Ayesha Taleyarkhan
Ayesha’s work has evolved through the shifting parameters of photography. She entered the world of photography in the black & white era, as Business India’s first photographer. This genre became a fundamental part of her perception, and impacted her future work. She then moved on to the glitzy world of advertising photography of the 1980s and 1990s, along with its drama of black & white photography, as well as the ‘in your face’ element of vivid colour.
Making a foray into the photo book genre, Ayesha has produced six books to date, including ‘Stree: Woman of India’, ‘Beyond Bombay Balconies’ and ‘Under the Sun: Business as Usual’, which focus on diverse and socially relevant topics.
Currently she has created a body of photo-artworks. The theme is ‘integration’ as two or more of her images have been melded together to produce cutting edge abstract compositions. The computer is used as a crayon or a watercolour wash, or to create vibrant symmetry, enhancing textures and layering in the colours. The artworks have their own specific identities and fall into broad categories, but still resonate in the spirit of integration.
Ayesha reiterates: “Two or more of my existing photographs meld seamlessly, to reincarnate into an entirely different abstract image. These compositions capture the unpredictable aspect of the abstract genre, where colour, form, textures and layers impulsively engage.”
“The correlation between integration and the abstract, leads to an ambiguous space, where it permeates and creates a fluid dialect, reinventing itself like a work in progress – and is open to interpretation. Its spontaneous character transcends its many facets, assimilating diverse dimensions and morphing into a new narrative. Images that were originally taken for a specific purpose are now reinvented with a new identity and an alternate narrative. The layering and texturing of the colours is a crucial part of the process; where the computer becomes the artist, and creates watercolours or oil paintings, pastels or acrylics, that reflect the unique personality of each image.”
Given the above, Ayesha has exhibited her works in multiple solo and group exhibitions in India (Mumbai and Pune). Indeed her clientele ranges from private collectors to corporate entities for whom she has worked on various commissioned projects. Furthermore, some of her major shows are as follows:
Debut Solo Exhibition at Details, Mumbai 2017
Solo Exhibition at Artists’ Centre, Mumbai 2017
Solo Exhibition at Monalisa Kalagram, Pune 2018
Mumbai Art Fair, Mumbai 2019
Group Show at Cymroza Gallery Mumbai 2020
India Photo Festival 2020
Bangiya Kala Kendra, Kolkata 2020
The Cartist Festival 2020
World Art Fair 2021
Solo Exhibition – Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai, 2022
