Three by Three by Three show, Facebook Series, Shadang 2013 and more..

NEWS

Shadang 2013

Lokayata Art Gallery, New Delhi presents a group show of artworks titled, ‘Shadang 2013’.This is an annual art exhibition of painting, sculptures, photography and digital art about art and life. 
Shadang is the premier showcase for Indian modern and contemporary art which offers a platform for exhibition and sale of distinguished works of art and projects in the finest of environment. 
This year more than 20 artists from different states from Indian are exhibiting their Painting, Sculptures, and Photography.

The show is on view from 10th November 2013.

Three by Three by Three

(work on display)

Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai presents a group show of talented sculptors, with their unique sculptures on display. The show titled, ‘Three by Three by Three’ displays an exquisite selection of small format sculptures by some eminent names in the field today.

Some of the participating artists, students of MS University Baroda, who have put up this innovative show are Chetan Parmar, Likhita Mahajan,Nagendra Rajbandari, Premdavid Vaishy, Ritesh Rajput, Sanjay Rajwar, Shantanu Shastry, Soumitra Gouri, Vijay Kadam, Arti Kadam, Loknath Sinha, Rakesh Rana, Shiv Verma, Mrudula Mishra, Sunil Kholi, Mehul Patel and Ajay Kanwal among others.

The show is on view till 20th November 2013.

Facebook Series

(Work on display)

Artspeaks India, Mehrauli, presents art works by eminent artist Puja Kshatriya. The show titled, ‘Facebook Series’ displays Puja Kshatriya's small format paintings. These paintings and related art works are the artist’s experiences which she formulates as a social media-esque experience through her artworks.

The show is on view till 15th November 2013.

American Beauty

( work on display)

Epicentre art space, Gurgaon, presents a photography show of upcoming photographer Abhishek. The artist has captured in his camera, the essence of beauty in a America. 

The landscapes and the differences in topographic, light and shade nuances of nature are seen in an exquisite collection of his photography works.

The artist intends to bring a bit of the beauty experienced in the rural and urban parts fo the country into light with his works.

The show is on from 23rd November to 24th November 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Art, love and life

Sandhya Arvind’s folk and tribal paintings draw the viewer into a colourful world of love and harmony

(Raas leela in Madhubani at the show)

It is as though a piece of their world has been brought onto the walls, mounted onto wooden boards to be taken away to the homes of people whose lives are so vastly different from those in the Warli and Madhubani regions of Maharashtra-Gujarat and Bihar, respectively.

And Sandhya Arvind, almost lives in their world through these little pieces that she paints, whose imagery, she says, is constantly running through her mind. The paintings are currently on view at ITC Windsor’s art space in an exhibition sponsored by the Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy. The exhibition features paintings from the Madhubani and Warli traditions.

“I grew up watching my mother paint murals in my village, especially during festivals,” says the Vadodara-based artist. “I have been drawn to these ethnic art forms, which I have been painting since childhood.”

Sandhya’s paintings reflect the traditional themes of these art forms: nature, celebration, and the way of life in the Warli paintings, as well as scenes from Indian mythology in the Madhubani paintings.

“The Warli paintings reflect the rustic lives of the people in the region. They live with their animals, they live in harmony with nature, even with wild animals and give equal importance to its every aspect, even depicting snakes and ants in their paintings,” explains Sandhya who has been exhibiting her work for over 30 years.

Sandhya, shows the practise of X-ray art where there is transparency in the depiction of subject, the fish in the water, for instance, are not hidden. “You will see that the Warli people are happy, even while working.” She also paints their festivities, depicting their gods or goddesses in all their splendour or their wedding rituals.

Her Madhubani paintings, meanwhile, largely depict the lives of the Indian Gods Rama and Krishna and the love they shared whether with their consorts, their people or their devotees.

Rama is shown at the swayamvara with his consort Sita, or standing in the garden with her as maids, waiting a little distance away, hold garlands aloft. And Krishna Leela, the ecstatic dance of Krishna with his gopis or the longing of the gopis and Radha for their beloved are popular themes. Sandhya also paints other themes from Indian mythology, the story of Savitri and Satyavan, the tradition of moon-worship, which could be, she says, the origin behind the tradition of karva-chauth.

Unlike the Warli paintings, points out Sandhya, no space is left blank in the vibrant Madhubani pantings, every inch is filled with decorative motifs, mainly elements from nature.

“When I paint, I place the figures first and then add in the elements from nature whether it is flowers or animal figures. From this I pick a motif to decorate the border, which is integral to the Madhubani painting,” she explains.

Sandhya often works in relief, where the elements in her painting appear embossed. Sometimes she also paints over aluminium foil using glass colours to create a shimmering surface in an attempt to add a refreshing touch to the paintings.

Sandhya Arvind’s exhibition of Warli and Madhubani paintings will be on view at the WelcomArt Gallery, ITC Windsor, until November 6. For details, contact 09898413326.

(Report by Harshini Vakkalanka for The Hindu)