‘Surprise Aquarium’ is abstract expressionist painter Meera Palia’s first solo exhibition, sharing with you a selection of spontaneous ‘outpourings’ from 2019-2023, a period of time with change at its heart, shaped by grief, hormonal mayhem and an ever-increasing desire to create work fully ‘in the moment’.
With a love for raw and improvised art forms, Meera aims for the painting equivalent of a jazz jam, prioritising the energy and authenticity of free mark-making over achieving a polished composition or choreographed act. This exhibition is a celebration of, and warm invitation to consider the vulnerability and empowerment contained in the act of painting without a defined outcome in mind, with all the imperfections, uncertainty and challenges of remaining open to dissonance as well as harmony. Since entering the perimenopausal years, Meera has developed a deeper appreciation of the therapeutic value of painting in this way as an unplanned release of unpredictable, constantly shifting thoughts and emotions. Recent works convey this spirit of restlessness- of moods, ideas and ways of being in flux- unfinished, subject to change.
From minimalist to maximalist expressions, Meera uses acrylics, oils and collage to create varied work that is colourful, playful and visceral. Inspired by the rhythmic, gestural, physical act of painting, Meera will also often paint to music, bringing its energy, syncopation and movement into her work. Seeing painting as an enquiry, a dialogue with the unknown, she enjoys being surprised by what happens in front of her, experiencing each piece as a unique event. Recognisable ‘forms’ such as figures, landscapes or suggestions of stories may or may not emerge and it is this sense of the unexpected that Meera finds so compelling.
The Artist
Meera Palia (b.1978) is a largely self-taught, abstract expressionist artist based in North London. She began painting intuitively in her spare time alongside a career teaching sociology & philosophy, discovering her love for abstract art through experimentation on informal adult education courses. Meera now exhibits regularly in group shows across London. She is a member of the Crouch End Open Studios group and All She Makes (curated online directory for women creatives worldwide) and has been selected by Contemporary Art Collectors for inclusion in their upcoming book highlighting emerging artists to art collectors worldwide.
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Instagram: @meerapalia_art