Indian Artist to Feature Exhibit at Life Force Arts Center

Sujata Tibrewiala, an engineer turned artist, is showing her work “Mitochondrial Mother” featured at Belmont’s Life force Arts Center’s “Ancestors” exhibit through Jan. 8, and according to Tibrewiala, it’s inspired by the Human Genome Project.

Born in India, Sujata moved to the U.S. in 2010 and the Chicago area in May 2012. She has been in solo and group exhibitions and conducted art workshops in India and the U.S.

Mitochondrial Eve was the name scientists gave to the woman in Africa who is estimated to have lived 200,000 years ago. Scientists have traced the ancestry of every living person walking this planet, to her, through the Mitochondrial DNA, which descend directly from mothers without recombination from fathers.

She was moved by the implications of it, and came up with the painting in her honor. “If everyone understood the meaning of being born of the same mother, then there will be no reason for global conflict.”

Tibrewala will also lead a workshop on Nov. 15th from 7-10 p.m. at Life Force Arts Center on Belmont. The workshop is inspired by the Hindi tradition of tarpan, which is a tribute or offering to your ancestors.

The workshop uses meditation to connect attendees with ancestors. The instructor will then help translate the vision you had during the meditation into a work of art (acrylic on canvas) by teaching simple brush strokes and techniques that need no prior painting experience.

The result is a painting that is made out of your own memory, and is your physical tribute to your ancestors.

For more information on Tibrewala’s painting or the workshop, visit Life Force Art Center’s website. 

Credit: Life Force Arts Center