Murals can transform the feel of a space. With the use of varied textures and media, vibrant colours or stark black-and-white, murals make their presence known. They can be beautifully simple or outrageously lavish. Husband and wife duo Col. Ravi and Mandira Gupta are muralists who work together to create dynamic, aesthetic, and environmentally friendly works of art.

"Our bond developed over art. We would exchange notes, participate in local exhibitions and always seek each other's approval every time we did something new," Mandira reveals. In 1990 the couple tied the knot and that was the beginning of their art adventure. The first three years of their marriage were spent in seeing other people's work. Ravi was doing his M.Tech at IIT, Powai then and the couple would go to see every exhibition in the city. "Surprisingly we were never in awe of what we saw. We always felt we could do it too," Ravi says. They got to work, and at an art display in the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune every piece they exhibited fetched them a prize. Art enthusiasts took notice, and provided the appreciation and encouragement that led the couple to learn and experiment more.

In 1993, they held Drishti, an exhibition at Holiday Inn Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. This was the first time the couple thought of selling their murals and they actually found it difficult to let go of their work as each piece held a world of meaning for them. Their exhibition in 2001 at the Bangalore Club not only won them appreciation and encouragement from the city's art fraternity, they also got to meet renowned artist Paresh Hazra who was a major source of inspiration for them.

Each mural that Mandira and Ravi work on is a true labour of love. "It takes shape as if it has a life of its own. We don't attribute any meaning or symbolism to it. But more often than not it takes a unique form, which causes viewers to ponder over and reach their own conclusions about it. What gives us joy is that people other than us also feel a connection with our art," Mandira says. Ravi feels that their art is not confined to their studio; there is a lot of interaction with the viewers. "People want to know how each piece has evolved, to delve into its genesis," he says.

At their studio, Drishti, the Guptas work with wood, metal, and other relief materials. Each piece takes about three to four months to reach its final shape. Drishti murals hang in several homes and corporate offices, bringing their unique personality to the space that they inhabit.

Drishti, 2, Sriniketan, 202/1 Nagar Road, Opposite Aga Khan Palace, Kalyaninagar, Pune- 411 006, Phone: 26680638, E-mail: rb_gupta@vsnl.net.

Ritika Ramtri Kumar