WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS OF UNIQUE AND EXQUISITE ORCHIDS
and other plants of the Himalayas
by HEMLATA PRADHAN

17 March - 1 May 2011
Opening Reception Thursday 17 March 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Serindia Gallery
O.P. Garden
Soi Charoenkrung 36
Charoenkrung Road
Bangkok 10500
Thailand
Tel: 02 238 6410
serindiagallery@gmail.com

Botanical illustration is a genre that reflects the development of art and science for over 500 years. In the Renaissance there was an interest in naturalism and expeditions that left Europe in search for new lands led to new discoveries of plant species. In the 17th and 18th century, botanical art gained popularity in the west, especially England and Scotland where gardening became popular among aristocrats who began collecting and cataloguing exotic and native plants. Sadly, this painting genre has begun to fade in modern times.

This exhibition features watercolour paintings by India's foremost botanical painters - HEMLATA PRADHAN. A gifted child in the Pradhan family that has run orchid nursery for three generations in the hills of Kalimpong, Sikkim, Hemalta Pradhan graduated with a diploma in botanical illustrations from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, with scholarship from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, Canada, and a Master's Degree in Natural History Illustration from the Royal College of Art, London, with scholarship from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, London. It is rare in modern days to see such a talent in botanical illustrations: orchids and plants are alive in her paintings, which also are scientific records of vanishing species.

Amongst some large works of orchids in habitat, other paintings in the show include Bailey's Himalayan Blue Poppy, studies of Himalayan Cobra Lilies, and also a painting of Himalayan Blue Bamboo from the collection of her father Udai C. Pradhan, one of India's renowned botanists.

Pradhan's works have been exhibited at the British Museum and are in the collection of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England. The Kingdom of Bhutan also commissioned her for its orchid stamps.

We have just uploaded 6 new pieces from Hemlata Pradhan, which featured in her exhibition at the British Museum’s Indian themed exhibitions last Summer. A couple of the new paintings are shown below. Visit her collection to view the new works as well as her other pieces and note that a few are available as either watercolours or as prints.

In other news, we were delighted to see that Hemlata’s work featured in the national press toward the end of last year, with Kate Weinberg of the Daily Telegraph contrasting her endeavours with the brush to the difficulties of growing orchids. Well done Hemlata!

A reminder that you can still go and see Hemlata’s work at the British Museum as part of its India-themed exhibitions this summer. Her work is on display beneath the central atrium of the museum, in the foyer of the Clore Education Centre. Also, note that Hemlata is due to give a workshop on Indian Botanical painting this Thursday, 18th June (from 14.00 to 17.30) so you might have the opportunity to meet her if you go along.

We’re pleased to announce that Hemlata Pradhan recently presented her first exhibition in Kathmandu, Nepal where she exhibited some new work. If you would like to see these pieces in person, she will be presenting them as part of another exhibition in May and June of this year, this time at the British Museum in London, UK. The exhibition starts on Friday, 1st May 2009 and ends on Sunday, 28th June 2009.

As a complement to the exhibition, Hemlata also informs us that she will be holding workshops in botanical illustration for adults on Friday, 12th June and again on Thursday, 18th June. If you wish to participate, the workshops will be afternoon sessions. We hope to provide you with more information about the exhibition and workshops closer to the time.

Note, the new work is not yet for sale but example pieces are shown below. However, you can view Hemlata’s currently available work in her collection.