Kolkata-based Artist Joyeeta Uses Eyes To Express Femininity & Power

"The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter"

— Cicero

Throughout the history of art and literature, eyes have been a common subject in both literal and symbolic sense. The eyes being a truthful window to the soul or reflecting the state of being of a person have been known to be true. The eye, as a sensory organ, is also crucial to the artist both in terms of perceiving the world around them and realising their own creative work. Visual arts of every time and school have taken a particular interest in portraying the complexity and beauty of the human eye to draw interpretations of emotion.

Femininity and eyes are also interlinked in the expressions of beauty. Women are often complimented for their eyes and larger eyes in general are appreciated on them. In fact, entire personas can be portrayed with eyes alone as you may have seen with the 'doe eyes' and 'siren eyes' trends on Instagram. Our lives are ruled by perceptions and the eyes are associated to that function making them an important aspect of the self.

Eyes are also an attractive feature of Joyeeta's paintings that depict women in the female gaze. A fine artist and illustrator based in Kolkata, Joyeeta's work is her way to champion women and the feminine form in art. Blending Bengali aesthetics with modern art nouveau, the artist's women are real and carry the substance, grace, and strength of a complex woman.

The women in Joyeeta's paintings have large beautiful eyes that can also be seen in Jamini Roy's art, an honoured Indian painter. Her illustrations reflect the same portraiture and impressionism as Jamini's paintings but with a fluidity and buoyancy that is radiated from femininity. The colour palettes and large eyes in her work are also representative of Bengali visual culture that carries an emphasis on eyes like in Bengali brides or idols of goddess Durga.

Romance and gentle love is also one of themes explored visually in her illustrations whether it's women basking in self love or connecting with another person. Warm hugs and elegant postures with the closed eyes of comfort and wide-open eyes of wonder, are all cues that signal to the intimacy of being human. With soft bodies and an even softer essence, Joyeeta's women are loud instruments of an emotional palette, going from charm to fear and love to power, all of which pulls the viewer's gaze into their world of delicate opulence.

You can follow Joyeeta here.

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