Of speed and landscapes, Bikaner school miniatures show and more..

NEWS

Of Speed and Landscapes

(Work on display)

Kamalnayan Bajaj art gallery, Mumbai presents an exhibition of art works made in charcoal. The show displays works by upcoming artist Joydeb Mondal. The exhibition displays some of the charcoal on paper works of the artist.

Speed and momentum in urban and rural spaces are the focus of the works. Moving horse driven carriages in rustic village settings can be seen in the paintings. Old Kolkata can be seen reflected in his charcoal works.

The show is on view till 28th December 2013.

Printmaking show at Lalit Kala Akademi

Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi presents a solo show of print works. The show displays the prints  works made by eminent artist and printmaker Raymond Pereira. 

This Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan educated Goan artist and print maker has been teaching print making in the Faculty of Fine arts, Kalabhavana.

The show is on view till 26th December 2013.

Bikaner School Miniatures

Arts of the Earth Gallery, New Delhi, presents a show of art works made in the Bikaner school miniatures style. The works are rendered in vibrant, and delicate colours and fine renditions of everyday lives of people taken form mythological and historical subjects.

The artists who have participated in the show are Raju Swami and Mukesh Swami.

The show is on till 11th January 2014.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

“I hope to bring Ark Nova to India”

Sculptor Anish Kapoor tells us about how he realised he too had a voice.

Artist Anish Kapoor

We give him the Padma Bhushan, Britain honours him with a knighthood. Even as India and Britain continue to claim the iconic sculptor Anish Kapoor as their own, the Turner-prize winning artist goes on creating some of the most powerful public sculptures, carrying out great experiments with form and scale.

In between his panel discussion at the NDTV Solutions Summit and the channel’s 25 Greatest Global Indian Legends awards function held recently in the city — he was one of the recipients — the artist squeezed in a quick chat with us about his relationship with India, Article 377 and Ark Nova.

You had your first exhibition in India at the National Gallery of Modern Art in 2010. Did it mark the beginning of an engaged relationship with the country?

I have always had an engaged relationship with India. It (the exhibition) was very, very expensive. It was difficult to do, so we did this one with the help of the British Council. It wasn’t in a way something we had to pay for, British Council had to pay to bring it to India. It wasn’t just done here. The point we (the panelists with him at the NDTV Solutions Summit) have been raising about how there is so little support for this kind of endeavour. It’s sad but I also agree with what Zubin Mehta was saying there about huge wealth of creativity here. Our problem always is that we know it and I think it’s time that we didn’t ignore it. It’s full of energy and power.

Artist Anish Kapoor

How are Indian artists looked at in the West?

I think we have to be very aware of, as I was saying earlier also, what we are and what our endeavour is to be artist. That we are Indian is almost incidental. We are not to prove our Indianness. It’s nobody’s business. We have to go forward with lot of confidence. For an artist, it (to be seen in the confines of nationality) limits the possibilities.

You made a Gangnam style video in support of Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei. What made you take such a stand?

I think it is really important. What I did was to make a decision that I was going to do something in relation to Ai Wei Wei for Ai Wei Wei, and I have never met Ai Wei Wei by the way. You never do these things selflessly. They are always selfish. While doing that somewhere I realised that I have a voice. It’s possible to have a voice. And you can then discover that there are things to talk about, like the current issue of Supreme Court judgement in regards to Article 377. I think, it’s just extraordinary, this backward step. It’s colonial, worse than medieval. It’s as if we have to define ourselves as some kind of Victorian society. It’s the way things are. I think every one of us has the right and the duty to speak about these things. Voting once every five years is not any kind of democratic process. It’s only the period in between that gives us a voice.

‘Ark Nova’, the world’s first inflatable concert hall that you have done in collaboration with Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, is a fine example of sustainable design. Do you think a concept like that could be replicated here? And are you working on any projects in India?

Yes, I just did the orchestra hall in Ark Nova in Japan. We are hoping to bring it to India. I have some Ideas. I am trying to get something similar here may be with Zubin. About other projects, I am open to possibilities. There was some talk about doing something in Dandi, the end of Mahatma Gandhi’s salt march. But that hasn’t come through.

(Interview by Shailaja Tripathi for The Hindu)

What a wonderful world, Symphonic Convergence and more..

NEWS

What a Wonderful World

(Work on display)

Hirji Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai presents a show titled ‘What a Wonderful World’ a solo show by Bharati Pitre.  Simple things from daily life catch the artist’s attention. Her art is a platform to express creativity without borders. It is an initiative where her world of art and inspiration integrate to create whimsical works of abstractions. 

Everyday life that stands out for its ordinariness cajoles her into metamorphosing it into extra-ordinariness. She is intrigued by people; their expressions, their body language et al. her images therefore are bound to evoke memories mixed with stories. She believes that everything you see around has a story to narrate, and that is exactly what she has tried to do in her work. It is a tribute to the wonderful life that we see around us, the beauty of which we choose to ignore. She has tried to find the beauty in those very intimate moments that people tend to share, whether it be the mother and the school going kid, the old couple that is holding on to each other in the fragile phase of their life, the newlyweds who are yet to explore or the solitary moment shared with a mere cup of tea. 

The show is on view from 25th to 31st December 2013.

A Journey to the Source

( Work on display)

The Promenade Lounge, Kolkata presents a solo show of upcoming artists Sunanda Chakraborty.  Titled, ‘A journey to the source’ the works on display portray the inner mind workings of this artist. The works are rendered in acrylics on canvas and are vibrant in colour and form.

The show is on view till  22nd December 2013.

Symphonic Convergence

Muse Art Gallery, Hyderabad presents a show titled ‘Symphonic Convergence’. The show is a beautiful medley of art forms from across the city. Upcoming and eminent artists works have been displayed at the show. This is an end-of-year celebration of talent and art in Hyderabad. They are gathering various masters of different arts and crafts and presenting their work under one prestigious roof.

The participating artists are Pranati Khanna - New Media Art, Sarosh Master - Decoupage Craft, Salman Mohsin - Live Painting, Nirbhay Kuppu - Photography, Live Music by 'Shakwaves', Live music by 'Casey and The Coffeebean'. 

The show is on view till 31st December 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Of war and peace

Paresh Hazra reflects on the two cyclical extremes of peace and violence in his latest series The Apple and The Lotus

( Work on display)

The half-eaten golden apple with hints of black looks tainted, almost evil. It hangs off a grey branch with ashen leaves in a grim, dark landscape. The only other spot of colour, in the strips of little gold orbs, appear like spotlights even as the figure of the woman, painted nude with her back to the canvas, comes into the limelight unwillingly. The marks on the bare back of the woman, are evidence of the negativity violently unleashed.

The background is a thicket of black. This is one part of the latest series of paintings by Paresh Hazra, “The Apple And The Lotus” on view at Gallery Time and Space.

“The series is a commentary, in a small way, on woman’s issues. They’re insecure for the sake of their bodies, and by the attractions of man. That is what the apple represents, the mindset of man today,” says Hazra.

“But how long will the anger and violence go on? At some point there has to be peace.” And that is what the lotus series represents.

This series features serene human figures, often in loving companionship with another indicated through their gestures.

The human figures, with their bright skin and vibrant attire, are painted in his trademark style. Abstract motifs, often defined by zig-zagging lines fill the spaces around them. And the lotus, with its bleached tips against deep green stems represents serenity and peace, according to Hazra.

“There are lots of lotus ponds in Shantiniketan and I also keep a lotus pond in my house. I borrow from reality and I use my own imagination to paint. And my paintings are an experience, to be seen and felt, they don’t really have a story.”

The canvases, rendered uncommonly in old egg tempera, are rich and layered in their colours, textures and layers. And the backgrounds with their resonant metallic tones are filled with Hazra’s lyrical imagination and craftsmanship.

“The Apple And The Lotus” will be on view until December 30 at Gallery Time and Space, 55, Lavelle Road. For details, contact 22124117.

(Report by Harshini Vakkalanka for The Hindu)

Mythologies, Filmy Jagat, Art Jamboree 2013 and more..

NEWS

Mythologies

Galerie 88, Kolkata presents on the occasion of it’s 25th anniversary, a show titled ‘Mythologies’ art by KG Subramanyan, an artist whose perspectives on art and life carry resonances of an early engagement with the nationalist movement in which Gandhi and Tagore loomed large. 

Being associated with the Handloom Board and the World Craft Council he has had a seminal influence on the art and design practice of the last fifty years. Galerie 88 is happy and privileged to present his recent works to mark the 25th anniversary of its presence in Kolkata.

The show is on till 31st December 2013.

Filmy Jagat

( work on display)

Art Heritage Gallery, New Delhi presents ‘Filmy Jagat’ a show of contemporary art work inspired by Bollywood put together by nine contemporary artists A Cinema Archive curated by Rahaab Allana.

The exhibition brings artwork like Photographic portfolio–Culture of the Street, Acrylic on canvas, mixed media, digital print, oil on canvas and installation, ceramics, photographs and serigraphy on paper, digital art and mixed media and Digital art on canvas and paper.

One can see M F Husain’s photographic portfolio – ‘culture of the street’, Arpana Caur -acrylic on canvas, Anchan Chander-mixed media, Bharti Verma’s digital print and oil on canvas and installation, Rahul Kumar’s ceramics, Shirley Bhatnagar’s ceramics, Aaban Raza’s photographs and serigraphy on paper, Rajiv Gautam’s digital art and mixed media and Sharmistha Dutta’s digital art on canvas and paper.

The show commences on 22nd December and is on view till 21st January 2014.

1 x1 of a kind

(work by Anila Jacob)

Forum art gallery, Chennai presents a unique show ‘1x1 of A Kind’ a group exhibition of paintings and sculptures by various artists in a small format. 

Some of the participating names include A. Selvaraj, Akkitham Narayanan, Anila Jacob, B.O. Shailesh, C.Douglas, D.Venkatapathy, G.Latha, K.P. Nagarajan and many more.

The works display an array of techniques and sift through a variety of topics form urban to rural experiences.

The show is on view till 18th January 2014.

Art Jamboree 2013

( work on display)

Daira Centre for Arts and Culture, Hyderabad is organising ABSOLUT Art Jamboree 2013: Where Art meets Function. 

The exhibit will show eighty participating artists and their delightful objects that brought a smile on the faces of every visitor.

Thota Vaikuntam’s limited edition sarees, Rajeshwara Rao’s magical Polish massage box, Fawad Tamkanat’s jewellery, Jaya Baheti’s hand painted stoles, Laxman Aelay’s painted wooden disc and notebooks, Chippa Sudhakar’s miniature screens, Sajid Bin Amar’s meticulous diary and portfolios, Srinivasa Chary’s costers, Thota Laxminarayan’s paper mache dog, Priti Samyukta’s quirky hand painted boxes, Gouri Vemula’s wooden carved mirrors, Sreekant Kurva’s wooden goat and bull, Pramod Ram Reddy’s canvas masks, Raghu’s table top planter’s, Malthi’s clock and tables created out of junk and many more objects were a delight to every eye.

The show is on view till 31st December 2013.

( News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Crash course

The works of Haroon Khimani, on display in the city, is a commentary on the chaos and aftermath of disasters

( Inspired by nature)

Artist Haroon Khimani’s work, currently on display at Artworld, Sarala’s Art Centre, speaks the language of today, with a strong sense of social commitment. His art is a commentary on the chaos and aftermath of disasters, both in Nature and in the urban, concrete jungle. The artist, who works on collages with acrylic colours mostly, creates an array of imagery that offers a peek into scenes after a ‘crash’ has occurred.

A sense of loss 

( Work on display)

The paintings all have interesting names. Sample these — Like A House Of Cards, Fury Of Nature, Aftermath The Wreckage, The Landslide Destroyed Homes, Pile Them High… And in them, pictures come together with the artist’s imagination, and the interplay of the two produces a rich repertoire of paintings detailing a sense of loss. In the painting Main Entrance, the title of the work is actually part of the canvas. Another work, Tree Shadowed Moon, featuring a moonlit tree with a halo of sorts is a striking image of calm amid the other works surrounding it that invoke a sense of catastrophe.

“There is an ethical side to Nature that borders between being and nothingness. That inspires me the most. Creating a super sensual experience on canvas is an intense personal experience, but it has its parallel in higher nature. This comes close to being spiritual and is complete yet incomplete, and to see this duality as one requires a vision of self-fulfilment. My vision takes me beyond the three-dimensional world. It is like sympathetic magic, which I translate into colourful tapestry on my canvas,” Haroon says of his work.

The artist is a graduate in painting and has also worked as a designer in the handloom sector in South India with the Government of India and later started his own business of designer textiles. The year 2005 marked Haroon’s return to the world of art from that of textiles.

The exhibition is on till December 23 at Artworld, Sarala’s Art Centre.

(Report by Lakshmi Krupa for The Hindu)

Biography: Perspective on Plurality, Cat-Walk Blue Moon and more..

NEWS

Biography: Perspective on Plurality

(Work on display)

Creativity Art Gallery, New Delhi, presents a group show of eminent contemporary artists of the country. Titled ‘Biography: Perspective on Plurality’, the show uses biography as a concept where versatility and confrontations of art form will be celebrated on the same arena. 

The aim behind this combination is to underline the fact which essentially deals with their conscious. They live in a state where things require our extra efforts to get solved or sorted. They always look for a moment of leisure and relate themselves to the school or college days. 
The concept of Biography is just to frame out the time for their own and trace out the multiple perspectives in single glance. An evening with unique colors and creativity will be adorned with enthusiasm and journey of 40 artists. The show is conceptualized to put forward the best senior contemporary artists from India such as Farhad Hussain, George Martin, Murlai Cheeroth, T.M. Aziz, Jagdish Chinthala and Chandra Bhattacharya etc. Participating artists are Anwar Khan, Aditee Garg, Binoy Verghese, Birendra Pani, Babu Xavier, Chandra Bhattacharjee, Babita Kanda, George Martin PJ, Gopal Samantray, Ratilal Kansodariya, Sailesh Mohan Ojha and others.

The show is on view till 9th January 2013.

Sensorial Perspective

( Work on display)

Third Eye - Indian Art Gallery, Bangalore presents the two person show titled 'Sensorial Perspective'. The participating artists are Sunil Jadhav and Pooja Gokul. 

Focusing on Indian contemporary art, the artists  have displayed works adhering to the Indian sensibilities with a global appeal. Be it abstractions or figurative work in oil and acrylics on canvas or charcoal and pencil works on paper, the show displays vibrancy and sensitivity of styles and imaginations.
The works intend to portray peace and solace to the viewer by the upcoming artists from the field today.

The show is on view till 31st December 2013.

Cat-Walk Blue Moon

( Work by Arpana Caur)

Sanchit Art Gallery, New Delhi presents a group show of artworks by eminent contemporary artists of the country today. The show is titled, ‘Cat-Walk Blue Moon’ and displays some exquisite works of art in various styles of figuration and abstraction.

The participating artists are Thota Vaikuntam, Arpana Caur and Neeraj Goswami. 
Each artist brings their own distinctive style to the canvas, ensuring the variety and depth to the display.

The show is curated by Arun Ghose and will be on view till 19th January 2014.

Guage The Gaze

( work on display)

Gallery Pioneer presents the evocative works of artists Vikash Kalra as part of their display at the India Art Festival 2013 to be held at Nehru Center, Mumbai.
An energetic, passionate, self taught contemporary artist who entered the creative world for his love of art, he will exhibit his paintings on oil canvas for the first time in Mumbai.

His work titled ‘Guage the gaze’ which is a solo exhibition put up by the artist will showcase a collection of 30 oil paintings, 15 sculptures and drawings. Marked by a bold use of colours, Kalra’s art is all about expressing the self by painting imaginary forms, landscapes and faces. The artist’s work is a reflection of the hidden, darker and animalistic side of human beings.

The show is on view from 19th December to 22nd December 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

The dance of light

Step behind Janardhan Korremulla’s camera to see images of the Kumbh Mela transform into pieces of art

(Janardhan Korremulla. Photo: K. Ramesh Babu)

Janardhan Korremulla travelled to Haridwar two years, capturing moods, moments, people and the energy of the Kumbh Mela. The Mela has, with time, become a must-visit for both professional and amateur photographers. Despite the innumerable photography workshops with its focus on Kumbh, photographers never seem to tire of training their lenses on the Mela.

With his group of friends, Janardhan was also at the Kumbh Mela, documenting the ‘Ganga aarti’ and soaking in the uplifting energy of the event. The advantage of shooting from a high vantage point made him notice the play of light on the water.

(Janardhan has extensively documented dance and theatre in Hyderabad, since the early 80s.)

The twilight hour guaranteed great photographs and videos, but there was something about the water that made him stay on, much after the devotees had left. He trained his focused eye on the water around 9-9.30p.m. and observed the patterns created by the changing lights. “The energy from people, the force with which the water flows and the dance of light have to be experienced,” he says, as he shows us the photographs that are now part of ‘Energy in motion – water’ exhibition at Goethe Zentrum.

(The advantage of shooting from a high vantage point made him notice the play of light on the water.)

Janardhan extended his stay in Haridwar by three days and went back to the water each night. “I was capturing both water and the light bouncing off it. I wanted to photograph the flow of water and yet arrest it for the right duration thereby showing the activity on the surface. The ‘aarti’ area is lit up in colourful lights and that created magic on the water surface. I used to look into the lens for a long time and the moment I felt there was something worth capturing, I would click,” he explains.

(Janardhan’s commercial body of work is largely industrial and advertising photography.)

The images captured by Janardhan have a surreal, painting-like quality to them as colours merge to create tonal gradations that added to the beauty of the images. The artistic quality of images is a result of his work that spans three decades. He pins it down to understanding the basics of photography — shutter speed, aperture and ISO — and having a fair knowledge of post processing the images. “Many masters of photography believed that capturing an image was only 50 per cent of the job and the rest of it happened in the dark room, which many photographers don’t give importance to. The dark room is where one controlled the tonal values. Now, in digital age, one has to post process images irrespective of which software is put to use. Post processing can make a good picture better, a better image fine and a fine image a piece of art,” he asserts. Janardhan sights the example of Ansal Adams who believed in capturing images based on his post-processing technique. “I learnt by observing the work of several masters,” he says, also mentioning Henri Cartier-Bresson’s travel and street photography using a single camera and a normal lens.

(The images captured by Janardhan have a surreal, painting-like quality to them as colours merge to create tonal gradations that added to the beauty of the images.)

Janardhan’s commercial body of work is largely industrial and advertising photography. He’s also extensively documented dance and theatre in Hyderabad, since the early 80s. “I studied Maths, Physics and Chemistry in graduation and used to be good in these subjects, particularly the chapter on light. Even today, I tell aspiring photographers to get a basic knowledge of physics. Photography is putting your knowledge of physics, mathematics and chemistry to use within a split second to capture the right image,” he says. Janardhan went on to enroll in an engineering course, only to realise his passion was photography.

('Photography is putting your knowledge of physics, mathematics and chemistry to use within a split second to capture the right image.'')

Financial constraints came in the way of pursuing a full-fledged course in photography, then available only in JJ College of Arts, Mumbai. He remembers his first assignment, to cover a high-profile wedding. “I had just returned after purchasing a video camera and a VCR from Chennai and had to shoot within a couple of hours,” he smiles. One of his first few assignments fetched him Rs. 500, a princely sum in the early 80s.

Unlike now when photography courses are aplenty offline and online, he recalls having to rely on foreign publications available at India Book House for a few dollars or International Return Coupons (IRC). “If we booked a magazine, it would reach us six weeks later.”

(The advantage of shooting from a high vantage point made him notice the play of light on the water)

As he moved into industrial and product photography, he learnt by observing masters like the late Wilas Bhende. “I had attended a workshop held to celebrate 25 years of his Sinar equipment. He was the first to procure the camera in India and was instrumental in having the only Sinar diploma course in the country. Inspired by him, I wanted to buy a Sinar,” he says. This called for investment to the tune of Rs. 25-26 lakh. Janardhan found himself working and saving for over 10 years before he could realise his dream. “I was the first to get a Sinar digital in Andhra Pradesh,” he beams.

Looking back, Janardhan is glad his parents let him pursue his passion and feels youngsters should be allowed to have a ‘plan B’ instead of solely focusing on academics.

Artistry behind the lens

(Janardhan was at the Kumbh Mela, documenting the ‘Ganga aarti’ and soaking in the uplifting energy of the event.)

Janardhan is widely known in the performing arts and theatre circle in the city, especially among dancers like Ananda Shankar, Rajeswari Sainath, Mangala Bhatt and Sobha Naidu. He closely worked with them, capturing their every move for years at events held in Ravindra Bharati and those hosted by South Indian Cultural Association (SICA), Kalasagaram and others. “I photographed theatre and dance for passion, and it was an expensive thing to do in the 80s. From buying a film to printing the images, I would incur an expenditure of Rs. 400 to 1000 for a day,” he shares. His images of dance, besides capturing expressions and postures, are about waiting for the right moment to capture the dancer’s body language and moments that others would miss.

(Report by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo for The Hindu)

Architectural Art, Winter Oeuvre, Art of her world and more..

NEWS

Architectural Art

( Work on display)

Jhaveri Contemporary Art Gallery, Mumbai presents the display of some of the most exclusive and unique art works by artist Seher Shah. The artist works with drawings, sculpture and photographs with modernist projects ranging from housing projects to utopian city plans by breaking down their components.

The artist received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1998. The artist uses the basic elements of architecture such as the wall and grid. Her works examine the qualities of Brutalist architecture within the landscape. 

The show is on view from 18th December 2013 to 1st February 2014.

Art of her world

( work by Rashmi Khurana)

This year’s India Art Festival 2013, Mumbai will present the art works of Delhi based artist Rashmi Khurana. The solo exhibition will present a plethora of Rashmi’s abstract and semi- figurative works in various mediums. Exploring a multitude of styles in a fairly dynamic way, the artist brings forth a collection of her earlier and recent works on canvas.

Some art works appear to be nature abstracts and landscapes and other works seem to be depictions of the artist’s own lived experiences seeking a distinct soulful expression. Rashmi Khurana’s works can be viewed at the Booth No 76 of the Artists’ Pavilion on the 2nd Floor of Nehru Centre, where the Art Fair has been organized.

The show is on from 19th December to 22nd December 2013.

Artistic Sojourn

( Work on display)

Ayatana Art Gallery, Pune presents a solo of artist Dinkar Jadhav’s creative journey in an exhibition titled ‘Reflections’, which comprises pieces from his series, 'Retrospection' / 'Introspection', 'Bandwala' and 'Ashwa Chitramala'. 

The artworks in 'Retrospection' / 'Introspection' are created using a palette knife on canvas, and his paintings titled Mahal, Mandai, Wada and Visarjan are particularly impressive. On the other hand, paintings in the 'Bandwala' series depict lives of the bandwalas, musicians as the name suggests.

The display also includes pieces from his Ashwa Chitramala (The Horse Series), which brings to canvas equine magnificence and beauty. These are created deft brush strokes, to aptly depict the fluidity and grace of horses. 

The show is on view till 18th December 2013.

Winter Oeuvre at Birla Academy

( work by Ganesh Haloi)

Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata presents a show of paintings, sculptures and installations created by a number of eminent artists of Indian contemporary art world. 

Artists who will display their art works are Chaitali Chanda, Chhatrapati Dutta, Bimal Kundu, Chandan Roy, Tapas Sarkar, Dilip Chaudhury, Ganesh Haloi, Kazi Nasir, Sohan Jakhar, Shuvendu Sarkar, Shuvaprasanna, Srinivas Reddy, Surya Prakash, Surendra Pal Joshi and Yusuf Yusuf.

The show is on view till 21st December 2013.

(News Reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Art comes a full circle

Veteran S.H. Raza’s bindu accompanied by Ashok Vajpeyi’s Hindi verses acquires deeper meanings of life in his series ‘Shabd-bindu’

In a recent interview, S.H. Raza says that he metaphorically never left India. And that his work has always encompassed his roots, delved within it and found meanings and answers. ‘Shabd-bindu’, which exhibits recent works by S.H. Raza and poetry by Ashok Vajpeyi is full of such artistic journeys.

The canvasses call out to the passers-by, stop them in their tracks and envelop them in a range of intense emotions. And if the person is not fully encapsulated by the colours and the poignancy of Raza’s art, Ashok Vajpeyi’s poems that explain the art itself, drop the little pieces of the puzzle into place. Together, the words and the brushstrokes form an infinite song, much like the infinity of the bindu that recurs in Raza’s art.

S.H. Raza, a legendary artist who has been living and painting in Paris for 60 years returned to Delhi recently. A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Fellowship of Lalit Kala Akademi, Kalidas Samman and other awards, he excels in bringing together Hindi verses and his world of colours. Vajpeyi, on the other hand, is a renowned Hindi poet-critic and a close friend of Raza. He has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Puraskar, Kabir Samman and has been the trustee-secretary and chairman, Bharat Bhavan Bhopal and chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi. He is currently the executive trustee of Raza Foundation, Delhi.

‘Prarthana’ is a whole world in itself. Vajpeyi’s lines flow seamlessly, rendering the canvasses’ true meaning. It is a plea. A plea that the world is not just for one person. “How much do we need?” he argues passionately. The mini frames of Raza’s paintings reverberate with the intensity of his words. The painting is rich with dark colours, perhaps in anger and most of the bindus are black — denoting the path that we have taken. Vajpeyi talks about greed, and how it leads to destruction and the geometric patterns of Raza’s art point downwards, move in dark circles or are encased in a dark circle. And then, in the corners and in certain areas, there are bright colours, or white, and Vajpeyi submits that the world is there to share.

‘Uttarang’ has descending concentric triangles. And in the heart of it all, the bindhu is perched, pitch black and its blackness seeps into the triangle below. It talks of perspective. The more you grow, says Vajpeyi, the more you lose. You are at such a height (the bindu is right up) that you cannot bend down and touch the earth or even the food you eat. The colours are brighter as the painting ends and paler in the beginning.

The concentric circles in ‘Alingan’ glow with an almost ethereal quality. The leftover triangles on the side are coloured pastel green, yellow, red and blue, the colours of the elements. Vajpeyi talks about the circle of life, how every element is dependent on each other and how this has been the way of life for so many years. The circles each have two colours, yellow and grey or black and red or green and red — like they are interlinked and interdependent. In the end, as Vajpeyi says, it is an unending cycle.

It has been a hard life, full of trials for the boy who narrates the story to his mother. It is his journey through life that is ‘Kathin Dagar’. The landscape on canvas is intense, stroked with fiery red and deepened with black. It has many curves and dips and it looks like an arduous journey. The son explains to his mother about the things he goes through and how every time he is stuck, he remembers her sing ‘Raghupathi raghava raja ram…’ and it carries him through his ordeals.

‘Vriksha’ or tree is a depiction of life and realisations. Through Vajpeyi, the tree tells the world to stay rooted like itself. The earthen triangles move downwards towards the Earth as the bindu shines like a bright orange sun.

The show was held at Vivanta by Taj Connemara for three days and will be on display till December 20 at Ashvita, R.K. Salai, Mylapore.

(Report by Anusha Parthasarathy for The Hindu)

Bengal Masters' works,Symphony of Silence, Simply Suhas and more..

NEWS

Artworks of Bengal Masters

(work by Bikash Bhattacharjee)

Wonderwall, New Delhi, presents an exclusive show of artworks by some renowned Bengali artists. The show titled, ‘Bengal Masters’ is being presented in association with Gallery Sanskriti and has on display the works of artists Bikash Bhattacharjee, Ganesh Haloi, Jogen Chowdhury, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Paresh Maity, Paritosh Sen and Shuvaprasan.

Bikash Bhattacharjee depicted the life of the average middle-class Bengalis through his works. His paintings reflected their aspirations, superstitions, hypocrisy and corruption. Ganesh Haloi, a Kolkata based artist, was extremely influenced by Ajanta and his works are marked by lyricism. He has worked with a variety of mediums and often used dots, dashes and lines to represent trees, water and green fields. Jogen Chowdhury, another eminent painter, is a master of lines and curves. The curves of the figures he creates are often enough to convey what he wants to express about them. Lalu Prasad Shaw is an immensely gifted artist and print maker and is well known for his smooth synthesis of starkly different stylistic elements.

The show is on view till 31st December 2013.

A tryst with figuration

( work by Vijay Dupatre)

Artistree Art Gallery, Mumbai once again tries to invoke the essence of art even in a lay person with their new show of art works. The gallery presents an innovative art collection by a renowned artist from Maharashtra – Vijay Dupatre. The artist is a master at figurative art with one central figure occupying the entire canvas. the works are rendered in acrylic and oil on canvas.

The artist introduces delicate textures into his work that gives them a unique appeal. His preferred hues are bright reds, blacks and browns making his works vivid and dark at the same time.

The show is on view till 19th December 2013.

Symphony of Silence

(Work by Paresh Maity)

Art Musings gallery, Mumbai presents ‘Symphony Of Silence’, a solo art exhibition of artworks by artist, Paresh Maity. 

Through his collection, he explores different mediums and presents a strong character of his thoughts. His paintings and sculptures display a myriad of unusual shapes and forms. 

An alumnus of Fine Arts from the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata, he has more than 50 shows to his credit. 

The show will be on view from 18th December 2013 to 20th January 2014.

Simply Suhas

( work by Suhas Roy)

Open Palm Court Gallery, Delhi presents an exhibition - Simply Suhas. On the display will be the works by Suhas Roy, in memory of his only son, artist Suman Roy. 

Suhas Roy is one of the leading and the most persistent artists in the genre of modern art in India. His passion was first inclined to landscapes and later towards capturing the grace and glamour of Indian women. In his pictures, art lovers can see the original grace and charm. He uses materials like brush, charcoal and crayons fashion his artworks that are deeply soaked in the numinous zest.

The show is on view from 18th December to 24th December 2013.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Madhubani comes alive

Through her workshop, Ambika Devi propagates the tradition of Madhubani paintings

( Through her workshop Ambika Devi propagates the art of Madhubani)

There is a little bit of Mithila in every Madhubani painting, Ambika Devi a Madhubani artist says. The flora and fauna colour the paintings, literally. There is bark of mango trees and mehendi leaves in its browns, blues take their hues from berries, green from the leaves of the poya, red from the flowers, yellow from fresh raw turmeric, and black from a combination of soot collected from kerosene lamps, cowdung and gum (from trees). Cowdung mixed with neem juice and rice powder is used to ‘dye’ the paper, a few drops of water from the Ganga added to it for ‘purification’.

Then there is the spirit, the years of tradition handed down from mother to daughter. It is an heirloom bequeathed to the next generation in the villages that comprise Madhubani district in Bihar, the land of Madhubani paintings. It carries with it the fragrance of the soil of its birth; it’s a narrative women of Mithila proudly claim as theirs.

Ambika Devi from ‘one of the 10 villages that make Mithila’ has been a practitioner since she was 11 years old. She is at the RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Tripunithura, a part of a Spic-Macay initiative teaching or, as she sees it, familiarising students with the art form. Madhubani paintings bear the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

“I derive comfort from such sessions. Comfort because I am convinced Madhubani will survive time.”

Ambika has been associated with Spic-Macay for almost eight years now. She travels to various parts of the country teaching youngsters the art form.

For her Madhubani is an emotional bond with her ancestors and the land of her birth. A President’s Award winner, she learnt her painting from her mother, who is also a President’s Award winner, as did her mother from Ambika’s grandmother. “We don’t know when it began. We do know it has always been there as part of our collective unconscious.”

Young girls in these villages in Mithila are encouraged to learn drawing motifs – arpan – made out of powdered rice drawn for pujas. Her mother used to tell her to embrace Madhubani but she never took it up seriously, not until she was in her teens.

“I thought if I was married off to some other village I might not get a chance to pursue it.” But fate had other plans and she married into a family that lived ‘very close’ when she was 17. “My mother’s story was my mother-in-law’s…Madhubani painting. By then even my attitude was changing. It is an activity that brings all the women in a community together. A Madhubani painting is a must for our rituals. We have 12 pujas a year and for each there is different motif which we draw. Each has its own symbolism. Even marriage functions need these.”

She adds that there is no compulsion for women to pursue this tradition; two of her sisters don’t paint while she and another sister paint.

Kobad is painted on a wall in the room, in the bride’s house, where the newly married couple spends the first few days after the marriage. It has motifs such as bamboo, fish, elephant and the sun and the moon – each with its own significance.

And the groom takes sindoor for his bride wrapped in a painting of Dasavatar painted by his mother or womenfolk in his community. “While painting these we sing ditties about weddings and marriage. As long as these functions are there, we will always have work.”

Ambika lives in Delhi with her husband and two children. “But all the raw materials and my imagination are still rooted back home. And I get the colours from my village.” For the paintings she uses natural colours but for saris, dupattas and garments she uses fabric paint.

Aid from the government and handicrafts department has come a long way in making this work economically viable for women. It is more than economic freedom - “menfolk acknowledge our contribution; women who have been doing this have done much better than most highly educated men.”

She has taught her children, son and daughter, painting. “My daughter, who is in Class X, is good at it. This is something women can do better. I have done my bit by teaching her, now I hope she teaches her children in order to perpetuate the tradition.”

(Report by Shilpa Anand Nair for The Hindu)