“Life can only be understood backwards;
but it must be lived forwards.” – Soren Kierkegaard

In the none-too-distant past, a tiny, invisible virus shook the whole world to the core. It affected everyone and spared none. It disrupted our lives – physically,
psychologically, and socially. Some of us lost our loved ones. Those of us who managed to survive still carry deep emotional scars and wounds.

Chithkala’s artistic creations are personal and poignant representations of the pandemic times. They offer meaningful insights into human experiences by recalling the realities of living through lockdowns and isolation. Each painting in this exhibition tells an evocative story. Delicately constructed and richly coloured, the images pay homage to the power of solitude, shedding a quiet tear to those who departed without a proper farewell.

Stepping into the canvases, one can hear the hush of the sheets and the murmur of the drapes, accompanied by moving shadows and whispers of the passing wind. Simple objects come to life, for they have stood by us in the painful hours of isolation.

Chithkala’s visuals encourage viewers to introspect about life, grief, recollection, and resilience. They serve as lyrical tools to understand the fragility of the world around us. And to find solace and hope amidst pain and disquiet.
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Chithkala Ramesh is a Bangalore-based visual artist and designer. An alumnus of the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat (CKP), Bangalore and the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, Chithkala’s skills and interests extend beyond painting to illustrations, graphics, and wall murals. Her first solo show of paintings and installation ‘TI/ME/LINE’ in August 2019 was followed by ‘Dear Pandemic’ in February 2024. Once Upon a Time, a Pandemic is her first exhibition in Pune.

Giridhar Khasnis is a senior art writer, photographer, and curator of several exhibitions. He was on the jury of the Toto-Tasveer Awards for Photography (2013
and 2014). He participated in an International Curators’ Residency in South Korea in 2017. His collection of short stories and prose poems, Ellindalo Haari Bandu (in Kannada), was released early this year.