Artist Olga Levchenko | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“The moment I set foot on Indian soil, I felt it was home,” says Russian artist Olga Levchenko, also known by her nickname Tara, as she unveiled an exhibition of over 50 of her oil paintings at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture on Friday.

Most of her artworks are based on her travels and memories of India and Nepal and represent her perspective on both countries, their people and their cultures. She has visited India more than 15 times and says that her best works are those made on the banks of the Ganges.

Olga Kroshkino, Chief Event Coordinator of Russian House, says that Olga’s collection further enhances the artistic ambiance of the Russian House in Delhi.

Levchenko says that through her paintings she gives the viewer a glimpse into her own thoughts. “I follow the art of impressionism, a liberal art form that expresses spontaneity and freedom of thought not only through picturesque painting but also by combining every interior detail with realism,” she says.

Artworks by Russian artist Olga Levchenko on display at the Russian House in Delhi | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Levchenko explored India for four yearsbetween 2020 and 2023 and says that the city of Varanasi fills her with happiness. The co-existence of modern and ancient structures across the country is reflected in many of her works such as New Moon, Reflection of Reality and Ganga Rhythm.

She says, “It is a joy for me to see the Ganga changing its colours at different times of the year, a reflection of reality. It is a joy to see the simplicity of children running on the ghats and the wrinkles of wisdom on the faces of the elders who pass on education to the youth.”

The artist says that while travelling to different states and countries, he absorbed the local culture so that he could portray it authentically in his paintings.

She says each of her canvases is filled with joy and reflects the early chapters of her life’s journey. “To live in peace requires constant give and take,” she says. This is the larger meaning she tries to convey in her paintings, from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Bundi, Jodhpur and Jaipur in Rajasthan to Naggar in Himachal Pradesh and Thorong La mountain pass in Nepal.

Artworks by Russian artist Olga Levchenko on display at the Russian House in Delhi | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Levchenko says she has an unbreakable bond with India and wants to continue her artistic journey here. She is also excited about another special project on Varanasi that will begin soon. “If I had a choice, I would never want to leave India; it is so enriching to live here,” says the 44-year-old artist.

Since childhood, she had a creative interest in art and design and at the age of 17 she opened her first art gallery with her mother in Tolyatti, Russia, while studying philosophy in college. The subject helped her develop a deep connection and understanding of her surroundings, no matter where in the world she was. “I just need to look out my window and be reminded of the world around me and absorb it as if I belong,” she says.

“I have been studying and refining my skills all my life, and my parents and children have always supported me,” says Levchenko, who has traveled to countries such as Morocco, Turkey, Bosnia, Libya, etc. and done numerous projects.

About her nickname, Tara, Levchenko says she drew inspiration from Buddhism and her time spent in the hills of Himachal Pradesh.Where Tara is worshipped as a goddess. She says, “Green Tara is an incarnation associated with wisdom, intelligence and compassion and I found this name very satisfying to me.”

, mudit agarwal

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