Between Two Worlds: The Art & Life of Amrita Sher-Gil (3)

by Meera Sriram, Ruchi Bakshi Sharma (Illustrator)

Amrita Sher-Gil was always making art—as a little girl in Budapest, as a young woman in Northern India, and as an art student in Paris, she filled up notebooks with sketches and drawings—but what kind of artist would she grow up to be? Amrita was rebellious, brave, curious, and bold in her short life and in her paintings, and she became an important figure in the 20th century modern art movement.

Genres: Biography, Art, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Childrens, Art and Photography, Graphic Novels

40 pages, Hardcover

Published September 21, 2021

About the author

Meera Sriram draws from her life straddling the East and West to tell stories. She is an award-winning author of several picture books including A GIFT FOR AMMA, DUMPLING DAY, A GARDEN IN MY HANDS, and THE SPICE BOX. Her books have been selected Best Book of the Year by School Library Journal, APALA (Asian Pacific American Librarians Association), and Bank Street College, and have received starred reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, and Publishers Weekly. Her work has been included in several state reading lists, featured in The New York Times, and has been translated into many different languages. Meera loves woodsy hikes and urban murals, and lives with her family in Berkeley, California. For more information, please visit: http://www.meerasriram.com

Reviews

[Kirsten Pendreigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous portrait of a feminist painter who followed her heart and redefined modern art in India. Young readers will see a young woman working hard to find her way in the art world, to honor her talent, while staying true to her heritage. Like many people, Amrita Sher-Gil carried two cultures in her heart, in her case, Hungarian-Jewish and Sikh. Like few people, Sher-Gil bravely went against expectations of the time and created art about ordinary women of color. Warm and mysteriously inviting illustrations accompany the text.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good introduction to the incredibly talented Hungarian-Indian artist, Amrita Sher-Gil. I am in love with so many of her paintings now and am grateful to have learned about her incredible, albeit short, life!

[Jocelyn Rish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful account of a woman finding herself through her art. Amrita Sher-Gil was born to a Hungarian mother and an Indian father, and growing up she moved back and forth between Europe and India. She showed a talent for art at a young age, and her family made sure she had classes and training. But Amrita found the lessons boring and wanted to paint from her heart. She studied art from the East and the West, and combined them in her own special way. She painted the people of India, focusing on emotions and ordinary lives. Although she lived a short life, she made an impact on the art world because of the way she intertwined the two parts of herself in her paintings. Meera Sriram's lovely lyrical text shares an inspiring story of a woman figuring out where she belongs by embracing all sides of herself. And Ruchi Bakshi Sharma's bold illustrations skillfully use the warm colors Amrita preferred.

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of Amrita Sher-Gil before reading this beautiful new picture book but was quickly captivated by the passion and culture woven into Amrita Sher-Gil's life story and artwork.

Amrita Sher-Gil was born to a Hungarian mother and an Indian father and traveled between the East and the West. She grew up with a passion for art and followed her own path regardless of the opinions of those around her from a very early age. She didn't simply follow suit of the other artists but rather wove together the emotion and details from her own upbringing to create an entirely new style of art and express herself authentically.

This is an incredibly moving story of stay true to yourself, carving out your own path, and reaching beyond others' expectations. I highly recommend checking it out!

[Sita Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book about Amrita Sher-Gil’s life and work! Born to a Hungarian mother and an Indian father, Amrita traveled between the East and the West and explored both her roots through art. Her keen sense of observation influenced Amrita's unique style of painting. Sher-Gil painted honestly and from her heart focussing solely on emotions and ordinary lives. Although Amrita died young, she has left behind a legacy in modern art. Meera Sriram’s lovely lyrical text is paired with Ruchi Bakshi Sharma’s gorgeous illustrations in this inspiring story of a woman finding herself through her art!

[Jessica Kulekjian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story and art inspired by the life of Amrita Sher-Gil splashes off the page, inviting readers to explore the two worlds the young artist grew up in while discovering how she wove all her experiences together into masterpieces that reflect the details and emotions of life.

I have never heard of Sher-Gil or her art before reading this book, yet was instantly captivated by the passion, curiosity, and the way she pursued artistic expression and invented methods that blended and celebrated her two cultures. This important story will appeal to readers of all ages, compelling us all to create a from the heart. The writing is stunning and the art is moving. Highly recommend!

[Ellen Leventhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous book about a young artist striving to find herself through her art! Amrita Sher-Gil lived in two worlds. Through her art, she explored both her Hungarian and Indian roots. Her work was bold and beautiful bringing new life to modern Indian art. Meera Sriram's words and Ruchi Bakshi Sharma's gorgeous illustrations bring the reader into She-Gil's two worlds, and the reader is better for it. I highly recommend this book.

[Nicholas Solis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Literally. Each page is filled with beauty and warmth and colors. As someone whose parents are from different ethnicities, I, like Amrita, have often felt between two worlds. This book made me feel like that is ok and that I should keep searching until I discover home. Thank you for writing this Meera and for the amazing illustrations Ruchi.

[Michal Babay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, inspiring book about a young woman who followed her heart and passion! I loved learning about Amrita and how she found a way to combine her two worlds. The art is stunning and Meera's storytelling is, as always, extremely powerful.
Although she died so young, Amrita left behind an amazing legacy. This book is a must for young artists and readers of all ages!

[Lisa Katzenberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, breath-taking biography about Amrita Sher-Gil, a young artist breaking boundaries and exploring the world in her art. Caught between Eastern and Western worlds, Amrita searched for herself in her art and gifted the world with her stunning work. This gorgeous story is told in lovely, lyrical language, supported by brilliant illustrations.

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This stunning picture book provides a fascinating portrait of the artist Amrita Sher-Gil and follows her journey of discovering where she belonged through her own beautiful art, paintings that combined techniques and inspirations from Europe and India. I highly recommend this lyrical, gorgeously-illustrated picture book about a bold and brilliant artist.

[Robin Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This stunning biography of artist Amrita-Sher-Gil explores how her Hungarian-Jewish background on her mother's side and Indian background on her father's side influenced her bold work as a painter. The illustrations are beyond gorgeous. Highly recommended.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful homage to Indian painter Amrita Sher-Gil. While offering a kid friendly biography, it also has a universal message about finding your voice, being brave, and working passionately for your art.

[Annelouise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of artist Amrita Sher- Gil and it is one of the most stunning books I have read this year. The lyrical language by author Meera and the gorgeous illustrations by Ruchi Bakshi Sharma creates an absolutely stunning book.

[Gayatri Sethi Desi Book Aunty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully researched illustrated biography. Highly recommend adding it to art loving inspirational reading for ages 5-10. It makes for an excellent art teacher resource.

[mountain chicken · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute, but it didn't actually give substantial info about the artist...

Upon further inspection (Googling), I found out that she was queer, and a public atheist since childhood (which reportedly got her expelled from school). I feel like all the truly interesting things about her were left out of this book… boo.

She also died at 28 due to a suspected failed abortion, according to NYT. It’s not that I expect to see details of that part in a kid’s book, but they could easily just say she died due to a failed medical procedure. I felt like that would have been a less abrupt and more informative conclusion.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biographies such as this one allow me and others to learn about those individuals whose stories aren't told in the pages of history books even though they should be. Their experiences have great value in helping others come to some understanding of themselves and their cultures. Not only was Amrita Sher-Gil influential in her style of painting and subject matter, but her years of searching for her identity as a Hungarian Jew (on her mother's side) and an Sikh Indian (on her father's side) will be relatable for many young readers. With strong support from her mother, she attended art classes and then developed her own style and interest in painting honestly, with bright colors, and focusing on subjects such as laborers and the poor that other artists tended to ignore. Her travels back and forth from Hungary to India and Paris influenced her artistic expression keenly. The illustrations in this book seem to pay tribute to her way of painting. Although I enjoyed this book a great deal, I wish there had been some mention of why she died at such a young age, only 28, and that the date of the photograph of her in the back matter was correct. Still, despite these possible issues, this book would fit nicely in a text collection devoted to artists and strong women.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Amrita Sher-Gil. Born in Hungary to Hungarian mother and Indian father, she spends her childhood and young adult life drawing, sketching and then their parents leave Hungary for Paris.
As an art student, she rebels, but she's quite good. Eventually, she travels again, to India, and discovers a new found love and style of art. Traveling around these two worlds, Amrita finds her muse. But (as the cover states) what kind of artist would she become?

Enjoy the fantastical honoring art and short-lived story of this International and talented artistic young woman.
The illustrations capture her artwork beautifully and is very entrancing. You can feel her inspiration coming through in the artwork.
If you've ever wanted to paint, draw, or create art but felt nervous, look at Amrita's story and go out and find your inspiration.

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am fascinated by the artist Amrita Sher-Gil, and am so glad that there are books being written to introduce her to young readers. There is a fun interview with author Meera Sriram on the We Need Diverse Books blog where she shares that she read Sher-Gil's letters and writings to "extract the storyline and facts I needed for my story." Author Meera Sriram and illustrator Ruchi Bakshi also have an interview about Between Two Worlds on John Schu's bog Watch. Connect. Read. that is full of insights into the creation of the book, from Amrita Sher-Gil's bicultural, mixed-race family background to the power of picture books, allowing "a tactile space and time so needed in today's 8 sec attention span world."

[Norene Paulson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to confess biographies are not a genre I eagerly seek out to read, but, oh my goodness, I've read and reread this stunning biography of Amrita She-Gil multiple times. It's simply amazing...the lyrical text and the mind-blowing illustrations tell an emotional story of Amrita's search for her roots and the role her art played in that journey. Five stars is not enough for this story! Highly recommended!

[Sophia Gholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning and meaningful book. At its heart, Between Two Worlds is a truly beautiful story about an artist learning to find their own way as they embrace their individual style and push artistic boundaries. Sriram’s lyrical tone lovingly carries readers into Sher-Gil’s life, while the gorgeous illustrations envelope us. I highly recommend this title to all teachers, librarians and parents.

[Meghan Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous biography of a visual artist I did not know. The lyrical language crafted by Sriram is some of her best work yet and dances flawlessly with the breathtaking illustrations by Ruchi Bakshi Sharma. This work belongs on the shelves of every library and in the home of every child.

[Helen Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written and illustrated biography of Indian painter Amrita Sher-Gil. Amrita moved back and forth between Europe and India, studied art from the East and the West, and combined them in her own special way. The book offers a universal message about finding your voice, being brave, and working passionately for your art. Very inspiring journey for young readers, especially for art lovers! Highly recommend!

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, stunning in picture and text, is a non-fiction gem. Amrita Sher-Gil was a talented and innovative Hungarian-Indian painter who lived during the early 20th century. I loved reading about her journey as an artist during her brief life. The rich illustrations match this illustrious character. There’s a fascinating “more about” section in the end, with a black-and-white picture of Sher-Gil and some of her artwork. I’m so glad to have read this as I never came across Sher-Gil before.

[Anne Wynter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book and learning about Amrita Sher-Gil and her amazing life story. The clear, poetic text and the rich illustrations are perfectly matched. I was fascinated by Sher-Gil's life story and I wanted to dive into the book's beautiful illustrations. This is a great gift for young artists or anyone who wants to read about a groundbreaking, inspiring figure.

[Lauren Kerstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful book about a bold and brave artist. Amrita Sher-Gil's story is inspirational. The words and illustrations are gorgeous together.

[Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the illustration!

[Serena Gingold Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written biography explores the life of Amrita Sher-Gil as she strove to find her place in the world. She wasn't afraid to be herself and to create her own style of art. This is anything but a dry biography--the spare language is lovely and the illustrations are like a walk through an art gallery. BETWEEN TWO WORLDS is a great book for anyone who loves learning about strong women or inspirational artists.