Anjolie Ela Menon, Neha Grewal and more

PROFILE

Architecting Layers of Heart and Mind - Neha Grewal

The skin forms a protective layer over the body, the undulations subtly imply underlying form, one that is rarely seen, one that is concealed and reveals only when the heart wills this revelation. Such is the anticipatory quality of Neha Grewal’s works. Layers and layers of depth and meaning, surfacing ever so gently, just enough to breathe new life into the visual interpretations, observes Sushma Sabnis.

Artist Neha Grewal

Neha Grewal is a young, Jamia Millia Islamia, MFA graduate, with a keen sense of correlation between the architecture of a social space and an internal human space. She very effectively and confidently travels through both these spaces, claiming her own and at times creating new openness for the viewer to trespass in utter silence, albeit with the eyes of a compassionate observer.

Neha works in a multitude of formats, most of her works, canvases are large scaled, yet have these imageries of many things happening simultaneously. Like one would relate to Persian miniatures where time stands still, and the viewer gets a moment in that time frame, a bird’s eye view of the complete bigger picture. Her earlier works on paper, are resplendent with an illustrative quality, rendered in pencil, charcoal, acrylic and water colour washes. The entire visual comes together like a smorgasbord of events, happened at various time frames, but connected in the form of the theme by an invisible umbilical cord of experiences and memories. The pictorial surface is rich with textures, broken and unbroken lines, scratches, markings, calligraphic writings, sharp colour dabs wave-like patterns move over the forms unifying it as a whole.

(The Painting  Interior Space I)

Her series titled, ‘Interior Space I - III’ shows how the artist articulates her understanding of personal space as opposed to a space one makes in their surrounding. How one claims their own territory and the displacement one feels and endures to fit into a societal norm. Interior Space III has a seating area, and a flight of stairs going down to what seems to be a basement, while on the opposite wall is a blurry shadow of a flight of stairs. The complexity of this seemingly simple image pronounces the dichotomy and obligation one feels in life when aspirations are mauled and shaped into duties towards something or someone. The flight of stairs on the wall appear ephemeral, dream like, where as the harsh reality of the stairs to the basement seem brutally grounded in contrast. The immovability of the seat points to the indecision or stagnation in life.

(The Painting Interior Space  III)

Another poignant and bold work, the ‘Figure in empty space‘ sees a reference to feminist leanings of the artist. The female figure in the painting, displays her genitals in a gesture as a mockery to the masculine gaze, unafraid like the women in Klimt’s paintings. The mouth also shaped like female genitals addresses the age old conditionings of society, of seeing the female body as merely a vessel for procreation. The hands of the figure lie slack and limp on the body in complete despair.

(The Painting Figure in Empty Space)

One of her works on paper, ‘By the Garden’ presents a picture of a lonely woman, a table with seeds of fruit strewn over it and hands grabbing and grasping towards them. Two mouths open wide to consume these undeserved fruits.Two headless human figures perform a mating ritual on one side of the visual and disembodied hands reach out to  claim a vulva under the table, as a gesture of dominance. The work speaks of eons of torturous endurance by the female body, under the canopy of religion, society, progeny and many such doctrines.

(The Painting  By the Garden)

Another work which covets interest is ‘Conversation(s)’ where the artist writes and over-writes the love notes she has shared with her lover, on the canvas or paper, reiterating the deeper nuances of that relationship. No amount of words could probably encompass a feeling of such magnitude, but Neha attempts and succeeds at bringing the layers of that association she had and cherishes through her distinct calligraphic work. The overlapping of words, form a skin, an epidermis of memory, wounds are hidden and scabs are formed healing them, some remain open under the deeply impacted surface in her rich imagination.

(The Painting Conversations)

Neha has been participating in shows in India and abroad, her recent participation was in the R.A.P.E. (Rare Acts ofPolitical Engagement) show, curated by  Delhi based critic, curator Johny ML. Her work ‘Untitled’ was a family of works which formed a whole picture of her political-personal statement. In the coming years, one could expect Neha to grow  deeper, sensitive roots in her fearless approaches and form an ocean like depth in the dynamic, layered visual dermis of her works.

Neha Grewal lives and works in New Delhi.



NEWS


Anjolie Ela Menon at Grosvenor Vadehra

(Recent work by Anjolie Ela Menon)

Vadehra Art Gallery, presents a solo show of recent works by eminent senior artist, Anjolie Ela Menon at their London gallery space, Grosvenor Vadehra. The show displays the works made by the artist in the year 2013. 

The show previews on the 7th of June 2013 and will be on view till the 27th June 2013. 

Anjolie Ela Menon is one of the leading women contemporary artists of India and her figurative works and style has been an inspiration for many younger artists. Her preferred medium is oils on masonite and she has also worked in other mediums like glass and water colour. She is also very well known for her murals. She was awarded the Padma Shree award in 2000. Her subjects of her works usually hovers around women, human relationships, societal interpretations and other conflicting subjects.

The recent works on display are a mix of portraitures and some abstract figurative works, collages on paper, and oils on canvas.

On the 8th of June 2013, the artist will deliver a talk about her work and recent paintings at the gallery at 5 pm.

The Alchemy of Mapping Thoughts

(The Alchemy of Mapping Thoughts)

Hanna Hollmann, an artist from Vienna, presents a show of her works at the 1 Shanthi Road  gallery, Bangalore. Titled, ‘The Alchemy of Mapping Thoughts’, Hanna tries to capture patterns, rhythms and repetitions in the everyday lives of  people of India using lines and objects as a metaphor. This according to her is a ‘mapping of thoughts’. 

Hanna has studied art at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna,in stage design and fine art.
In her work her focus is on print making, and drawing. She also specializes in costume design and doing projects including theatre performances, animation films in parts of Europe. Being a part of the ‘Loose Collective’ an Austrian based group of internationsla contemporary dancers, artists , choreographers and musicians, adds to her artistic expression. 

She has been a part of the Theertha International artists workshop at Colombo, SriLanka in 2012, and also a participant of the Colombo Art Biennale 2012.

This is her first show in 1 Shanthi Road Gallery, Bangalore and it previews on the 7th of June 2013 at 6 pm. The show is open for public viewing fro 8th of June 2013 to the 12th of June 2013.



Call for Artists : Border Cities & New Identities

(Border Cities And New Identities)

International ArtExpo announces its call for artists for a new exhibition to be held in 2013 August. The exhibition titled, ‘Border Cities & New Identities’, is an International Art Festival of Architecture, Photography, Video Art, Computer Graphics, Painting, Installation and Performing Art, to be held in Suceava, Romania from the 26th of July 2013 to the 2nd of August 2013.

The call for artists to participate is for interesting architecture projects, photo works, video/ short films, computer graphics works, paintings and performances. The selection is based on the main concept of hybridization between identities and urban environment, as a result of liquid identities and liquid contacts between people. Sustainable economic development results from modern communication infrastructures to shape a better world. 

The deadline for the application for the exhibition is 1st of July 2013. For further information please contact : lucacurci@lucacurci.com

Memories of  a Rustic Romance 

(A painting by Prithvi Soni)

Gallery Leela, Mumbai presents a solo show of art works by eminent artist Prithvi Soni. The show is titled,’ Rustic Romance’ and displays the artist’s works in a figurative style which is his trademark. 

The oil and acrylic on canvas works capture the rustic beauty of rural women and their myriad facets. The artist captures the innocence of a romance in lucid hues and poetic visuals. Prithvi Soni is known for his portraitures of eminent celebrities and film personalities in the past. He is also known for his landscapes which capture the essence of rural India. He was once known as the original poster painter of Bollywood and regarded for his exquisite works. He is also known for his melodious singing ability.

The show ‘Rustic Romance’ is on view till June 6th 2013 at the Gallery Leela. 


(News Reports by Sushma Sabnis)

Ramkinkar Baij, Rupak Munje, MATI and more

NEWS



Kettle Art Against Child Labour

(Kettle Art by Tahir Siddiqui)

India International Center, New Delhi presents a group show by eminent artists, titled, ‘Arte Kettle Garden’. The show displays sculptures and paintings by some of the senior artists of the country.  Another rarely used medium of depiction is the humble tea kettle, which has been metamorphosed into works of art by these artists.

The show displays 50 artworks, and the kettles have been painted on, mixed media works have also been exhibited along side these kettles. Tahir Siddiqui, Pooja Bahri among others are the participating artists, and the show is organized by the Kala Care Group. The director of Kala Care group Shweta Zharotia explained that the whole show is an attempt to address the issues of child labour in our country, and ow little children who have either run away from villages or forcefully brought to the city to work as cheap labour, also have a right to education. Shweta, also has displayed her works which aim to stir the conscience of the viewer towards helping such children to be educated and learn to lead a happy self respecting life.

The exhibition is on display at India International Center, Annexe's Art Gallery, New Delhi till the 6th of June 2013.

MATI Certificate Course on Art

(MATI - Summer Certificate Course)

MATI ( Management of Art Treasures Of India) New Delhi, announces its 16 days summer Certificate course on Art, History and Appreciation. 

The course design aims to initiate students, young professionals and art lovers to understand the history and influences of art and design. It also aims to train the students to interpret, recognize and analyze art to engage with Contemporary art and the market systems.

The modules are so designed as to help deciphering the historical significance of art, and art markets especially related to south Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan). It also will focus on the art and its relation to society, and the aesthetic and other value of it. It would help the students to look at art and attempt to read it contextually.

The course is to begin on 8th of June and go on till 4th of August 2013.

To register please visit the MATI website http://matiindia.org/?p=217

Contemporary Collection - II Enchants

(Painting by Akkitham Narayanan)

Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi, presents a group show of works of masters of yesteryears and some contemporaries of today, titled, ‘Contemporary Collection II’. The artists need hardly any introduction as they have been the pillars of the Indian art scene for a while now.

The participating artists are, Akbar Padamsee, Akkitham Narayanan, Apurva Desai, Binoy Varghese, Jayasri Burman, Kishor Shinde, Maite Delteil, Manu Parekh, Neeraj Goswami, Paresh Maity, S. Harsha Vardhana, Sakti Burman, Suraj Kumar Kashi and the Singh Twins.

Most of the works on display are rendered in a variety of mediums, such as oil,  acrylic, pastels on canvas, water colour on paper, bronze sculptures, fine art giclee print editions.

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


Art on World Autism Day

( Rupak Munje with his works)

Dakshinachitra Art gallery, Chennai, presents a solo show of work by artist Rupak Munje on the occasion of World Autism Day. Artist Rupak was born autistic and art for him has been a means of expressing himself. Rupak received training in art under the able guidance of American therapist Melissa Enderie, at the We Can Centre, and he has come a long way since his first show.

In this second solo show he displays 63 of his paintings, and his experiences on canvas. Bold, vibrant and rich in colour and confident in his visual language, he with the help and mentoring of his father Rajendra Munje, present a picture of determination and positive approach to the tribulations life puts one through. 

The show is on view from today, 5th of June to the 16th of June 2013.


( News Reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Baij bust of Allauddin off display for 20 years

( Ramkinkar Baij )

A bust of Ustad Allauddin Khan sculpted by the legendary Ramkinkar Baij disappeared from display at the seat of institutional culture in the country’s capital over 20 years ago without anyone being any the wiser.

Not even the Sangeet Natak Akademi, where the sculpture was installed in 1952 after being brought from Santiniketan where it was made on the instruction of Rabindranath Tagore. An Akademi official in the documentation department said: “It went missing just after the retirement of Akademi secretary Keshav Kothari in 1990. None of us knew why the bust was moved or where it was kept as the shifting happened secretly. We do not even know where it is located now,” he said, pointing at a pile of luggage trolleys and suitcases in a corner of the audio-visual library where the bust was once placed on a four-foot podium.

For nearly a quarter century later when the Akademi was asked, they were reluctant to divulge its whereabouts but said it was in its possession.The Akademi officer in charge of the museum of musical instruments, Jayant Raj Choudhary, said he did not know why the sculpture had gone off display.

“We were not at the helm of affairs when it was moved.” Asked if the bust of the sarod maestro could now be put back where it was earlier, he said there was no space.“It is one of the most valuable possessions of the Akademi. But we do not even have a proper round-the-clock surveillance system, such as a closed-circuit television camera, which can help us keep an eye on displayed objects. I do not think we can take the risk of putting it in public view.”

(The bust of Ustad Allaudin Khan)

Former Visva-Bharati professor and author of My Days with Ramkinkar Baij, Somendranath Bandyopadhyay, said it was a shame that the country’s most prestigious state-run performing arts body did not have the infrastructure to display the sculpture.Baij had sculpted the bust when the Ustad went to Santiniketan to teach music at the Sangeet Bhavana as a guest professor at Tagore’s invitation in 1935. Tagore, who also conferred the title of acharya on the Ustad, had asked the painter Nandalal Bose to get a bust of Allauddin done by Baij.

Obviously, the bust was the property of Visva-Bharati but Tagore’s biographer Krishna Kripalani, who had also married his granddaughter Nandita, took it to Delhi with his friend Baij’s permission so that it could be made the jewel in the Akademi’s crown.“What is the Akademi doing with it if it cannot make it available to the public for viewing? If it cannot do justice to the history associated with the artwork, it should at least consider giving it away to the Lalit Kala Akademi or the Kala Bhavana at Visva-Bharati,” Bandyopadhyay said.

Art historian and Kala Bhavana professor Raman Siva Kumar said Visva-Bharati would display the sculpture if it were returned. “The sculpture is very important in the history of Visva-Bharati as two grand figures — Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ramkinkar Baij — were associated with it. Moreover, Tagore and Nandalal Bose had a role behind its creation. It will be one of our most prized possessions if we get it back,” he said.

(Reported by Tathagata Ray Chowdhury, Courtesy The Telegraph)

Are We Forgetting Our Artists, CONA Residency and more

FEATURE

Are we Forgetting our Young Artists? - 4

A Sculptor who Breathed Life into Brass - Saroj Kumar Singh

(Saroj Kumar Singh)

Saroj Kumar Singh is soft spoken. When he speaks he smiles. If you ask him what he could have become had he not become a sculptor, he would tap on your shoulder affectionately and smile again. If you insist he would say, a poet or a cricketer. What about a sculptor who writes poetry and plays a lot of cricket? Baroda based sculptor, Saroj Kumar Singh would have preferred to become a poet who sculpts and occasionally plays cricket. But to focus on one field he chose to become a sculptor and incorporated poetry into his sculptures and drawings. That suffices the mild personality of this post graduate in sculpture from MS University, Baroda.

Born in Jharkhand in 1976, Saroj Singh got interested in the world of Hindi poetry at a very early age. Simultaneously he realized that he could make shapes in clay. He found Banaras Hindu University as the right choice for furthering his creative interests once he finished his schooling. The pious atmosphere of the holy city nurtured the poet in him and the education in sculpture at the fine arts faculty there honed his sculptural skills. Like any other student who enrolls in the sculpture department at the BHU, he too was drawn to the abstract values taught by the teachers like Madan Lal. Saroj found bronze and brass as his medium. He incessantly made drawings taking inspiration from life in and around the holy city. The images and words kept coming back to his works as if they were reverberating with the ambience of a city immersed in religiosity.

Saroj continued his interest in abstract sculptural language even in MS University, Baroda, which in fact did not promote abstract sculptures. Figurative images started appearing in Saroj’s works as years passed. But his first love was abstract forms made out of brass wires and tubes. He cut the brass pipes both slender and thick, made forms out of them. At times he made them like sculptural paintings and at times he made them into three dimensional sculptural installations. He did not apply too much patina to cover up the skin of his favorite medium, brass. When he worked in bronze and as he evolved semi figurative works, he covered the sculptural body with patina as if he were imparting a layer of skin to those images.

Scale varied depending on his temperament. He created intricate forms like foliage, thickets and intertwining roots and creepers around a central axis. They grew vertically and horizontally incorporating and engulfing the space around it. At times it sucked in the negative spaces completely and at limes he liberated it and showed the volume through the airy spaces. Saroj worked both in large and small scale sculptures. When he worked large scale works they took the form of installations and when he made small works they were cozy little ones perching on the pedestals. His works were vigorously collected by art lovers as he was first shown in Delhi in 2006 in a show curated by Madan Lal for Gallery Espace. He became a Gallery Espace artist. 

In the following years Saroj worked with an added vigor. He went back again and again to his alma mater, BHU and found inspiration in the temple utensils, anklet bells and many other mundane utensils made out of brass wares. He joined them together to form various shapes that at times resembled cubistic figures. Saroj never wanted to become another Subodh Gupta. So he did not move in that line. His large scale works showed the ability to become a noted young sculptor of our country. His drawings showed a sort of sensitivity that had become rare amongst our young artists. But something happened. Even before the recession set in, Saroj Kumar went out of the mainstream shows. The gallery stopped promoting his works. What had caused him to go into a sort of silence? Someone has to answer.

Saroj Kumar Singh may not utter the reasons for his non-appearance in the mainstream shows. He would smile and may recite a couplet from Kabir. He still works in Baroda, silently. He hopes that one day the curators in this country will recognize his works and take him back to galleries. His works have the ability to stand in public spaces. They have a sort of purity, which is at once rooted to tradition and elegantly modern. Galleries drop artists without any explanations. Of course galleries are here to do business. When the clients turn their faces from the works, galleries turn their faces from the artists. When will this thankless attitude change?

(By Johny ML)



NEWS

Two Color Chords of Art

(Works by Arunagiri)

Art Houz, Chennai presents a unique interactive and live painting show by artist Arunagiri. The show titled ‘Color Chord’ commenced on the 1st of June and will go on till the 7th of June 2013.

Arunagiri will be doing a live painting session and the viewers can see how the canvas comes to life under his nimble fingers. This would be a unique experience of an artist’s workshop. The show displays Arunagiri’s paintings in oils on canvas and acrylic on canvas, and some of his exquisite sculptures. The paintings are primarily figurative in style with profound meanings hidden in the visual, which explores a harmonious palette of hues, colours and vibrancy.

Also performing at the show is a rare musical treat by Spanish Guitar Maestro, Vivek Anand. This show promises to be a visual and an auditory treat.

CONA Calls for Artists Residency

(CONA residency premises)

CONA, Mumbai, an artists-run initiative has announced a call for artists for its two month Artist Residency program titled, ‘Passing Through’. The residency offered is process based and the application deadline for the residency is 1st of July 2013.

The residency program is supported by Inlaks Shivadasani Foundation and Chatterjee & Lal Gallery.

The dates of the residency program are as follows: 20th July 2013 to 20th September 2013. The residency title is derived from the paper breakthroughs of Murakami Saburo, founding member of the Gutai movement, which emphasizes that the final result is not the work in its entirety, the process of creation is of equal importance. Taking on from this thought process, CONA aims to understand the nature of creation by an artist, the work process and the ability of artist to be in the ‘now’ moment of creation.

The two months long residency will culminate in a week long exhibition of the works made at Chatterjee & Lal, Mumbai.

This residency is open to Indian artists under the age of 35, and residing outside Mumbai. For any further details please write to : conaprojects@gmail.com.



Symphony on Canvas of Life

(Shuchi Khanna with her painting)

The DBS Bank art gallery, New Delhi, hosts a solo show of paintings by artist Shuchi Khanna. The show is titled ‘Symphony of Life’. The show displays works by the artist rendered in mixed media on canvas and acrylic on canvas. Also displayed at the exhibition are paper works.

Shuchi Khanna is a versatile artist as far as her choice of depiction is concerned. She displays works on canvas, paper and on acrylic sheets. Her work is majorly figurative in style and vibrancy of colour and form are her forte. The topics Shuchi paints on is as vast as her interest in art and one can see a range varying form landscapes to portraiture to rural scenes, cityscapes and abstract figurative.

The pictorial surface is thickly layered and the textures often form the anchoring for a visual. Bold, experimentative and full of soft tonal values, these paintings form the symphony as the title of the show suggests.

The show is on view till the 17th of June 2013.

An Ode to a Tree

(Work by B Bhaskar Rao)

Icon Art Gallery, Hyderabad presents a show of eminent artist B Bhaskar Rao, titled, ‘An Ode to a Tree’, from the 5th of June 2013(preview) to the 20th of June 2013.

Stressing the importance of a tree, which is the leitmotif of Bhaskar’s work till date, he incorporates the significance, ecologically and aesthetically of the green cover of the earth in his works. Traversing a variety of mediums and styles, Bhaskar focuses singularly on the ‘tree’ as a tribute and a thank you for its selflessness and how humankind has been ignorant and unfaithful to its greater purpose. As an extension to this show of art works by Bhaskar, he also will curate a workshop titled, ‘Positive Environment’ exclusively for artists, which also heralds the cause of the environment through art as a medium.

Artists interested should note that the workshop will be held on 6th of June 2013 and one may call this number for further details +91 9849968797  or
email : iconartinfo@gmail.com for registration .

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

Review Indian Railways show, Milap show and more

REVIEW

When History Chugs in on the Rails of Memory: 160 years of Indian Railways

Locomotives have become museum pieces. Diesel engines are viewed with certain amount of curiosity. None even discerns a compartment from an electrical engine. The evolution of Railways has been curious and it does not seem to stop. JohnyML reviews a show that celebrates the 160 years of Indian Railways by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India at IGNCA, New Delhi. 

How do you imagine a train, which was called a locomotive once upon a time and by now with several names including tube and metro? Does it chug into your memory with its hissing sound or does it terrify you with it ferocious thumping of diesel power, or does it run into your impatient waiting with that electrified silence that makes you think about the taste of those invisible wheels? Trains have been running along the length and breadth of this country for the last one hundred and sixty years. On 16^th April 1853, when a locomotive chugged its way from Boribunder to Thane in Bombay with four hundred people on board it not only inscribed a new chapter of modernity in the Indian subcontinent’s history but also paved the way for India’s revolution to freedom. Had it not been the Indian Railways, the message of national freedom would not have reached the remote corners of this country. Mahatma Gandhi despised modern developments but he used both railway and telegraph, two modern innovations to the hilt.

Locomotives have become museum pieces. Diesel engines are viewed with certain amount of curiosity. None even discerns a compartment from an electrical engine. The evolution of Railways has been curious and it does not seem to stop. The Ministry of Railways has organized a show in New Delhi’s IGNCA in order to commemorate 160 years of Indian Railways. In a way, this is an album show; the pictures presented in the show are culled from the Railways’ archives. The curatorial team has not tried to create a chronological history of the evolution of Indian Railways, instead through an intelligent selection of visuals it has tried its best to showcase the progress that the Indian Railways has achieved so far. The thematic could be discerned as the following: Evolution of Engines, Progress in proliferating the reach of railways, Different kinds of coaches, Goods Trains, Relationship between people and Railways, Railway station architecture, Famous personalities who have used railways for right and wrong purposes, Making of Bridges, Making of Tunnels and Different kinds of Waiting Rooms. The exhibition is annotated with a presentation of actual paraphernalia of railway office implements.

While a railway museum gives you the hands on experience, this show leaves a lot for imagination. When one sees a pair of elephants pushing an odd goods wagon to its platform and reads the note that elephants were used in some yards for pushing purpose, one could accept the whole scenario with a sympathetic smile. The possibility of constant comparisons in terms of experience, cultural memory and the contemporary reality/experience provided by Indian Railways while looking at these pictures generates not only wonderment but also a sense of humility. Critical contrasts that the viewers produce in the act of viewing tell us how this establishment was much revered once upon a time. Even the third class waiting rooms look so clean and majestic; and one could not help thinking of the sad dilapidated and stinking conditions of the waiting rooms today, in the times of technological revolutions. 

The luminaries’ section does impress the viewer as one sees an arrested Bhagat Singh in shackles taking rest in a Railway property with a police constable on guard, as one witnesses Gandhiji greeting people from doors and windows of railway coaches, Rabindranath Tagore majestically and poetically sitting inside a compartment, and three generations of Nehru family descending from a compartment. The making of tunnels and bridges and their documentary and visual evidences presented in the exhibition make an Indian proud. Those who have seen the state of the art machines and drills (at least in pictures) making tunnels under a thriving city to pave lines for metro/tube trains, the pictures of rudimentary machines making tunnels that have become historical ones in the modern history of surface transportation in India will definitely make one salute the planners, engineers and workers of those times. The show could have been one of the crowd pullers but unfortunately, as it happens generally with the Government organized shows, the announcement came much late in the newspapers, to be precise, on the closing day of the exhibition. The result, there have been a lot of visitors on a sultry Sunday noon. If this exhibition travels to other cities, it would be a great visual treat for all via history. 

NEWS

Milap - Embrace of Two Cultures

(A sculpture 'Awakening' by Pankaj Guru)

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi and the High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago jointly present works of a group of artists from both the countries in a show called ‘Milap - The Embrace’. The show displays paintings, sculptures and music by participating artists like, Pankaj Guru, B K Dutta, Anita Chandradath Singh and Tessa Alexander. 

The art and music is a medium to bring together not just artistic talent and certain individuals, but entire cultures of the countries together.  The show also is a statement about tolerance and acceptance of each other’s faith and religions. Milap, dissolves the geographical distances between the two countries and is a big leap in building long lasting and enriching ties between the two countries through art and culture.

The artist aim to exhibit their art works as a behavioral overview of mankind, throught heir respective countries, for example, B K Dutta’s sculpture of Dr Rajendra Prasad’s image in 1961 and Tessa Alexander’s unique portrayal of the two islands, Trinidad and tobago and their various aspects through her works.

The show 'Milap' is on view till the 5th of June 2013 at Azad Bhavan, New Delhi.



Alter Bodies and the Sacred Feminine

(A painting by Sajitha Shankar)

Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum, hosts a solo show of recent paintings by artist Sajitha Shankar,  titled, ‘Alter Bodies’. The show is a gradual evolution of the artist’s works over a period of time. 

Sajitha’s works address the issues of patriarchal values which have dominated society and her struggle and questioning of such values. Her works are mostly oil on canvas and mixed media. The works are primarily figurative in style and show various facets of the protagonists, mainly women, and how the faces and bodies in the paintings metamorphose into various playful and sometimes heart wrenching possibilities of expressions.  The biological body gets affirmed and even elevated with the depictions of organs of importance, and the significance of the sacred feminine is employed in terms of the earth, nature and creativity itself.

The show commences on the 6th of June 2013 and will be on view till the 20th of June 2013. This show is being inaugurated by Dr Shashi Tharoor, Hon. Minister for Human Resource Development, Government of India at 5 :00 pm at the Art gallery , Alliance Francaise, Trivandrum.

A Point & Line to Plane - IX Edition

(A painting by Shiladitya Sarkar on display)

Gallery Beyond, Mumbai presents its summer group show of artists from all over the country. The show titled, ‘A Point & Line to Plane IX’ is the gallery’s ninth curated edition to promote some upcoming names along with some eminent artists in a joint display.

Some of the iconic names participating in the show are Prabhaker Kolte, Antonio, S H Raza along with Ganesh Gohain, Mahesh Jagtap, Ketaki Pimpalkhare, Pavan Kumar, Dev, Shrikant Kadam, Ratna Gupta. Some of the other younger artists are Sunil Gawde, Brinda Miller, Kahini Arte Merchant, Vanita Gupta, Ravi Mandlik, Puneet Kaushik, Shiladitya Sarkar.

Abstract Expressionism is what binds these artists with a common thread and the show describes sutbly how after several attempts at defining abstract expressionism, the general perception has come to rest as an art-form which has refused artistic manifestoes, aesthetic theories, political dogmas and even the past of modern art.

The show is on view till the 23rd of June 2013.

Dreams and Delusions of Supam Adhikary

(A painting by Supam Adhikary)

Aakriti Art gallery, Kolkata presents a solo show of new works by artist Supam Adhikary, titled, ‘ Dreams and Delusions’. The show commences today, 3rd June 2013 and is on view till the 29th ofJune 2013.

Supam is and Indian Society of Oriental Arts graduate, Kolkata. Surrealism dominates his canvases and palette is usually that of a realistic painter. This combination brings in various nuances which could go unnoticed in normal artworks. the magical landscapes in his works are his influences as a student by masters of art.

All of his works in the exhibition focus on human destiny, the lives of human beings and  the intricate intermingling of destinies.

His works are primarily rendered in oils on canvas. The show is on view at Aakriti art gallery, from 11 am to 7 pm till the 29th June 2013.

(News Reports by Sushma Sabnis)

Editorial, Nyela Saeed, Kynkyny Workshops and more

EDITORIAL 

A Means Against Forgetting

Today the Art Daily completes one month. When we go into the second month, I feel the urgency to review TAD’s relevance in our contemporary art scene. On 1^st May, when TAD went online most of the people in our art scene approached it with a sense of scepticism. Not too many things were happening in the art scene due to the ongoing economic recession in the art market. In such a scenario what could be the relevance of an online platform that informs people of the art events; the doubt lingered on. But soon the readers realized that relevance of such a publication is a self generated phenomenon. It depends on the focus of the daily updates. TAD has been successful because of its focus; it updates art events, shares news and links and above all it debates some vital issues pertaining to our art scene.

Recognition is one thing that any young artist craves for. Perhaps, the established artists do not care much about critical recognition. But for a young artist, when a critic writes about his or her works, whether it leans towards scathing criticism or unbridled praising, it comes as a boon. His/her works are suddenly noticed; some sort of familiarity is created. As it is an online platform, whatever is posted here remains and whoever searches for information regarding a particular artist the TAD writings come up. This becomes a primary research material for many. As far as the writers are concerned most often they complain that there are not enough publications to present their writings. But I have complete faith in online platforms. If you are a writer and want to share the ideas, and above all if you are passionate about your practice, in our times you need not wait for a print magazine. As an editor I am happy that a few new writers are emerging through TAD.

The relevance of TAD has to be assessed in comparison with other art journals in print also. We have Art India Magazine, Art and Deal and Take on Art as prominent ones. The periodicity of both Art India Magazine and Take on Art has gone out of sync ever since the market took a downward slide. Art and Deal is the only magazine that sticks to its periodicity. And I am happy that Art and Deal finds TAD’s editorial content important and invites contributions from our writers. Such collaborations in art criticism and writing would make a healthy scenario and I am sure more writers would come forward to write for TAD and other magazines including Art and Deal.

As the editor of TAD I believe in bold criticism. The series that I write here, ‘Are We Forgetting Our Young Artists?’ is with a particular intention. While it does not intend to create a sympathy wave for the artists, it does aim at making the galleries responsible towards their artists. It demands a restructuring of their promotional plans.

In many ways, TAD is like a registration of memories of art and its times. Forgetting kills things. TAD is a proud fight against forgetting and I am sure about victory. 

JohnyML

PROFILE

Confessions of a Prayer Mat -  Nyela Saeed

Be it a comforter, a blanket, a desperate prayer or the church bells ringing, the figurative and video works of artist Nyela Saeed all call out in unison to a higher force, a force of creative cognisance, where the lines between the corporeal and the ethereal blur and form a union in poetic abstraction, says Sushma Sabnis.

Mumbai based artist Nyela Saeed’s works are steeped in strong and poignant visuals. This J J School graduate displays a keen sense of understanding of that which is material and that which is spiritual. Here the spiritual is akin to the spirit of the artist unlike the term used loosely in reference to religious affiliations. Nyela is affected by the contradictions faced by an individual in societal systems, religion, politics, gender and how in turn it effects the internal dichotomies of the living. The artist looks at her own body as a repository of such contradictions over time and the incessant conditionings which shape every facet of life. 

As a breaking free of these contradictions, she uses her own body as an expression, as a tool and as a medium. Breaching the lines between the artist and the art work, Nyela performs on the canvas or in her case, prayer mats, in actions and acts which question and seek the  answers of bodily desires that are subjected to strict doctrines of society, etiquette and social behaviour. The range of rational acts, which eventually metamorphose into social and cultural commitments is what she tries to unearth through her performance on these prayer mats.

(The work 'Security Blanket' by Nyela Saeed)

Titled ‘Security Blanket’ the series is rendered on a velvet mat and acrylic on canvas, the artist herself dips into paint and performs on the mat. The forms that are left behind on the mat are like prayers left at the door steps of heaven, awaiting validation and attention. Each mat has a different kind of form that emerges from it after every performance, emulating the movements and leaving memories in the mat as if it were an object akin to a sponge which absorbs the essence of the performer and internalizes it, or like a viewer.

When the viewer sees these odd shaped almost erotically suggestive forms, one is left with an anticipation of the possible performed act, at once bringing a future and a past into the present, thus blurring the essence of time itself.

(A still from the video 'Confessions')

Nyela also works in various other mediums like video art and poetry. Her video works and performances titled, ‘Le Printemps’ and ‘Confessions’, have her enacting and recording her own self with voiceovers and poetry along with the visuals. Le Printemps is about the spring, and birth of new life in a possibly cold climate and on rock surfaces, how life flourishes. The artist touches leaves and plants, in a way that she probably is trying to recollect a lost memory, she picks up old leaves and dead flora as a metaphor for the time passed by. The video ‘Confessions’ is shot inside a church/ chapel, and is a quiet one sided conversation between the artist and the society imposed higher power, God. She ‘affirms’ to not believing in the concept of God or religion or sin or heaven or hell. She affirms her own mortal, human and fragile existence and asks the ‘God’ to let her go from the very concept of belief. Nyela, ironically calls the video work, ‘Confessions’ 

Having participated in several group shows and solo shows, and with several residency programs in the country and abroad, Nyela Saeed promises to be far from the ‘escapist’ she calls herself in the video. This artist has an artistic language which addresses the contrasts and conflicts of faith and lack of it, the burden of faith and freedom from it with a voice completely her own, human and audible enough for a long time to come.

Nyela Saeed lives and works in Mumbai.

NEWS

Artful Thinking Workshop at Kynkyny

Kynkyny Art Gallery, Bangalore presents three unique workshops this summer focused on demystifying Indian contemporary art and contextualising it to everyday experience. The ‘Artful Thinking’ workshops have been specially designed by art curator and art consultant, Lina Vincent Sunish and also will be conducted by her, with the aim to question, explore and understand contemporary art.

The sessions are as follows:

1: ‘The Visual World and Our Responses’  to be held on the 8th of June 2013  from 11am to 12 30 pm, dealing with the aesthetics and art we come across in everyday lives, how visual symbols form a necessary mode of communication and information.

2: ‘Understanding Mediums’ to be held on 15th of June from 11 am to 12 30 pm, offers a glimpse into the tools of art making. Painting, sculpture, and printmaking and the diversifications from there on to experimental mediums and contemporary and public art.

3: ‘The Artist’ Process’ to be held on 22nd june 2013, from 11 am to 12 30 pm, is the final session which focuses on specific art making processes and traces the path of a concept to the stage of its display at a gallery. This session has documentaries on artists’ art practices and discussion rounds.

The workshop size is limited to ten participants and for any further details contact by the email id : contact@kynkyny.com or call on +91 80 4092 6202.

Switzerland of India at 1Shanthi Road

Photographer Christine Rogers has been living in India for the past seven months on a Fullbright Scholarship. Her visits to Northern parts of the country, from Darjeeling to Dalhousie and all the places in between have given rise to a body of work which is a unique perspective of an outsider’s view of the insiders.

She tells a story of love, separation, marriages, honeymoons, Bollywood industry, mountains, travel, landslides, magic, snow and forest fires at the threshold of the Indian tourism industry. Her perspectives are vary from the locals or the middle class Indian’s view of their own country’s simplistic beauty.

Christine Rogers is an artist from Nashville, Tennessee. She received her BA in Anthropology from Oberlin College in 2004 and my MFA in Studio Art from Tufts University in 2008.  Her show at 1.Shanhti Road,  will be the first show in India.

The works will be on view from the 1st of June 2013 to the 5th of June 2013 in the show titled, ‘The Switzerland of India’ at 1 Shanthi Road Gallery, Bangalore.

Pundole as Sovereign in Dubai

(Dadiba Pundole of  Pundole/ Sovereign at Dubai)

Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai is to inaugurate their newly acquired gallery space in Dubai, the Sovereign. The decision to branch out was a curatorial one, by the owner of the gallery, Dadiba Pundole. Set up by his father, Kali Pundole, the gallery has been a pivotal platform for young and upcoming Indian artists, in an era when Indian art was still in its nascent stages in the global art scene. Pundole  Art Gallery was associated with the Progressive Artists Group (PAG) set up by artist F N Souza in 1947 and later dissolved in 1956. 

Reviving memories from this relatively short era of absolute creativity seen in the Indian art scene, the launch of the Sovereign, Dubai will see the presentation of a show of art works of some of the well known names from the Progressive Artists Group and the show will work as a tribute to the masters who put Indian art on the global map.

(M F Hussain's 'Horses' at the show at Sovereign)

The exhibition will see six works from well known masters like S H Raza, M F Hussain, V S Gaitonde, Ram Kumar, Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee. The decision to keep the display to a limited six pieces was entirely made by the curator, Dadiba Pundole, with the sole intent of drawing the serious interest of the art viewers and the art collectors alike in the UAE. The works have been priced between $3,50,000 to $2.7 million, and the numbers are merely  a small price to pay for the artistic excellence of these masters of Indian contemporary art.

Sovereign art gallery also plans to build bridges with the middle east and introduce Indian art to the UAE, along with showcasing their artists in India. With a positive outlook on a more globally sensitive note, Pundole art gallery once again acts as a catalyst and promoter of Indian art in India and abroad.

The show ‘ Pioneers of Indian Modernism’ will be on view till the 30th of June 2013.

(news reports by Sushma Sabnis)