Frames of tradition, Five days in August, Blurred Boundaries and more..

NEWS

Blurred Boundaries in Photography

Government Museum and Venkatappa Art Gallery, jointly present a show of photography organized and hosted by Focus Bangalore. After last year’s successful response, Focus Bangalore is back this year with another edition of its exquisite photography.

Titled ‘Blurred Boundaries: Transcending Borders, Transcending Lives’, on display is an exhibition of photographs by 55 young photographers from Bangalore and outside the city showcasing their unique photographs from around the world. 

For further details please call on : +91 9986210596 / 9980455305

The show commences on 14th of September and will be on view till the 17th of Spetember 2013.

Strife of love in a dream

( A still from the film)

Jhaveri Contemporary art gallery, Mumbai presents a screening of the film, ‘The Strife of Love in a Dream’. The 11 minute film is shot and edited by young, award winning film maker, Camille Henrot.

Camille is known for her videos and animated films combining drawn art, music and occasionally scratched or reworked cinematic images, Camille’s work blurs the traditionally hierarchical categories of art history. Her recent work, adapted into the diverse media of sculpture, drawing, photography and, as always, film, considers the fascination with the ‘other’ and ‘elsewhere’ in terms of both geography and sexuality. 

Camille’s first in India, is the film, The Strife of Love in a Dream (2011), commissioned by the Centre Pompidou for its show, ‘Paris-Delhi-Bombay’. It is composed in a structure, interweaving a pilgrimage, the production of anti-anxiety medication and the extraction of snake venom, all of which are linked to human strategies of defense against fear. She also focuses her work on the role of snakes as a symbol that shows up often in popular culture with references in religion, animation films, poetry, comic books and the obvious temples and other institutions.

The screening will be on view till the 6th of September 2013.

Five Days in August

(Artist G. Prathapan observing some of the works on display at the exhibition. Photo: K. K. Mustafah)

Durbar Hall Art Gallery, Kochi presents a group show of artworks by seven upcoming artists. Titled, ‘ Five Days in August’, the show is a tribute to the blend and unity of man and nature. The works displayed are rendered in acrylic on canvas, paper and charcoal, pencil, ink drawings, reiterate this unity.

The participating artists are O. Sunder, Prathapan G., Sunil Vallarpadam, Surendran K., Bindhi Rajagopal, Nandan P.V. and Asanthan.

Ranging from melancholic and sombre shades to vibrant colours, the works display an array of how each artist has explored the femininity of mother nature and how she subtly leaves messages. Also portrayed are the depictions of animals in their elegant forms.

The show is on view till the 31st of August 2013.

September Melody

( A work by Priyanka Dua)

Open Palm Court Gallery of India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, presents a show of artworks by a group of artists titled, ‘September Melody’. The show displays works of eminent and upcoming artist from the country.

The participating artists are, Rakshanda Yadav, Tanima Bhatacharya, Vineeta Vadehra, Priyanka Dua, Rewal Walia, Sunando Basu, Sangeeta and Smeetha Bhoumik.

The works vary from spiritual self- explorations to fantastical and imaginative voyages and abstractions on canvas with oils acrylic and mixed media.  

The show is on view from the 1st of September to the 6th of September 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Frames of tradition

Artist-turned-textile designer, Mukesh has brought glimpses of the traditional pichwais to Bangalore in vivid, colourful frames

(A Desire to revive: The craft. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy)

Far from the town of Nathdwara where the pichwais, one of the most popular forms of Nathdwara art originate, a whole series of these paintings now adorn the walls of Vermillion House. These paintings are being exhibited by Mukesh, an artist-turned textile painter. The series of Nathdwara paintings in the form of pichwais are part of his latest series of work.

“The word ‘pich’ in Sanskrit means back and ‘wai’ which means hanging. They are usually hung at the back of the Hindu deity ‘Shreenathji’ (Krishna) as a ritual. The pichwais hung behind the deity in havelis/temples are usually large-scale and since it is hard to replicate the paintings in that scale, I have taken glimpses of the imagery from these paintings into smaller frames of cloth,” says Mukesh.

His vivid and detailed frames, made of cloth, as all pichwais usually are, depict the deity Shreenathji being worshipped in all his finery, in various postures and costumes that change with the seasons.

Sometimes he is accompanied by gopis (maidens), sometimes by Radha, sometimes he is simply being worshipped in the frame. The imagery also includes trees and flowers, as well as animal forms, largely cows, monkeys and peacocks.

“The basic idea was to revive the craft,” says Mukesh. Though the craft is not in danger of extinction, Mukesh feels that its quality has somewhat diminished over the centuries. “Similar to miniatures in form (except that they are painted on cloth instead of paper), pichwais mainly adopt three schools of art — the Bundi school, the Udaipur school, and the local Nathdwara school. Few other schools, such as the Kishangarh and the Mewar, are also a part of the tradition. But these three schools are the most prominent and that’s what I have adopted in my paintings.”

Mukesh says he has remained faithful to the tradition in his works, learning the basics from a pichwai master. “It was only about four years ago that I decided I wanted to work on this collection. While looking for designs, I went to the temple and asked somebody from the pichwai tradition to paint on textiles. Though he did a good job, I was not happy with the outcome; it was not what I wanted. That’s when I went to the teacher and then went back to Delhi to work on it.”

Originally a graduate in Fine Arts from the Delhi School of Art, Mukesh was drawn to traditional textiles, especially block printing, after he worked on some brochures for the ITDC and later invited to design textiles for the “Festival of India”.

Though Mukesh largely works with block printing on handloom cloth, he now wants to explore other transitions like the Masulipatnam paintings, he may perhaps go back to the fine arts by beginning to do contemporary art, but he also wants to continue working with pichwais a little longer.

“I find it interesting because I am from an art college and have an eye for art. I love the ancient traditions of our country. One of the other reasons why I took up pichwais is because I am from a Vaishnavite family and this is close to my heart.”

The exhibition of pichwais is on view at Vermillion House, 3/12 Cleveland Road Cross, Frazer Town. For details, contact 41225830.

(Report by Harshini Vakkalanka for The Hindu)

Dreams of Horizon show, In Quest of Green show and more..

NEWS

Dreams of Horizon

( Work by Praful Sawant)

Hirji Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai presents a solo show of exquisite portraiture by artist Praful Sawant. The show is titled, ‘ Dreams of Horizon’.

Rendered in the realistic style these paintings in oils on canvas feature the various roles played by an Indian woman in her life, blending nature and her own sensibilities.

Dreamy, emotional and lyrical, these paintings portray the artist’s understanding and regard for the women around him. The paintings depict along with the human figures, India’s rich cultural heritage and structures.

The show is on view till the 2nd of September 2013.

Mystic Expressions

( work by Neeti Agarwal)

Galaxy Hotel and Beanstalk Art space, Gurgaon presents ‘Mystic Expressions’, an exhibition of contemporary paintings by artist Neeti Aggarwal. 

In this exhibition, Neeti threads deep messages, an aura of positive vibes and pleasing aesthetics into interplay of figurative and abstract concepts in her unique style. Her paintings are expressive of invisible depths of human emotions and beliefs that are often spiritual and transcendental.

The show previews on 7th September 2013 and will be on view till 3rd October 2013

In Quest of Green

( Work by Rakhee Roy)

Nehru Centre Art Gallery, Mumbai presents a solo show of artist Rakhee Roy. The show titled, ‘In Quest of Green’ features the deep understanding and interactions between the artist and her love for nature.

An almost spiritual compatibility is seen in her vibrant and evocative canvases as Rakhee takes the viewer on a journey of self exploration and the mystical planes with her works.
Two dimensional and geometrical shapes and figures dance in stark simplicity and in gay abandon on her canvases.

The show is on view till the 2nd of September 2013.

Someday is Today

(Work by Nikhil Raunak)

Clark House Initiative, Mumbai presents a debut solo show of artwork by artist Nikhil Raunak titled, ‘Someday is Today’. The show will preview on the 5th of September 2013.

Nikhil Raunak completed his graduation and masters in painting and printmaking from Sir JJ School of Art, Bombay in 2013, combining various mediums, and continuously challenging the boundaries between printmaking, sculpture, installation, painting, video and performative photography. 

He initially stepped out of the 2-dimensional painting or print, by using elements of origami. Later, he turned his prints into free-standing sculptures with the help of wax molds. He has rendered portraiture theatrical by building symbolically on situations in art history and biography. Nikhil Raunak has been associated with Clark House Initiative since its inception and together with other artists founded the Shunya Collective in 2011. 

The exhibition continues till 7th of October 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

A Glass Apart

The history of Indian art abounds in different traditions. Mica and glass paintings of the Company period are two such unique practices, now on display at an exhibition

(Reviving old traditions: 'Rama and Sita worshipping the Shiva lingam' (Tamil Nadu, 19th century)

In the deluge of art exhibitions, it is likely for some quiet ones to go unnoticed. The exhibition of Company school paintings of the 19th Century going on at India International Centre could be one of them. But it is going to be our loss more than anybody else’s if we miss this one, for where else will you get to see mica paintings, a form of art we hardly see or hear about and also some brilliant glass paintings from the company period. The 94 exhibits belong to the Delhi-based Rasaja Foundation, founded by late Jaya Appasamy, an artist, author, critic and once a secretary of the Lalit Kala Akademi. She was keen on the Company Period and was an avid collector of drawings, portraits and folios of manuscripts executed in the Company style.

Creations in mica

(Reviving old traditions: 'Bullock cart with man and woman' (watercolour on mica, Patna, 1845)

While the exquisite glass paintings belong to Rasaja, the mica paintings have been acquired specially for the show. “They are very rare and hardly seen in India because they were commissioned by the British, who would then take them away as souvenirs. After the Mughals went away, artists were looking at the British for patronage and they encouraged them to paint on mica and British paper,” explains Vijay Kaushik, artist and one of the members of Rasaja. Delicate looking mica paintings are watercolours (mixed with an adhesive so that the colours stick to the mica surface) painted on mica, which is found in nature as sheet silicate minerals. Its composition ensures that it can be split or delaminated into extremely thin sheets. Mica paintings were miniatures, probably because of the difficulty in finding thin large undamaged sheets of mica.

Collected in London, most of the mica works displayed were executed in Varanasi, Patna, Awadh and Andhra Pradesh as these were the regions rich in the mineral. There are many works from Tiruchirapalli, which is also considered a very prolific school of mica painting.

The imagery portrayed in mica painting is mostly rural life along with scenes from Indian bazaars, groups of servants, dancing and singing girls, musicians, magicians, street acrobats, snake-charmers. With an emphasis on the human figure, it shows very little of the surroundings but even in that small frame the artist hasn’t done without the details. For instance, in the work titled ‘Palanquin Procession’ (Varanasi, 1860), the artist shows the minutest details of the palanquin, the outfits of the bride and the palanquin bearers. “The works are specially mounted on glass so that people can see the mica,” adds Kaushik. The practice thrived for 70-80 years after which it was discontinued and Rasaja now wants to revive the tradition of mica paintings.

Glass paintings

(Reviving old traditions: 'A European woman in gown and hat with pearls on throat' (Watercolour on glass, U.P., 19th century)

In another part of the exhibition are glass paintings culled from Jaya Appasamy’s collection. Kaushik says the last time Rasaja exhibited them on such a large scale in Delhi was in 1981. These works are laden with the imagery of gods and goddesses, soldiers, saints, European men and women and noblemen. It’s interesting to note that they bear a similarity to the miniature tradition only when it comes to size. While the facial features are child-like, patterns and borders are simpler and uncomplicated. In a work titled ‘Rama and Sita worshipping the Shiva linga’, Rama and Sita look no more than seven-year-old kids. On being commissioned, artists produced works of British men and women in Indian settings for them to take back home. In one work, while the woman’s European identity is established by her attire — gown, hat and pearls — her Kathak pose establishes the Indian setting.

Kaushik says the works on display are just a fraction of the collection. “Rasaja Foundation has about 4000 such works but no place to display them. Such a rich collection should be on display for people to come and see. We have been trying to start a museum, a cultural centre but it’s so difficult to get land of that size. Right now, a few are kept in our Chirag Dilli office and the rest have been loaned to the National Gallery of Modern Art. One whole chapter of history is recreated through this priceless heritage which will otherwise vanish.”

(The exhibition is on at Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Block, India International Centre, Lodi Estate, till September 1)

(Report by Shailaja Tripathi for The Hindu)

Featuring Mural making magic, Tales of Odisha, Alae show and more..

NEWS

The Alae show

(Ravindra Salve's work)

Swasti The Contemporary Art Gallery, Bangalore,presents a group show titled, ‘Alae’. The exhibition brings together the works by eminent and upcoming artists including JMS Mani, Jayaraj, Ravindra Salve, Ranjitha S, S Rajesh, Savithri Salve, Sunitha Verma and Shivanand.

Featuring a neat blend of abstracts and figurative artworks, the works by these artists make up an eclectic mix of a show.The show Alae is a riveting compilation of drawings, paintings and graphics by the talented artists at this exhibition.

The exhibition will be on display till the 30th of September 2013.

Marks and Markers

(works on display)

Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi presents a solo show of art works titled, ‘Marks and Markers’. The painting exhibition displays the works by eminent artist Samindranath Majumdar.

The artist was born in 1966 and received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Visual Arts from Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkata. Belonging to a renowned family of educators, writers and painters, the works by the artist look back to his own experiences with his education in science and in art.

The works on display portray a blend of the experiences of the artist and his interactions with the world around him with a varied perspective, using abstraction and multiple layers of paint perfectly redefining space and memory.

The show is on till the 12th of September 2013.

Tales of Odisha

Arts of the Earth gallery, New Delhi, presents a group show titled, ‘Tales of Odisha’.This art exhibition will display folk as well as tribal paintings of Odisha that are unique and widely famous. 

Patachitras are a form of art that include wall painting, palm - leaf etching, manuscript painting, painting on fabrics (cotton and silk) and this particular form of painting is source of livelihood for many artists' in this State.

Mostly, the subject matter of these paintings is folklores, religion and mythology and sharp colors and fine lines is its characteristic. This exhibition will have a good view of this form of art that provides a look into the world of Indian culture on various mediums. 

The show is on view till the 14th of September 2013.

Psychedelic Notes

(Works on display)

Urban Solace art space, Bangalore presents a solo show of art works by artist Eshwar Subramony. The works on display are rendered in oils and acrylic on canvas and the 33 paintings portray the trance inspired psychedelic musings of the artist.

Vibrant in colour, realistic in style, the works display scenes of the rural landscape and its nuances.

Born in Thiruvananthapuram, Eshwar has excelled the art of painting for over a decade now. Inspired by temple sculptures, this artist from Kerala uses vibrant colours, overlapping tones and bold strokes.

The works by veteran masters such as Raja Ravi Varma, Salvador Dali and Degas has always fascinated Eshwar. From judging art competitions, participating in group shows to designing cover pages, his versatility and dedication speaks volumes.

The show is on view till the 31st of August 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

The magic of mural making

Bharat Rawal says anybody can learn how to make 3D murals. All that is required is a passion for art

What do you get when you put together the idea of murals, perhaps as those found in the ancient caves or on the walls of churches, and relief sculptures? That’s the concept behind Bharat Rawal’s 3D murals.

“Traditional reliefs were also done in terra cotta, clay or mud — these were the materials which were used for 3D art,” says Bharat. “I tried combining both, murals on walls as well as relief sculptures to develop a form of art what I named as 3D murals.”

(Mural by Bharat Rawal)

The key to these murals is “resin clay”, a type of clay developed by Bharat which is used to make his murals.

“It is not possible to work on canvas with 3D media whether it is stone or glass or clay for work in relief. Using clay alone is not feasible because it cannot hold the weight. That’s why I selected wood as one of the mediums on which this special type of clay is used.”

This clay withstands weather changes, is durable or non-breakable and does not peel off the board and does not need to be fired like terracotta. “I can work with any subject using this material. And the whole process, including the designing, moulding and painting is done by hand.”

And this is what he has taught in more than 90 workshops, reaching out to more than 9,000 students across the country. The curriculum of the workshop sounds quite complicated. The invite claims students will be taught how to make 3D murals in all forms such as ceramic murals, siporex murals, glass murals, mix media murals, mix media furniture, cold enamelled metal murals, multi layered landscape murals or neon murals.

And students will be able to grasp a project, including a mixed media project with 3D ceramic, 3D siporex, 3D glass, 3D texture and 3D metal art, Bharat says, in less than a week. He does not charge for teaching, only for the materials and overheads.

“First I teach them how to draw a proportionate drawing, based on the subject they choose to work with. Then I teach them how 2D images are transformed into 3D and I gradually come to the detailing, with features. So we cover layer by layer and they also learn clay modelling, which comes under the process of ceramic mural making. The whole procedure from designing to clay modelling painting and the final glazing takes four to five days.”

Going to a traditional art school will take up at least five years and learning a specialized technique like this is not easy simply because of the lack of expertise in the field, says Bharat.

“This is why I travel all over India to share the best of what I have to offer. Mural art is easily understood by everyone, it is quite simple. The workshop is a good idea for those who want to decorate their homes by themselves and I train them in different media and people are satisfied. Decoration is not a dying art,” explains Bharat.

“Many of my students, over 3,500 of them have taken it up as a profession, working as a mural artist or designer. Anybody can learn how to do this, whether he is a doctor, an engineer, a software professional or a tea stall owner. The only prerequisite is a passion for art.”

The 3D mural art workshop will continue and is open to students until August 31. For details, contact Nikita at 9886170724 or visit www.bharatrawal.com.

(Report by Harshini Vakkalanka for The Hindu)

EDITORIAL - Take On the Art of Residencies, news and more...

EDITORIAL

Take on the Art of Residencies 

(Bhavna Kakar)

What is the right place to read an art magazine? I find metro coaches are the best. May be I am a devoted metro traveler. If you prefer to read it in a car or in your study or in your washroom, you may do so. What is important is concentration. I get full concentration in crowded metro coaches as each person standing or sitting generally minds his or her business. Most of them are either listening to music or doing some introspection camouflaged as sleep. Now, how do you read an art magazine? I prefer to read it from back to front as I find most of the art magazines carry heavy articles in the beginning and lighter ones towards the end. One good thing about reading from back to front is that by the time you reach the front you will be prepared to take anything said in the name of art. 

That’s how recently I finished reading the latest issue of Take on Art magazine. Published from Delhi and edited by Bhavna Kakar, this quarterly magazine within a short period of four years and eleven issues has achieved a key position in the art magazine publication in India. In each edition it covers one particular issue pertaining to art; I should add art in the international scenario today. Unlike the other magazines, including the Art and Deal that I edit, Take on Art functions as an international art magazine published from India rather than an art magazine that publishes Indian art from within India or from elsewhere. Today, it has pushed the so far unrivaled Art India Magazine to a lower position in popularity and acceptance. But I am of the opinion that the more the merrier. We need more art magazines and more writers.

( The latest Take on Art magazine on Residency)

The latest issue of Take on Art that I read from back to front in the metro, deals with the topic of ‘Residency’, a latest fad in the international art circuit. Had it been camp hopping in the boom years, during the current years of hopelessly prolonged recession it is residency hopping. Artists travel from one residency to the other, gaining short term experiences and long term artistic exposure. By the time I finished an interview with art collector Amrita Jhaveri, a piece on the art collector Anju Poddar, the column of the Phantom Lady aka N.Pushapamala (or vice versa) and a few reviews and a cleverly assorted collection of photographs on Kochi-Muziris Biennale by Manisha Gera Baswani (one cannot forget the snap of Bose Krishnamachari drinking water), I was prepared to read anything. Pushpamala surprised me with her high decibel critique on her fellow artists who turned her call down to boycott an Israeli museum show. I hope the critique also will not be turned down by them. 

(Artist N Pushpamala as Phantom Lady)

This is a book review masquerading as an Editorial or the other way round so I do not want to go into too many details of the content. However, what I gathered from a few writings written by the artists who have already hopped a number of residencies, is their ultimate struggle to prove that their sojourns were useful despite the visa as well as language problems. Emily Crane’s article sheds light on the politics of network formations through residency economics. Suddenly you realise that Khoj too was not a spontaneous idea of a group of artists in Delhi. If residency comes, shall economic strategies of international networking be far behind?

‘A Residency, What For?’, an article written by Franck Barthelemy is sincere in its approach as he does not make any effort to justify residencies or to disclaim them. He simply wonders, after delineating a few sample residencies in India, what could be the final outcome if philanthropy is the only motive behind setting up residency programs. The international residency scenario as scribed by reputed curators from the respective countries, like Cecilia Canziani (Italy), Bisi Silva (Nigeria), Stefanie Hessler (Brazil), Robert Kluijver (Cyprus) and so on tell a reader like me about their realities. When I read Hessler’s optimism in the present Brazilian economic boom, I just think of the optimism we all Indians had a few years back.

(Artist Chintan Upadhyay)

Shreya Ray writes about Sandarbh, an art residency at Partapur, Rajasthan, initiated by artist Chintan Upadhyaya. Article starts with one of the myths that Chintan wants to get registered in the contemporary art folklore. Rest is history. But Sandarbh is not mentioned in the ‘recommended/pick’ Take on Art list of residencies, painstakingly put together by the editorial board. Absence is a form of presence.

The first few pages of the magazine are filled with conversations about residencies, only pros and no cons. So I skimmed through them as each curator in the conversation trying to put their local facts as universal truths. But one cannot be too cynical about it. Only thing I get cynical is when everyone speaks of residency outcome as ‘process’ than works of art ready to be shown for larger engagements.

Can a writer publish his study notes for a novel instead of a novel and get an award for a novel? Or even called a novelist only if he has visited writers’ workshops all over the world? If not why only artists are called artists when they do only ‘processes’ in residencies? 

Anyway, it was good reading Take on Art Magazine with the first quarter with full of international blah blah and the three fourth with readable materials. 

JohnyML

NEWS

In praise of Krishna

(Work of Kishore Roy on display at the show)

Aalankritha Art Gallery, Hyderabad, presents a group show titled ‘Krishnastuti’ displaying works by a number of artists as an ode to the beloved God, Krishna on the occasion of the 
Krishna Janmashthami  festival celebrations.

The participating artists are Ananda Das, Ashoke Ganguly, Bhushayya K., Bipin Martha, Dhiren Sasmal, Jeevan Gosika, Kishore Roy, Rajib Sur Roy, Sadaanandan PK, Saraswathi L and Subrata Das.

The show is on view till the 6th of September 2013.

The Transformation show

(a work on display)

Bordering on simplicity of strokes and colour palette, the solo show titled,’ Transformation’ by artist Sumanto Chowdhury makes a mark at the Shrishti Art Gallery, Hyderabad.

The works on display vary in themes ranging from landscapes and rural and urban life to religious deities rendered in oil and acrylic on canvas.

The works will be on display till the 2nd of September 2013.

An Open Studio and a Studio Opening

1Shanthi Road, Bangalore presents ‘Open studio and a studio opening - Soundscapes and Installations’ featuring Swiss musician and sound artist Barblina Meierhans  in collaboration with Suresh Jayaram for a sound installation. The artists create a soundscape by using multiple spaces across 1.Shanthi Road. 

Barblina Meierhans, born in Saint Gall, studies violin compositions in transdisciplinary creations as sound installation and lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.

This event is supported by Pro Helvetia.

The show opens on 31st August 2013 at 7 pm and is on till 9 pm on 1st September 2013 

Artistic Creations

(a work on display)

Gallery Third Eye, Bangalore presents a group show titled ‘ Artistic Creations’ that focuses on the vibrancy, sensitivity, richness and the depth of Indian art. 

The paintings highlight the creative nuances of artists with their varied styles, mediums and imagination. In our fast paced world where life is full of stress and high on commercialism, a good piece of art can provide solace, peace and joy to the viewer. It rejuvenates the mind and body. 

For further details call on : +91 9845585235

The show is on view till 31st August 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

Featuring Art that subverts, Call for Artists, Prabhakar Kolte Untitled and more..

NEWS

Call for Artists -  International Contest -III

It’s LIQUID Group, in collaboration with International ArtExpo, presents “It’s LIQUID International Contest 3rd edition”. The contest is born with the goal of promoting contemporary art, architecture and design through all the divulging tools that the communication platform It’s LIQUID has used for years. 

The contest is open to artists, architects and designers from all over the world without any limit of age and nationality. Solo artists, architects and designers can participate to the contest as well as groups.

The contest will have ten main categories:
Painting, sculpture and installation, photography, video-art, computer graphics, architecture
performing art, product design, fashion design, illustration.

The awards are:

- 1 exhibition in Venice held in exclusive locations located a few meters from the Ponte di Rialto on the Canal Grande (public vote’s award)
– 1 month of art residence plus photography workshop at Altlab Photography residency in Goa (India)
– 1 month of art residence in Yerevan (Armenia) included in “ART COMMUNE” Artist-in-Residence program by Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory (ACSL)
– 10 artists will be included in 1 page for each of The ArtBook Vol. I, which will represent the most updated published guide to the international contemporary art scene
– 1 year of participation in International ArtExpo’s events in the most important capitals of the world 
- 10 artists will win 1 interview for each published on the It’s LIQUID Platform 

Interested artists and participants may email to info@itsliquid.com, for further information about applications and submissions 

The submission deadline is September 15th, 2013 and the public vote deadline is September 30th, 2013

Deconstructing Abstractionism 

(A work by Prabhakar Kolte)

Gallery 7, Mumbai presents a solo show of eminent artist, art teacher and abstractionist, Prabhakar Kolte. The show titled, ‘Deconstruction’ displays the works of the artist where forms that dominate are drawn from the reservoir of images that fill his inner world which find their source in the world of natural and geometric shapes.

Kolte's abstract layering with paint echo cityscapes where the signs and textures reveal his modernist consciousness. Bands of color laid against each other create bold depths and rises on the canvas.

Prabhakar Kolte was born in 1946 and received his diploma from the Sir J.J. School of Art in 1968. Between 1972 and 1994 he taught at the School of Art. He has had several solo shows and participated in important group exhibitions all over the world and in India.

The show is on view till the 30th of September 2013.

Chennai Maadri

( A work on display at the show)

Gallery G of Bangalore presents a unique group show featuring an eclectic mix of art works and art expressions. The show titled, ‘Chennai Maadri’ displays artists works from the cultural metropolis Chennai.

Each piece of art that is on show has its own unique flavor and twist from the south. The artists displaying the art work are V. Vinoth, Govindarajan, G. Raman, M Raja, Village Mukaiah, Govindarajan, Arunagiri and Muniswamy.

The show is on view till the 31st of August 2013.

The Reflectives

Sublime Galleria, Bangalore, presents a show titled, ‘The Reflectives’ which is an artist’s observation on the fixation with oneself and the reflective world one lives in. The show displays the recent installation art by artist, Elena-Renee Pereira.

This collection observes everything reflect in every surrounding surface, inspiring the artist Elena into a meditative response to the physicality of an object. Similar to objects through which one expresses themselves, such as a flower that signifies all-important moments in life: birth, love and death; she desires to capture and preserve life by extracting life through daily used objects and materials.

The show is on view till the 31st of August 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Art that subverts

While Madhubani art has remained the prerogative of certain kinds of narratives centred on the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, a young Dalit woman is attempting to break this monopoly by introducing Buddha’s life stories into the visual imagery of the art form.

Tracking significant events of Buddha’s life, from before his birth to Mahaparinirvana (his death), Malvika Raj from Samastipur in Bihar has been etching folklore from Buddha’s epoch in the Madhubani painting genre.

( Buddha in Madhubani by Malvika Raj)

Typically, one finds stories of Radha-Krishna, Sita or other figures from Hindu mythology in Madhubani paintings, apart from depiction of nature. Representation of Dalit symbols including Buddha is rare, if not absent.

While the motifs, technique and style in Malvika’s paintings is traditional Madhubani, the content marks a remarkable shift from the Hindu narratives of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Although art has that inherent quality to embrace innovation and advancement, not everybody is happy with what she is doing. While her paintings were welcomed for display at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, locally in Bihar there have been several questions she has had to face. Recalling an incident, she says, “I remember a day in Patna Art College where I was exhibiting my paintings; a guy in saffron robe walked in and without even viewing all my paintings, he started irritating me with his nasty comments as how can I divert Madhubani from its original forms of Hindu gods and goddesses to Buddha and offered several other prejudiced analyses.” These incidents happen, but she brushes them off by saying, “I paint Buddha’s stories in Madhubani because I think first of all Buddha stays in my heart. The starting reason might be my father who himself is a Buddhist. We kids often heard stories about Buddha and his preaching from him. Later on I studied some literature on Buddha too.”

( Buddha in Madhubani by Malvika Raj)

Malvika’s father, Bahujan Samaj Party General Secretary from the area encourages her and whenever there is an exhibition, he sits there all day long while outside, his security men keep guard. She values his support and wonders whether she would have been able to paint and exhibit these paintings without his backing; had she been a regular Dalit woman.

“The other reason for adopting Buddha’s life, his teachings and his perspective in my paintings is that one can hardly find his stories or his complete story in Madhubani paintings.”

While completing the series on Buddha remains her priority, she is also simultaneously training young Dalit girls of Bihar in this art form. Despite the restrictive market for art of this kind, Malvika thinks it is important to pursue.

( Buddha in Madhubani by Malvika Raj)

“I am a feminist and I strongly support women’s empowerment but Dalit women are considerably lagging behind in this movement and unable to move shoulder to shoulder along with other women in every walk of life as they are facing three-fold inequality and suppression -- first, they are Dalits; next, they are women and lastly, majority are uneducated and poor.”

A graduate from National Institute of Technology (NIFT) Mohali, Malvika’s interest in painting was nurtured by her sister in her childhood. Attributing her talent building to her sister, Malvika says, “though my elder sister was a good artist but somehow she managed to end up with being an engineer but helped me to search my dream.” She even has her own website: buddhapaintings.org

(Report by Divya Trivedi for The Hindu)