CHENNAI: Artist Divya Puvanendra Pandian’s soulful connection with art began at a tender age. With time, she realised this was her forte and enrolled at the Government College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam.
“That’s when I was introduced to illusion-based art. My paintings move beyond representation, inviting the viewer into a space where depth is deceptive and meaning is never singular,” says Divya, an artist and art educator.
When she once saw a cockroach on the back of her canvas, the idea of bringing the same onto the canvas struck her. “I was more into hyper-realistic paintings, which is also a kind of illusion. My rigorous training at the college laid the foundation and also gave me the confidence to push my boundaries and experiment with new ideas. Illusion art was definitely the major turning point in my journey,” she shares.
Working with illusion as both technique and philosophy, Divya constructs visual experiences that change with every glance. There is a quiet intensity to her work, one that asks for pause rather than spectacle, drawing the viewer into an intimate act of seeing and unseeing. “I like to play with the minds of the spectators, where their interaction with the art increases. They begin to inspect the materials used and get carried away in the illusion. Over time, I began to move away from canvas and started experimenting with materials like masks and jute,” adds the 32-year-old.
Her evolving body of work has found resonance in Chennai’s growing contemporary art circuit, including exhibitions at venues such as the InKo Centre. Explaining the theory behind illusion art, Divya says, “It is similar to the theory of human life and emotions. We get to know the true intentions of people only when we observe them closely. The same applies to illusion art. Viewers can understand the art only with close observation.”
As she prepares to present her works in the city at the Retrospective Exhibition, Divya continues to explore the fragile boundary between reality and perception, reminding us that what we see is often only the beginning.
Some of the works exhibited include Wrapped Mystery, where the painting deceives the viewer into thinking it is covered with newspaper and wrapped. Another painting depicts an old woman smiling while hiding the sorrows she has faced throughout her life. The Burnt Dreams showcases Divya herself, portraying dreams that were destroyed. My Lover reflects her bond with art, how she started drawing, her learnings, recognitions, rejections, and more.
Apart from these, Divya’s work also focuses on social issues. “One of my paintings shows the significance of prioritising the prevention of child sexual abuse. The same canvas has fungus, which I use as a metaphor for abuse. The laws written are also covered with fungus. Through this, I wish to convey that our laws serve more as a corrective action to punish offenders than to prevent such abuse. Laws exist, but are not effective in prevention,” she explains.