Artist: Rekha Sinath
Country: South Africa
WASA Member: Yes
Title: The Flame Remains
Medium: Watercolor
Size: 30x40cm
Details:
At the centre of this still life, a small candle burns among objects that reflect and carry its light. Inspired by the saying “a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle,” the work explores how hope, kindness and generosity can be shared without diminishing their source.
This composition holds particular significance for me. A version of it first appeared in a painting I completed in 2019, one of my earliest detailed watercolours. In 2021, during the civil unrest in KwaZulu-Natal, all of my paintings and studio materials were lost when the storage facility housing them was looted and destroyed by fire. The loss was devastating, and it took time to return to painting.
Nearly five years later, revisiting this vessel became an act of renewal. Rather than recreating what was lost, this painting celebrates what remains: the ability to begin again. The candle and gold accents symbolise light persisting through darkness, reminding us that healing comes through hope, forgiveness and the courage to move forward.
While inspired by a personal journey, the work also reflects a broader truth—that individuals, communities and even nations can rebuild after loss, carrying forward not only what survives, but the possibility of new beginnings. Even after loss, the flame remains.