Shravani Dang On Using Art As A Love Letter To Reinvention

After more than thirty years in the communications world (a career decorated with two lifetime achievement awards), Shravani Dang could have easily chosen to rest on her laurels. Instead, she chose a new canvas; both literally and figuratively. With a background in the creatively rich cities of Kolkata and Delhi, Dang developed a deep passion for the arts from a young age. That lifelong affinity gained a sharper focus after a short yet transformative creative initiative in Paris. Today, from her quiet studio in Gurugram, she makes art with the same intensity and dedication that once shaped her corporate life. 

Shravani Dang's work has been showcased in exhibitions across India and Paris, and also resides in private collections in India, Canada, and the UK. In a conversation with SheThePeople, she spoke about how she chose a new creative path in her 60s, and how nature's rhythms of eternal change inspire her artistically and personally. 

Shravani Dang in conversation with SheThePeople

STP: After many years in marketing, communications and CSR, you started pursuing art full-time. What sparked this shift, and what was the transition like?

Shravani Dang: I have always been interested in art and culture. I visit museums, exhibitions and galleries wherever I travel. In an earlier life, I spent over three decades in the corporate world, holding global leadership positions and earning two lifetime achievement awards for my exceptional contributions to the field of communications. I am now retired, though I hold independent directorships in organisations. 

My artistic journey began with a short creative initiative in Paris, which sparked a deeper calling. I then went on to formally study art at the renowned Triveni Kala Sangam. A lifelong admirer and collector of art, I reinvented myself as an artist, showcasing my work in several exhibitions across India and in Paris. My paintings now reside in private collections in India, Canada, and the UK.

STP: How have your background and upbringing shaped your aesthetic sensibilities?

Shravani Dang: My family includes renowned writers, philosophers, singers, and academicians. Culture and the arts are deeply embedded in my DNA. From my childhood, I interacted with nature and animals, read and continue to do so extensively. All this has combined to build a sense of aesthetics and artistic sensibilities.

My time at Triveni opened my eyes to the practice of contemporary art, the techniques, colour palette, and the importance of composition. My teacher, Sanjay Roy, helped me to develop and hone my skills and helped me to get exposure to different artists and their practice. 

STP: Your exhibit, Transience, is rooted in Heraclitus’s idea of “the only constant in life is change.” What drew you to this theme, and how did it manifest in your work?

Shravani Dang: Nature reflects perpetual change where seasons shift, flowers go from bud to bloom and then wither. Melting ice feeds the rivers, changing their original form. This persistent rhythm in the natural world fascinates me as it can be fleeting and also permanent, and then reborn. I try to capture these in between moments to honour this sacred cycle.

STP: You ask, “Am I the woman reflected in my chosen creative path, or am I shaped by the influences that surround me?” How would you begin to answer that question today?

Shravani Dang: It's a dance between the two, but as an artist, I do not create in isolation. I observe and live in the world around me, be it nature, conversations, laughter, feelings and silence. I certainly am the woman reflected in my art, continuously changing by the challenges in my surroundings. This is what creates tension and harmony, and where I find my true creative spirit.  

STP: What does the recurring presence of flora and fauna in your work symbolise?

Shravani Dang: Flora and fauna are silent storytellers of transience, fragility and resilience. And also takes me back to my happy childhood, where we had many animals and birds, and nature. It's this that helps me explore themes of transience and beauty found in the everyday rhythms of nature.

STP: Can you describe a typical day in your studio? What rituals or habits help you feel inspired?

Shravani Dang: I live a quiet life with exercise and well-being as a priority. I go for a long walk in the mornings and hear birdsong. I notice new leaves and shoots, and branches. Sometimes it's the colour of the sky or a sunrise or sunflowers turning their heads towards the sun that inspires me. It is my alone time when I breathe fresh air, and nature around me is in itself my inspiration

STP: Is there a message that you hope the viewers would get from your work?

Shravani Dang: I’m in my 60s now, and I have reinvented myself.

There is no age - if you dream it, then you can make it come true.

Don't let anyone hold you back. And my message is that don't take nature for granted, it is precious, nurture and value it, not just for yourself but for many future generations.