DakshinaChitra Hosts 'Patterns in Nature' Art Show Curated by Diana
An art exhibition titled 'Patterns in Nature' has opened at the Kadambari Art Gallery at DakshinaChitra Heritage Museum, presenting paintings, sculptures, and installations created by 25 young artists. Curated by art educator and art therapist Diana, the exhibition runs through October 10 from 10 am to 6.30 pm.
The show grew out of 'Walking with the Irular,' a biodiversity walk organised by Nature Ed, the education and awareness division of the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. The initiative guided children through the Irular settlement located across the crocodile bank, encouraging them to observe wildlife and spot natural patterns in their immediate surroundings.
During the walk, participants observed striped ladybugs, snakes, red chameleons, birds, and insects. Diana, who has spent 24 years working as an educator, noted that snakes offered a particular source of fascination, as the children examined their skins up close to see the tessellated structures formed by scales. She observed that leaving snakes undisturbed showed the children that the reptiles caused no harm.
Following the walk, Diana brought the concept back into the classroom, launching a three-month-long artistic project. The students identified natural forms and mathematical sequences in everyday objects, studying the Fibonacci sequence through a cauliflower, noting patterns in thengai poo, and incorporating rosary pea or gundumani seeds into an art installation.
The resulting collection brings together works by contributors aged between nine and 24, including international entries submitted by artists living in Singapore and Malaysia. The works span different media to explore how organic geometry and natural phenomena can be translated into visual art.
Diana explained that the primary purpose of the exhibition was to foster creative conservation rather than merely put finished artwork on display. She noted that she hopes visitors, including naturalists, environmentalists, and poets, will engage directly with the young artists to discuss their ideas and build greater environmental awareness through their creative work.
