20.5x28.5 inches; Pen drawing on acid free textured paper with watercolour wash (Click on image to enlarge)
The
first time I had seen a swan was in a depiction of Goddess Saraswati, sitting and
playing the veena on a beautiful white bird, in a calendar image. I had fallen
in love with the milky whiteness, the curvaceous neck and the beautiful depiction
of plumage. Somehow the image of that bird got stuck in my memory. Somehow that
bird symbolized serenity and grace for me. The story of ‘The Ugly Duckling’
only enhanced this imagery in my mind. So many times I have scribbled the
letter ‘S’ and transformed it into an idealized design of a swan in my school
books. I kept seeing the swan in logos and designs on packets of sweets. The logo
of Ramkrishna Mission was very attractive to me once. I have only seen a couple
of swans once at our local zoo, and yes I was mesmerized by the way they were
gliding around in the artificial pond. Then I watched the ballet ‘Swan Lake’ on
television and I was completely enamoured with the beautiful concept. The beautiful
imaginary tale ignited my passion for the graceful bird once again. I also read
a story about Zeus taking the form of a swan to entice and impregnate Leda,
quite an erotic tale it was. Today, when
I look back at my obsession with the lovely bird in my growing years, I feel I
was searching for the swan in me all through those years. I guess we all have
our swans hidden inside us and only a few can perceive them when they look at
us and hence what is ugly to the world becomes so beautiful to a few chosen
beholders. I am not yet sure if I, ‘the ugly duckling’ have matured into a swan
yet, but this painting is my humble offering to those birds who glide and dance
in water captivating me with such beauty, grace and tranquility.
