Amersham based artist Harsha Wadhwani Basu has been an integral part of the Queen’s Jayantee celebrations.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee colouring page has been immensely popular - both as an educational and engagement tool. A few Bucks Museums (Amersham, Marlow, Discover Bucks) are using it and I have received encouraging comments from The National Gallery & Victoria Albert Museum in London.
The original artwork was displayed in A Little Street Kitchen Cafe on Amersham High Street and local families enjoyed the colouring pages over fresh Asian-inspired food.
“Street party organisers and mothers have emailed me to get a copy of the colouring page to make it a part of holiday activities in the community and at home. Amersham Library has also organised a colour along with a session with me, which is on 11th June and I am really looking forward to it!” she told Asian Voice.
“My artwork is a gift to the queen, a celebration of her life. I have plans to send the painting to the Queen - an Indian-inspired gift on her special day!” Basu added.
Explaining the significance of Mithila paintings, Harsha explained that the art form is 1000s of years old. As per folklore, it originated in the Mithila region - current day Bihar and Nepal in India - when Lord Rama and Goddess Sita got married. This is the art form that was used to decorate the village to celebrate Sita’s marriage. It has been practised, preserved and progressed largely by womenkind. It traditionally uses natural colours and tools. It promotes nature preservation, and nature motifs, and depicts people in association with people. In Japan, there is a museum dedicated solely to Mithila Art and The British Museum in London has at least if not more than 30 Mithila paintings in its collection.
