The Hatch End Association has kindly given permission to reproduce Sheila Reid’s article about Ketna Patel’s exhibition earlier this year:
In the dreary, wet, cold days of January, the Heath Robinson Museum brought a pop of colour to our lives with its Remixology exhibition. Showcasing the work of British-Indian multi-media artist Ketna Patel, who grew up in Kenya, was educated in the UK and spent many years living in Singapore and India, the vibrant exhibition brought together East and West, old and new, the sacred and the everyday. As she bounced into the exhibition room on the day we met, she was simply dazzling, wearing a brilliant scarf made from old saris. Like me, she loves bright colours: “When I studied interior design and architecture in the 1980s, I was never encouraged to use colour,” she says. “This was when minimalism was in, and yet my own culture was full of colour.”
“I’m a visual storyteller,” says Ketna. “I don’t like abstract art because where is the story?” Contemporary stories meet ancient stories as she merges the three different cultures that have shaped her life. She juxtaposes mythological characters, gods, political icons and ordinary people on the same canvas. “A lot of non-Western stories fall to the wayside, because they’re not documented,” she says. “In my own way, I’m trying to put the spotlight onto African, Indian, and Asian stories and bring them to the surface.”
Each artwork commands attention: there’s no “that’s nice, I like the colour/shape”, as you move on to the next painting, you need to spend time absorbing the imagery and the story, working out what Ketna is trying to tell you. Hakuna Matata (Swahili for “no problem”) is a case in point. The painting reflects her family history as she navigated the complexities of migration and identity. She says the title embodies the resilient, optimistic spirit deeply ingrained in the British Indian diaspora.
Sisters of Earth is another work that caught my attention. The image features two young women, one Indian, one British, standing together against a background of a temple and a vintage Indian seascape. It symbolises the connection between India and Britain, portraying them as sisters, and reflecting on their shared heritage and intertwined futures.
Ketna doesn’t restrict herself to putting her work into frames, she uses everyday objects such as furniture, umbrellas and household items to portray it – even an elephant (pictured, above, with Ketna).
“I’d like to see my work in galleries in London as it’s so cultural,” she smiles, as she dashes off in a whirlwind of colour to sort one of her exhibits.
To view more of Ketna’s work or to arrange to visit her studio in Stanmore, log on to www.ketnapatel.com.
The current exhibition at the Heath Robinson Museum is Ways of Seeing: Narrative, Humour, Nostalgia which examines these three key themes through the work of Heath Robinson and 15 contemporary artists. The exhibition features painting, sculpture, video, soundscapes and augmented reality, showcasing how artists continue to use storytelling, satire and memory to provoke thought, entertain, and challenge perceptions. The museum is open Thursday-Sunday, 11am-4pm. For more information, call 8866 8420 or visit www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org.
© Hatch End Association
