PROFILE
A Ballet of the Unuttered
A calmness ensues the hectic activity of things. Like a stray piece of paper performing a solo ballet under a street lamp on a dark morning to an only witness. A silent commune of energies in unuttered syllables. Probably the same nondescript piece of paper had been the centre of a midnight dust storm, an observer in complete stillness. At once a performer in the limelight and at once the unmoving spectator in a swirling dust tornado. This is how artist Pragati Dalvi’s work mutates from being an artist’s act and a silent reflection of events, observes Sushma Sabnis.
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| ( Artist Pragati Dalvi) |
Pragati Dalvi has a BFA degree in Painting and MFA in Creative Painting from Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai. Her medium of making art varies from water colour to oils and inks on paper. She has recently stepped into the realm of experimental photography as well.
When one looks at the paintings by Pragati, one would be aware of the obvious influences of nature in them. It would be too easy to type cast them as nature abstracts, but on closer observation, one could see the interplay of metaphors and a conscious study of the subject at hand. Most of them are rendered as abstractions of sensory stimuli and memory sources, but what takes them a step further would be their multiple implications. The artist tries to capture an emotion exactly as it was experienced, an intangible ethereal emotion she has felt at the instant in response to the external stimulus. Hence the works can either appear as if painted hurriedly or at leisure as if savouring a moment of beauty and sensitivity to make it last much longer than its original occurrence.
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| ( Blue After Rain -I) |
Also captured in the works are multiple essences of an experience. In an interview Pragati talks about the sensorial aspects of an experience. As an artist she tries to capture what the senses say initially and then she urges the viewer to take this sensory response to a transcended level of a lingering moment. A midnight sky, may appear in the mind’s eye as black or dark grey to most, but to Pragati this very midnight sky is a palette of blues, purples, mauves and violet shades. This palette is kept to a minimum of colours and most of her works in the ‘Pause’ series are an interpretation of the influence of this muse of memory of one moment in time.
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| (Red in Rain) |
For example, a sunset in the summer induces far different feelings in the viewer than a sunset in the monsoon or winter. Moreover the location from where it would be experienced and with whom, would impart a new meaning to this experience. Intermingled with a liberal dose of emotional catalysts, the images that emerge are a blend of the sensorial, the reactionary and the imagined in complete aesthetical harmony.
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| (Blue After Rain - II) |
In her works, ‘Blue After Rain I and II’, ‘Red in Rain’, ‘Blue and Warm’, ‘A touch of Blue’ the images suggest the dominance of a colour as well as an emotion, possibly a moment spent in solitude. ‘Witnessing a Change’ hints at the seasonal changes or it could also subtly hint at the artist’s state of mind to a more optimistic outlook towards life.
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| (Witnessing a Change) |
Most of her works have a suggestive ‘moving on to something-ness’ in them. This would be possible only when all the nuances of a reaction to a stimulus are not closed. Pragati leaves a few unexplored areas, intentionally, in the form of empty spaces or white spots or addition of small bits of tissue paper, which probably is her way of keeping the mystery of her work intact, veiling it. When asked about the curious usage of tissue paper in her works she reveals that it could be that the emotion experienced then was not a positive one, hence the tissue implies a ‘cleansing’ logic. So it is not about just veiling a negative emotion, but wiping it off from the psyche. The artist revisits her inspiration in nature and according to her, nature often is in a flux, a moving, evolving state which reflects in the regenerative ability. In spite of all the abuse nature is going through from various causes, She survives, retaliates or resurfaces for the better, restoring the balance. Pragati tries to capture these subtle unseen intuitive qualities of nature in her works, ensuring that anyone who views the works would take with them a sense of harmony and balance in their lives, like Mother Nature offers.
Pragati Dali lives and works in Bangalore.
NEWS
Nature Series at Tangerine
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| (Work by Sripad Kulkarni) |
Tangerine, Bangalore, presents its first artist for 2014, Sripad Kulkarni. A graduate from the Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishad, Sripad's latest exhibition at Tangerine titled 'Nature Series', displays paintings that are influenced from nature and inspired from Indian paintings to the extent that the figures are drawn in the same form and all his work depicts forms of either the butterfly, fish or the horse.
Having conducted a number of group shows and solo shows, notable being his solo at the Chitrakala Parishad in 2012 and at the Udupi Art Foundation in 2013, Sripad believes, 'There has to be a certain freshness and newness in one's art, otherwise it's pointless to pursue it. To be different means doing something you have never done before’. Strong yet inspiring words that influence the way you work, Sripad Kulkarni is one such artist inspired to create a different perspective. His drawings reveal his predilection for form: forms that consist in tone rather than line, carefully expressing the textural effects of various mediums.
Sripad’s works are on display till 10th February 2014.
National Art Katta
The Art Katta, Pune presents a national level art exhibition every year starting from 2014. This is the first ever national level exhibition organized by The Art Katta and they are happy to have it in the cultural capital of Maharashtra. The idea is to maintain the diversity in display so the people could get a chance to see the variety of artworks.
There will be more than 40 selected artworks on display by various artists from various parts of India such as Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ratnagiri, Delhi, Surat, Ahmednagar, Vishakhapattanam, Goa, Kolhapur, Patna and Hyderabad.
The show is on view till 4th February 2014.
Rang De
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| ( Work by Reha Shisodia. Image courtesy Pradarshak Gallery) |
Gallery Pradarshak, Mumbai presents a solo art show of self taught painter, Reha Shisodia. The show titled, ‘Rang De’ displays the artists abstract renditions on canvas in acrylic and mixed media.
Her work can be classified as Abstract Expressionist. Each of the canvases communicate with the viewer in a bold rush of colour and intensity, taking the viewer deeper into their journey, sometimes playing the field, merging into each other, and at other times standing loftily apart.
“Rang De” is the artist’s tribute to the season of joy that begins with the harvesting season in January and culminates in Holi in March.
The show is on view till 15th February 2014.
Kaleidoscopic Art
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| ( Work by Burhan N Nagarwala) |
Malaka Spice Art space, Pune presents an exhibition of paintings by Burhan N Nagarwala. Burhan holds a degree in Fine Arts and is doing his Masters from Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune. All of 27 years, he is already imparting art to others. He is inspired by what he sees in real life , and captures what touches his heart, on canvas.
His works vary from horses to people to nature and also still life and objects. His paintings reveal boldness as well as, an inner strength. His palette leans towards red and black in expression and renditions.
The show is on view till 15th February 2014.
( News reports by Sushma Sabnis)
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