I started using them also in my works. This embellishes the pictorial surface of my works.”

When did she start exhibiting?

“I started exhibiting since 1996. I have participated in state and national level exhibitions and camps.”

Future projects?

“Group show with Priyashree Gallery, Mumbai, Art Elements Gallery, New Delhi and solo show with Open Eyed Dreams, Kochi.”

Where will we find Nikita in the coming years?

“In Ahmedabad and Baroda. Working and working.”

What does she think about art market?

“The biggest thing happened for the young and established artists in India. Personally speaking, art market has helped me a lot. I got confidence and it gave me a conducive atmosphere to develop my works.”