Two  original Pieces of art by Kiran Soni were  especially commissioned for Akshaya Patra by the Prashant Fadia Foundation and  donated by Saluni Fadia . “These two ethereal pieces of art evoke emotions befitting the mission of Akshaya Patra – unlimited free food to support education” says Saluni Fadia.  "Saraswati" and "Children" will be auctioned of at the Silent Auction to be held on Oct 5 at the Akshaya Patra fundraising event to be held in Cambridge MA.
 
Saluni Fadia toured the revolutionary kitchens of Akshaya Patra that cook meals to feed over 7,97,872 children all over India and during her tour she  happened to meet the artist Kiran Soni Gupta.  Gupta is an artist, writer and an activist.  She is presently Divisional Commissioner, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Saluni realized that Saraswati and Children were a perfect compliment to the work being done by Akshaya Patra and thus has donated these paintings to Akshaya Patra.

About the artist:

Kiran Soni Gupta is an artist, writer and an activist.  She is presently Divisional Commissioner, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.It is through the brush & paint that Kiran Soni Gupta’s creativity and sensitivity finds best illustration and expression. Despite having no formal training in art she has produced a number of works in different art forms and styles. Her works vividly reflect not only her conviction and clarity on issues relating to women, children, poverty, development, and environment but also her keen sense of observation, humility and above all an abounding faith in God and service to humanity and mankind.  

 Creativity with colors and experimentation has given her work both depth and impact. Various assignments have provided her opportunities to travel and also to stay amidst nature as diverse as the rain drenched tropical forests and beaches of Kerala and the scrub lands and the desert of Rajasthan. Of late she has produced a series of more than three dozen works titled the 'Harmony' reflecting various forms of the relationships between man & his environment. Her works have been exhibited at different national/international events more recently at New York, Cambridge, Syracuse, Toronto, Chicago, London, Iran and Sri Lanka. She was also a visiting artist at the East West Centre, Hawaii.  

    In the artist’s own words, “I believe that man’s soul is the architect of history and that art is the manifestation of man’s soul & reflection of human identity and art materialized the deepest strata of man’s life. No art can fully express the hidden reality it is depicting and one must search beyond the lines, patterns, notes etc. Art is unbounded and recognizes no constraints.  In modern era, art is playing a dominant role in bringing about social change transcending borders and minds....Artists show us new ways to see familiar things, and how to interpret new situations and events through various kinds of visual shorthand.   Art is most often seen as pleasing the eye- creating beauty. Yet the idea of beauty, like that of truth, has been most challenging in the present day era. If something moves you to an understanding somehow unreachable for you by the common paths of words and reason, it's Art for you. Art is a process, a dialog, not a cause-and-effect like many people seem to think...The greatest achievement of art is to extend and expand our shared common visual language. I dream my painting, and then I paint my dream. My aim is to share Indian art across the borders and to pick up and recognize the commonalities in human beings transcending barriers of religion, language, culture, food habits but sharing and experiencing the same emotions and aspirations.  For me the truth rings in words of Paul Klee, ‘A single day is enough to make us a little larger or, another time, a little smaller’.”

For more on the artist, please visit http://www.kiransoniarts.com/

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