The Concept

Leonardo da Vinci the scientist, mathematician inventor and artist - the creator of Mona Lisa is regarded as an icon of 21 century. Five hundred years later since the famous art work was completed, Habiart Foundation in association with Genesis Art Gallery launched an initiative to discover the mystery of Mona Lisa and make an effort to understand it in the present day context and in contemporary art language. Twelve artists from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Italy and U.S.A. interpreted the famous Mona Lisa in their individualistic styles. An art exhibition was mounted of all the works in 2006.

The Enigma

Mona Lisa - a woman, dressed in the Florentine fashion of her day and seated in a visionary, mountainous landscape. Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa on a piece of pine wood in the year 1506. Never in the history of art has one painting been admired to such an extent. The Mona Lisa's enigmatic expression, which seems both alluring and aloof, has given the portrait universal fame. Why is the Mona Lisa Smiling. She really seems to look at us and seems to have a mind of her own. Like a living being, she seems to change before our eyes and looks a little different every time we come back to her. This is Leonardo's famous invention which the Italians call sfumato - the blurred outline and mellowed colors that allow one form to merge with another and always leave something to our imagination. Normally Leonardo recorded in his notebooks the histories of model sittings; but nowhere is there found any records of the Mona Lisa model sitting. Why is that? Who posed for him? Did Leonardo paint himself? This theory is supported by analyzing the facial features of Leonardo's face and that of the famous painting.

Artists Names:

• Barbara Pietrasanta
• Bratin Khan
• Iqbal Hussain
• Manoj Babu Mishra
• Sanatan Dinda
• Sanjay Bhattacharya
• Srijan Raj Bhandari
• Srimati Lal
• Suruchi Chand
• Tarak Garai
• Thomas Easley
• Yusuf