Kapila Nahender’s latest show, “Sakura - Land & Light” opened on 13th July 2024 at MKF Museum of Art, on Lavelle Road. 

Kapila Nahender is a sensitive artist—her oils create colourful and emotionally evocative work.

In this exhibit are three series of previously undisplayed work, dating back to 2020. Of particular note, is my favourite series by the artist titled “Illumine”. The series was composed in 2020 and is emblematic of the resilience of the human spirit, as well as the hope to be reunited with loved ones and the faith that the worst would be over soon.

In the garden of Sakura, her childhood home on St John’s Road, Kapila Nahender experienced life—in love and loss.

But she says she does not see her art as symbolic of the struggle, but rather, as an experience that was positive and abundant. 

At the entrance of the salon at MKF Museum of Art, is one of two large paintings from the exhibit. The other is on the far wall. In the middle are four oval-shaped canvases from Illumine, framing a single, square canvas of the Cherry Blossom. 

Curator, Shirley Matthew, has displayed three of the smaller works from the ‘Sakura’ series, with the central canvas being a pastel vase of roses in muted tones in contrast to the more vibrant, jewel tone typical of Kapila’s style. 

A cosy sofa and table setup that allows the spectator to envision how their own home would feel if they had these works of art on their walls

“Home is a feeling best experienced in the embrace of nature,” Kapila Nahender told Explocity. 

The wall to the right displays a series of Kapila’s newer works, with the central canvas replaced with a painting from the Illumine series. The flowers in the latest series are Rose, Hibiscus, Jacaranda, and Gulmohar, along with the Cherry Blossom on the opposite wall.

Nahender accords meaning to each flower she uses.

The rose symbolises love and mysticism, the jacaranda symbolises resilience and renewal, the hibiscus is a symbol of femininity and young love, the Gulmohar signifies grace, liveliness and celebration and the cherry blossom is a reminder of the fleeting nature of life.

The underlying allegory is that the flowers lend their beauty for a short time, but the spiritual quality of flowers has a healing effect of being surrounded by nature.

The show will run till the 28th of the month.