Brushstrokes of a Revolution, Chiaroscuro Fleur Scapes and more..

NEWS

Brushstrokes of a Revolution

( Work by Soe Naing at the show)

Sitara Studios, Mumbai presents a group show of Burmese artists, titled, ‘Brushstrokes of a Revolution’. The show displays works of around 12 Burmese artists. The participating artists include Soe Naing, Zwe Yan Naing, Co Thiee, Ye Min and Zaw Nyunt Pe, Eika Za Cho and many more.

Stirred by the political changes in Burma, this selection of paintings by contemporary artists from the country portray resilience. The display is replete with colour, chaos and courage. 
Each artist depicts a story through their artworks. The expressions and feelings of each artist can be seen in their piece of artwork created. A subjugated nation that is under the control of militant rule has been portrayed in the paintings.

The show is on view till the 8th of September 2013.

Invisible Lands

(Work by Madhuchanda Majumdar)

All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, (AIFACS) New Delhi presents a solo show of artist Madhuchanda Majumdar, in collaboration with Calcutta Arts Club. The art show titled, ‘Invisible Lands’ is a traveling art exhibition of the artist’s works.

The artist concentrates her theme on nature in geenral, and hones in on the environmental and adverse factors caused to nature as of today. Her works also feature the indomitable spirit of nature and her destructive and regenerative healing properties through the art works.

The show is on view till the 8th of September 2013.


Annual Art and Craft Workshops

Coomaraswamy Hall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, along with the Paramparik Karigar, present their annual art and craft workshop.

These workshops are a regular feature each year with the sole intention of propagating diminishing ethnic, tribal art and folk arts of India to eager learners, in turn preserving the culture and art form itself.
Like each year, this year too the master craftsmen and Padmashree award winning teachers of arts and crafts bring an array of workshops to the fore.
Along with the old favourites of miniature painting classes by Shri Shakir Ali and bagru printing by Lalchand Chhippa, new inclusions like shibori (or tie-and-dye) classes by Badshah Miyan, and  kalamkari workshops helmed by Shilapguru Gurappa Chetty have been added to the list of workshops available.

The workshops will be open to public till the 7th of September 2013.

Chiaroscuro Fleur Scapes 

( A photography work at the show)

Renaissance Art Gallery, Bangalore presents a two person show titled, ‘Fleur Scapes’. The show features black and white photography by photographers Monalisa Bhowmick and Parikshit Ghosh.

Exploring the art and fine art photography world through their conceptual ‘Obscur Studio’ space, the two photographers have found a common ground to exercise their artistic and technical skill jointly in a complementary way.
The concept behind the show Fleur Scapes, is to capture the sensuality and essence of flowers, with the chiaroscuro element of art, making the works appeal to the viewer at a very subtle  and aesthetic level 

For further information please call on : +91 9164230077 / 8884296154

The show is on view till 7th of September 2013.

( News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Drawing inspiration

V. Rajagopal uses art to open up the world to his rural students, writes K. Jeshi

( V Rajagopal with his students)

For art teacher V. Rajagopal, every single day at the classroom is a learning experience. His students come up with new expressions, bring dynamism to art, and inspire him. “It’s a give and take,” he says. “We can learn technicalities about M.F.Hussain art or Leonardo Da Vinci from textbooks, but watching students create new art forms in the classroom is exhilarating,” says Rajagopal.

He has been a teacher for 30 years and in the last 13 years he has taught art at the Devarayapuram Government High School in Thondamuthur.

Here, most of his students are from a rural background. Their parents are daily labourers who cannot afford to buy art stationery. Rajagopal initiates the students into the beautiful world of art with whatever material is available to them. If a student’s father is a potter, he encourages the student to make terracotta art. Some students excel in drawing faces of birds, tigers, and elephants, as they are exposed to wildlife in and around their homes. Students give shape to tribal and folk art forms too. “Art helps them to observe life and become more expressive, confident and disciplined. Art lessons also introduce the rural students to history, geography and social culture. When they draw the Qutub Minar or the Saranath Pillar, they also acquire information about it – who built it, when it was built, why and so on… They also learn to identify and differentiate between various countries, by drawing map outlines.”

The simple lines that the students learn to draw also give them a grounding in mathematics and geometry. Rajagopal also exposes students to photography, street theatre and folk songs. He also introduces them to 2D and 3 D art involving sculpture and clay modelling. The exposure in art, he says, helps students to handle National level engineering exams with more confidence. “I ensure that my students use art as a medium and explore the innumerable opportunities it promises. It’s time art is included as a part of the mainstream syllabus.”

Rajagopal, a winner of State-level Kalai Sudarmani award, is a resource person who teaches art for teachers at the state and district level. At painting workshops, he trains children on how to use art to highlight issues such as child labour, and other health related topics. At a three-day camp at SACON, under his guidance, his students came up with sketches of common birds of Coimbatore.

( Report by K Jeshi for the Hindu)