EDITORIAL
Necessity of Art Critics
In Mumbai, a young artist approaches me and with a lot of
hesitation asks me how important it is for an artist to be in touch with an art
critic or a friend who looks at his/her works with a critical eye. I tell him,
it is very important. And within a second I add that it is very important for a
young artist to have a critic friend than for an established artist. The maxim
could be something like this: When an artist is young he follows the critic and
when he is established critic follows him/her. The need of a critic arises from
the very fact that art has a language of its own and it varies from artist to
artist. Critic at times becomes a guide, sometimes a reformer and often an
interlocutor.
When an artist is young and his language is in its formative
stages critical interventions make a lot of sense because the critic with his
knowledge and awareness translates this nascent language into palpable terms
which would give a lot of confidence or correctional chances to the artist.
When an artist is established the language too is established. The very notion
of establishment of an artist engenders the idea of a mature language. Hence,
it is imperative for a young artist to have a critic friend during the years of
growing up.
Unfortunately, there is a common view that critics are
ferocious people who just don’t care about the sentiments of the artists. They
tear their works off and demoralize them through their words. But let me tell
you, this is a false notion. Art critics are those people who travel with the
artists and invest their energies into interlocution and ideation. No art scene
has ever grown without critics’ interventions. Critical writings are the basis
of art history. Hence, I insist that all the young artists in this country
should find their critics and grow along with them.
Art critics are of two types; one, careerists and two,
professionals who take art criticism as their life mission. Level of integrity
of art critics depends on their choice of being a careerist or a professional.
Artists should be intelligent enough to discern between them.
JohnyML
NEWS
Magnum’s Vision of India - Photography show at Seagull
The Seagull Foundation for the Arts, Kolkata, along with
Tasveer, presents a show titled
‘Magnum’s Vision of India - The
last 50 years’ The show opens on the 17th of May 2013 and will be on view till
the 28th of May 2013.
The show introduces the viewers to the rich archives of
Magnum and their ongoing collections of India through the eyes of eight
photographers, who’s careers span the agency’s past present and future.
Photographers like Olivia Arthur, Raghu Rai, Steve McCurry, Bruno Barbey and
more.
Magnum, was founded by Robert Capa, Henri Cartier -
Bresson, George Rodger and David Seymour in 1947 as an international
photographic collective to promote best photography as art.
L’exigence de la
saudade - a dancer, a weaver and an
artist show
(Padmini Chettur performing)
Clark House Initiative collaborates with The Kadist
Art Foundation of Paris, to present a unique show of three artists from parts
of India. The show titled, ‘ L’exigence de la saudade’ will take place in
Paris, and the artists are, Padmini Chettur, Prajakta Ptnis and Zamthingla
Ruivah.
The show combines three different artistic
expressions and brings them together as a philosophy of time and space of a
country. Padmini Chettur , a contemporary dancer, presents a choreographed
dance recital, in a style which has been revived after 30 long years of forced
amnesia. Prajakta Potnis adds to the concept of saudade by presenting an
installation which is a reminder of the architecture fo a city growing each
day. Her installation focuses on the deep cracks n fissures caused by political
and natural causes on the architecture of the city and redefines history of a
place. Zamthingla Ruivah revives the weaving traditions of the North East of
the country, as a narrative of the events
of the specific community. The stories are put in a geometrical format and are
a testimony to its brutal political history.
This curatorial collaborative between Clark
house Initiative and Kadist Art
Foundation is on view from the 18th May to the 28th of July 2013. Preview on
17th May 2013, 6-9 pm.
Seeing the Unseen - A show of photography works at
Maya Art Space
(work by Kushan Gangopadhyaya)
Maya Art Space, Kolkata
presents a first of its kind show of photography titled, ‘seenUnseen’. The show
displays works of 37 photography artists from different parts of the country
and world.
Varying in levels of
proficiency, from late masters to established professionals to upcoming
amateurs, this eclectic mix of practicing photography artists display a vast
range of works dealing with the basic theme of seen unseen, bringing thought
provoking, emotional and unusual imagery.
Madhuchhanda Sen of Maya
ArtSpace has curated the show focusing on the works and ably tying them with a
common thread.
The show will be
inaugurated on 13th May 2013 by the participating artists and will be on view
till the 23rd May 2013. The show also presents three interactive sessions on
16th, 18th and 21st May 2013. The interactive sessions are as follows:
16th May 2013:Capturing
the Wild - by Rajarshi Banerjee and
Bikas Das
18th May 2013: Nature
Through Lens - by Soumitra Dutta and Susanta Banerjee
21st May 2013: Glamshots
- by Sanat Ghosh and Joydip Mitra
The show concludes on
23rd May 2013.
Art
Fusion Show - Nehru Center
Nehru Center, Mumbai presents its
seventh ‘Art Fusion’ show from the 23rd May to the 30th May 2013. The
exhibition aims to provide opportunities to artists and artisans of India,
mainly from Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
The Nehru Center has been hosting the
Art Fusion show since 2007 and each year the special focus has been on artists
from different states of the country. This year the focus is on the colourful
state of Rajasthan and along with the show, many cultural programs connected to
the state have been planned. Live demonstrations of ethnic art, by artisans
also can be viewed at the show.
The show attracts viewers from all
walks of life and art enthusiasts.
(News Reports by Sushma Sabnis)
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