The Brown Girls | Celebration | Ch 03
Celebration by Naina Dalal
Naina at Home in London, 1963
At an age, when recognizing new identity, selecting preferences, new goals, uncertain future, proposal for partnership, mental and physical growth, socio-cultural factors, in the midst of all the chaos, we forget to take time for the most important thing other than our soul, our body. Exploring our own body is the most understandable experience. To celebrate it isn’t a crime.
There are many who feel shy, while some are proud of it. Some prefer to keep it to themselves while many are bold about it. Few take it with subtleness, and then there are girls who try to cope with it, while others romanticize their body.
The character here gives us an aristocratic feel where her decent comb over feel adds value to her poised attitude. Her sharp features attracts the viewer. A neck to die for and broad shoulders where any man or woman would like to keep his/her head for warmth. The bosom here is surely inviting. But, what is more seductive here is the red earring. A nude, young and classy girl makes her statement. She defines her core by giving us a glimpse of striking red earrings. Her attitude, her style is the reason for seduction. And the brown defines her rawness! Her self confidence!
In Naina’s works, the ladies don’t give a damn about their curves. The female characters are confident of their body and are highly progressive. They think, dream, imagine, fantasize, fulfill mentally and physically according to their convenience with or without the partner. She neither does gaga about her so-called rational thinking nor she under plays her rights and needs. Her woman seduces, engages, and cares from heart and soul. From mind and thoughts. The energy is transformed to the viewers.
Here, I would like to acknowledge Naina as an artist. To paint something this bold, at a time when even Indian cinema was careful of portraying nude women and also, nudes which are difficult to sell now, at that time it would have been unimaginable. This goes on to prove that artists like Naina Dalal have remained true to their art, their subject just like her characters and its characteristics.
Venus looking at Venus. Naina at the louvre museum, paris, 1961
As it has been coming through generations, for a woman, her so-called assets are defined as limited to her breasts. The asset which she can show to the world in return of likes, money, sex, and what not. Be it a lady or a woman, her breasts or stan, what everyone is after at. The girls know it too. Some exploit it to the fullest. But, then Naina’s characters make us think in a different way. What if she uses her brains to seduce one mentally and not physically? The hidden asset, which can drive men crazy. It is believed, that a woman with a good pair of breasts is considered to be a billionaire, while a woman with a flat pair is considered to be bankrupt. Overlooking this set of parameters by the society, we should also consider that what we are looking at is her so called ‘declared assets’. How about exploring her undeclared valuable elements i.e. brains and get charmed by it?
Buy paintings online | DRS Fine Arts
Text and Narration: Chaitya Dhanvi Shah
Photos and Text © Chaitya Dhanvi Shah
