Aiyana Gunjan (b 1970, Allahabad, India) is a Delhi-based Visual Artist and Calligrapher.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is an act of surrendering to the intuitive flow of life, where the mind is the humble servant.It inspires and pushes me to keep moving forward, no matter what. And that’s the essence of art, life and creativity for me. A life changing experience brought me closer to the depth and expanse of life, beyond the limits of logic. It awakened me to my creative soul.
I love the dynamic beauty, the statement of the Calligraphy Stroke. There is so much in just one stroke. That made me challenge the traditional boundaries of calligraphy. I took the stroke, out of the box of letters, into the universal language of fine arts. My oblique-cut nib calligraphy pen is my brush. Stroke by stroke, I paint, in search of perspective and momentum. I love the freedom fine arts gives me to explore and experiment with mediums and forms, Painting, photography, printing, sitar, pottery are my secondary layer, calligraphy being my primary discipline And this is what makes my language.
Being secular at heart, I m deeply moved by the sacred words across faith. Calligraphy brings me closer to the Unity-in-Multiplicity of the diverse religious texts. I see it as the believe in the Oneness of the Universal Force, transcending barriers and forms
I m fascinated by the grammar of the calligraphy strokes of different scripts. The angle of the nib, the movement of the pen, the form of the strokes.I love exploring diferent scripts of calligraphy. Not knowing the language did not stop me. After all, letters are nothing but Forms of Sound. And I dive in the ocean of music- my Sitar notations of Indian Classical Raags An infinity of strokes of music and calligraphy, coming together, as I pen the musical notes in Hebrew, Korean, Hindi and English.
Aiyana’s beginnings are rooted in the field of economics; she earned a BA (Hons) in the subject, going on to also earn a degree in Masters of Business Economics. Aiyana started her corporate career in the field of Strategic Planning with advertising biggies like O&M and HTA/JWT, reached even higher to become the Head of Planning at companies like Mudra and Dentsu, and then went on to pioneer the concept of Semiotics in India. While she devoted eighteen years of her life to working in advertising, she has always felt a strong connection to the arts. Her interests spanned disciplines as she trained under eminent gurus – Shobha Broota in painting, Anis Siddiqui in calligraphy and Subrata De in sitar and Indian Classical Music.
Aiyana Gunjan has educated herself and used self-knowledge to open her mind and her heart to the universe, to sacred and personal spaces. It is this trajectory of thought, philosophy of transience which is fuelling Aiyana Gunjan’s language of art.
This crisscrossing has had a profound effect on her artworks, bringing in an intra-disciplinary approach to her artistic practice, in addition to an idealised innovativeness (from her time spent working in the advertising world) as well as a profound sense of spirituality stemming from her deep thirst to learn more about the human condition which establishes Aiyana Gunjan’s singular vocabulary, too. Not being trained in the academy has worked to her advantage. Unfettered by the formality of a structured education,
Exhibitions
SOLO SHOWS
2015: The Moving Finger– curated by Dr. Alka Pande, Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
2016: Kala Kendra, Bharat Nivas, Auroville, Tamil Nadu
2016: Maison Columbani, Alliance Francaise, Pondicherry
GROUP SHOW
2008: 5th India-Korea, Art camp, Khajuraoh; Exhibition at Dhoomimal Art Centre, New Delhi
2012: One Asia International Calligraphy Exhibition ‘Ek Sutra’, India International Centre, New Delhi
2012: Korea-India,AW Convention Centre,Seoul, Kore2013: The Spirit of Forms, Korean Cultural Centre, Dhoomimal Art Centre
2013: Resonance of the Spirit, Gallery Hanbyeokwon,Seoul, S.Korea
2013: 8th Korea-India, Art Camp, Ghanghwa Peace Village, South Korea
2014: Sangam, Arpana Caur Gallery, New Delhi. 2015: Oasis Festival, BITS Pilani
2015: Beyond the Borders – workshop at Jaipur; Exbihibion at Korean Cultural Centre, Art Konsult,
2017: Photography Show by Origin Group, New Delhi
2018: Harvest 2018, Arushi Arts, curated by Payal Jain, The Stainless Gallery, New Delhi
2019: White on White II, Praccheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh
2020: White on White II, PilgrimLive Art Gallery, Gurgaon
PUBLISHED WORK
2011 The Lexicon Collection, 100 Contemporary Indian Artists, by Divesh Nath, Delhi Press
2012 Tears of the Dancing Letters- documentary film on Calligraphy.
2015: Verve Magazine listed the Moving Finger Show amongst the top shows of 2015
2016: Gnostic Centre Journal, Habitat Centre annual Journal.
2016: Art and Deal Magazine. Feb 2016. article on her calligraphy art
2020: SYGYZY Moments by Anupama Singal, Shikha Tiku
PROJECTS
2008-19: Conducts Calligraphy/ creative workshops – Zorba, the Buddha, Gnostic Centre, Tasmai Centre.2016: Commissioned work by India Habitat Centre 2013: Book Design – Vesture of Being by Padma Shri Keshav Malik. 2006: Creative collaboration-Sitar album, Ganga, by Subrata De,Saregama. 2004: FLO delegate, Edinburgh Festival of Art and Culture
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