We got our fill of more than just food this week after an iftar at the Radisson Blu. The Yas Island hotel is hosting a Ramadan art exhibition with original pieces by popular UAE artists. But out of all of them, we are looking at the work of one young lady in particular.
Archana RD King is otherwise known as B’lu – a Dubai-based artist, ex-journalist and poet hailing from New Delhi. Though her paintings caught our eye, it was her poetry which really captured our imagination. ‘It’s just a silly thing,’ B’lu said modestly about the short poem which accompanied her piece ‘Buffalo Soldier’ – a coffee on canvas of that iconic Bob Marley image. It’s her habit to write about the things which inspire her paintings in her poetry, such as one poem which includes the lines: He used to sing to me/Oie oie oie babloo soldier… his own version of the Wailers, in a narrative voice with undertones of God Of Small Things author Arundhati Roy. We asked her whether her writing extends beyond the verse to her next artwork as well.
‘All my works reflect my personal self, experiences, nostalgia… and they are there as I exercise my freedom to comprehend them. Each artwork is a true slice of me,’ said the soft spoken Indian artist. And when we asked what they mean, she responded, ‘True blu and true joy.’ Some ‘bluvian’ insight from the artist who has been painting since childhood and has had 17 exhibitions around the world.
Now the coffee painting of Bob Marley is not B’lu’s usual style.
In fact, she’s been painting with oil on canvas most of her life and usually using direct application of the oil with a knife, resulting in art critics describing her work as ‘strong in the flesh.’ She only stumbled on the new medium by chance. ‘Coffee has been a stunning new find for me,’ she said. ‘I drink coffee all day and when the cups leave their rim-marks on the coaster I play with the stain. And eureka! That’s how the idea was born.’
The three pieces being exhibited at the Radisson Blu exhibition are her first ventures into the world of painting with coffee, in which she seems to be the only artist (to the best of her own knowledge) who works on canvas instead of paper.
‘I thought of using coffee on canvas. It was a tough call as coffee is not just a sticky medium to work with but tricky too! I wanted to keep the Buffalo Soldier’s smile just as soulful as it is… unfading. So after many days of experimenting on various strengths of coffee concoction and other materials that support the medium, I found the perfect solution for preserving the coffee on canvas. As the method is unique and self-found, I would like to keep the recipe a secret.’
Fair enough, we like secrets. We also like to ask artists and writers questions about their work and B’lu was happy to talk about her ‘Buffalo Soldier’. ‘Bob Marley songs are a huge part of my childhood nostalgia,’ she explained. ‘I still listen to Bob Marley and the Wailers and it instantly lifts my mood, just like a cup of coffee would do.’ The response to the painting seems to have been very positive. ‘Everyone is happy to experience Bob Marley over roasted coffee beans!’
For more information on B’lu visit www.bluartgallery.com or her blog www.bluvian.blogspot.com. Artwork by B’lu is on display at the Radisson Blu Ramadan exhibition until August 20. Entry to the exhibition is free and ten percent of the profits made from each piece goes to the Hamad Centre. Radisson Blu Hotel, Yas Island (02 656 2000).
