Stories of Delhi,Tales of two cities, Jungle Me and more..

NEWS

Jungle Me

Come and experience the contemporary art exhibition, ‘Jungle Me’, a selection of latest Green Graffitis by French artist Jonathan Longuet at Niv Art Centre. 

Jonathan Longuet works with a living plant paint, Green Graffiti, and on the development of autonomous evolutive paintings. Green Graffiti’s are made from algae, harvested at buildings feet, cultivated and applied to a substrate, canvas or a wall. These paintings are like a plant, growing slowly over time depending on conservation’s conditions. This project invites the audience to rethink about their integration to an ecosystem of everyday.

For this series, Jonathan Longuet questioned the notion of the urban jungle, density, movement, with a focus on the people evolving in such environment, their relationship with that world which defines their identity. To conduct this project, he began a conversation with a person who deals everyday with these issues - Manou, street fashion photographer. This exchange of ideas transformed itself into collaboration. Manou photographed  people in  the street of  India and Jonathan proposed  a vegetal version  of  these  subjects - a  kind  of  inventory   of  originality,  difference,  and evolving identities.

Jungle Me will also feature images of Reverse Graffiti. These are small interventions in the street, they are draws written with water pressure on a wall covered of algae. The visuals can last several weeks or months on the wall, until the next rain. These have made using stencils in various locations in Neb Sarai and have been photographed.

The exhibition is on view till 20th April 2014.

Rustic Hues

(work on display)

Magnitude Gallery, Bangalore captures the various moods and beauty of countryside and presents, the theme ‘Rustic Hues’. After the astounding success of its previous themes this is sure to delight the art lovers of Bengaluru. This exhibition showcases paintings of countryside which depicts images of women in different rural scenes that accentuates the beauty.

Rustic Hues depicts the countryside people in different situations from their rich cultural celebrations to the passionate and caring families at work. It also highlights on the different and diverse sections of rural people who strive to create a livelihood.

The artists have created with various mediums and tried to synergise their feelings of rural scenes to create a harmony. These paintings are sure to grace homes, offices and other living spaces as it is a hot favourite by many and usually blends with any rustic interiors.

The show is on till 31st March 2014.

Stories of Delhi

(work on display)

Delhi O Delhi Foyer, Delhi is hosting ‘Stories of Delhi's magnificent past set in stone photography’, a photography exhibition by Prerna Jain. 

Prerna finds her penchant in abstract photography, especially floral abstract. Colours, shapes and depth have a special attraction for her. Most of her work is an exploration of beauty with detailed or macro photography.

The show is on till 31st March 2014.

Tales of Two Cities

( work on display)

Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad is here with an exclusive painting exhibition for all art lovers in the city. The exhibition titled, ‘Tales of two cities’  brings to you some of the unique and eye-catching art works by a group of artists that are sure not-to-be-missed. The exhibition will include the works by creative artists like Anjani Reddy, Priti Samyukta, Rohini Reddy, Srinivas Reddy, Dr Vidhyasagar Upadhyay and Vinay Sharma.

The show is on view till 31st March 2014.

(News Reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Cultural commentary

‘Password of Kerala’, an exhibition of artist Chandranandan’s paintings, combines the culture of the State with artistic insights

(Artist Chandranandan with one of his paintings. Photo: Sooraj Rajmohan)

Trees wearing traditional mundu, a Kathakali performer whose upper body, for lack of a better word, blooms into an expanse of coconut branches and a humanoid figure merged with a tree that appears to provide sustenance to a casually lounging green elephant. These are some of the images that await viewers at ‘Password of Kerala’, an exhibition of paintings by artist Chandranandan, on at the Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum art gallery.

Chandranandan explains that the images endeavour to capture an essence of life in Kerala, but also tell individual stories. The tree-man and elephant are a representation of the relationship between parents and children in this age. “The tree providing nourishment to the elephant is a look at the plight of the average Indian father, who strives his entire lifetime to provide for his children, sacrificing everything and keeping nothing for himself, being slowly drained of his life force,” he explains cryptically. He then picks out a work that he describes as his interpretation of a mother, a female form set against a tranquil blue background resembling a planet and starry space beyond.

The works contain passing references to the culture of the State, some easily recognisable, some incorporating symbolism, and others featuring strange juxtaposition. An example of the latter is a yak roaming about between the trees in a rubber plantation, with Kerala’s ubiquitous rubber trees contrasting with the creature Chandranandan observed on a trip to Ladakh. A depiction of the traditional illam featuring various animals, and a frozen frame of an elephant ride gone awry add to the surreal nature created by the 18 works on display.

Chandranandan, a former employee of the Kerala Agricultural University and an expert in publication design, believes in the superiority of oil over acrylic colours. “While acrylic does have many advantages, oil is always in a class of its own. Despite the rigours of painting with oil, it is my medium of choice.” And in between his Kathakali performers and coconut trees, there are also subtle socio-political messages. Hidden deep within a fiery red canvas are two figures, one wearing a mundu and the other stark naked. “The king is naked,” he says simply, perhaps in reference to the Danish tale ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’.

There are many more works that invite interpretation among Chandranandan’s collection, with the work ‘Starry, starry night’ serving as a simple balm for the mind after the workout it gets from the other images. The painting depicts a man and woman working a water pumping apparatus in the wee hours of the morning before dawn’s first light. “There are many sides to this, the tranquillity of the morning, the coordination required to operate the apparatus and even a shared love,” says Chandranandan.

The exhibition is on at the Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum art gallery from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. till March 31.

(Report by Sooraj Rajmohan for The Hindu)

Nature in Focus, Shifting Terrains and more..

NEWS

Nature in Focus

Have you ever felt a sudden surge of excitement on spotting a tiger in the wild? Have you ever felt dwarfed by the sheer majesty of a Banyan Tree? Most nature lovers will have encountered these fleeting yet powerful emotions that leave a deep impression on your memory. The underlying chord that tugs you closer to nature is what is central to ‘Nature in Focus’. After the resounding success of Social Media, Bangalore will now play host to acclaimed international and national wildlife photographers from across the world at 'Nature in Focus’. The two day festival will host a series of in-depth workshops, insightful interactive sessions and crowd sourced exhibitions that will bring photography enthusiasts from all across the country on one platform. 
Put together by photography enthusiasts at R Square Consulting Services Pvt Ltd, the festival will see an impressive panel which award winning wildlife photographer Steve Winter who will also be the keynote speaker at the event, top naturalists and conservationists like Rom Whitaker, MD Madhusudhan, Vijay Mohan Raj along with photographers like Sudhir Shivram, Kalyan Varma, Ganesh H Shankar, Jayanth Sharma, Tasneem Khan and Arati Rao. Nature in Focus is not a regular event but rather a celebration of freedom, humility, beauty, and the feeling of transcendence that follows a trek to the wilderness. This is where nature enthusiasts, photographers, conservationists, and researches are going to be on a single platform. To drive change by rekindling the bond we share with nature. Most of all, this event is almost free in the spirit of encouraging more photographers be part of this festival.

The festival will be on view from 29th March to 30th March at The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore.

Shifting Terrains

(Work on display)

Talwar art gallery, New Delhi presents an exhibition of Paramjit Singh’s new paintings and works on paper. In ‘Shifting Terrains’, Paramjit Singh continues to employ his unique visual language in textural depictions of luminous landscapes. Rich, dense and vibrant oil on canvas works provide close, intimate views of enveloping wilderness – clustering trees, sprawling grass and foliage, and flowing bodies of water. Devoid of specificity of time and place, his works evoke an impression of nature, materializing as memory.

The show is on view till 19th April 2014.

Madhubani and more

(Work on display)

Our Sacred Space, Hyderabad presents a show of Madhubani paintings by artist Rajesh Kr Jha.

Rajesh Kr Jha's family has been practicing Madhubani painting for generations. He is dexterous on canvas and other mediums. He migrated from Bihar, and has been painting for over a decade. The works are rendered in the exquisite style with distinct story telling. 

The show is on view till 23rd March 2014.

The Persistence of Form

( work on display)

Third Eye - Indian Art Gallery, Bangalore presents ‘The Persistence of Form’ featuring Vijay Nagvekar and Runa Biswas. Gallery Third Eye focuses on vibrancy, sensitivity, richness and the depth of Indian art. It highlights the creative nuances of artists with their varied styles, mediums and imagination. 

The works display various styles of art, like figuration and abstractions.

The show is on  view till 31st MArch 2014. 

( News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Striking contrasts

The works of Francis Kodankandath and Sunil Poomangalath attempt to create a balance in diversity

( Imaginative strokes)

Grey columns of gloomy text interspersed with mug shots of deceased people—who knew that inspiration can lie in the morbid depths of the obituary page of the daily newspaper? It did for artist Kodankandath Antony Francis. He has reproduced the standard obit page on canvas in acrylic for a show at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery. In stark contrast, his co-host, Sunil Poomangalath paints a languid countryside with contented people and livestock.

( Day to day things that appeal)

‘The Art of Small Things,’ an exhibition of paintings by Francis and Sunil, brings together works that are entirely different in treatment, style and tenor. “We have been friends and have worked on many paintings together. But a combined show is a first,” Francis says. While 17 of Francis’ works are on display, Sunil has brought 10. Both self-taught artists attempt to create a balance in diversity.

It is the simple, day-to-day things that appeal to Francis, he says. But even the simplest of his works contain an underlying philosophy. His ‘Application for the patent of a paper boat’ is an example. “It is based on the principle of a paper boat. It has got a fascinating geometry hidden within. I wanted to recreate it,” Francis says. The work in paper has a 3D effect and is a take on American hegemony. “We have reached such a state that even a paper boat is patented by America,” says Francis.

(The art of small things)

Sunil’s heart lies in murals and his works clearly reflect that. A work titled ‘Prakrithi’ depicts a woman-tree. The lower part of her body forms the trunk, tapering into a hundred roots and her hair makes up the numerous branches. She has lotus buds for ear lobes and her perfectly proportioned body denotes certain Godliness. Sunil learnt murals on the job assisting several artists.

His ‘Radha Madhav’ is another, piece which is a delicate play of lines and curves enhanced by a romantic use of colours. “Nature is my muse. The nostalgic effect of a peaceful countryside brings out the best in one, doesn’t it?” Sunil asks.

( Distinctive mosaic of colours)

Francis’ style is a distinctive mosaic of colours, which requires one to behold the work from a distance. At each look, the painting seems to reveal something new. Not having a degree in art, perhaps, helped his craft, Francis believes. “My thought has not been straight-jacketed by theories,” he adds. Francis, who has a National Akademi Award, three State awards including the Lalitakala Akademi Award to his credit, has also showcased his works abroad. A Customs Superintendant, art is a great way of relaxation for Francis. “Only that I don’t get much time in between work,” he says.

The show has 27 works in all and is on till March 21.

( Report by Anasuya Menon for The Hindu)

Village Tales, Collage Art and more..

NEWS

Collage Art

( Work on display)

Bliss Art Gallery, Pune presents a show titled, ‘Collage Paintings’. The show displays beautiful art, created using torn pieces of colourful paper comes to Bliss Art Gallery, as it hosts an exhibition of collage paintings. Created by Vikram Paranjpe, an alumnus of Abhinav Kala Vidyalaya, who is now settled in Devrukh, Konkan, the artworks at he exhibition take the art form of collage paintings to a new, professional high.

The show is on view till 29th March 2014.

Art Jugalbandhi

Government Museum & Venkatappa Art gallery, Bangalore present a show ‘Art Jugalbandhi’ a combination of charcoal drawing and water color painting; a one day charcoal drawing workshop. 

Skills like handling different types of charcoals will be taught.  Fee includes materials and lunch and one day water colour workshop. Each participant can join either for charcoal drawing or water colour painting. All the classes are held outdoor and are held in 10 different locations, across Bengaluru. 

The workshops will be held till 23rd March 2014.

Village tales

( Work by JMS Mani)

Artworld Sarala’s art Centre, Hyderabad celebrates its 49th anniversary with a two solo shows. One solo is of paintings by artist P Perumal, and the other solo show displays works of JMS Mani.

The two eminent artists present their paintings exclusive to their styles of figurations. JMS Mani’s works explore the rural landscape and the people,a s do the paintings of P Perumal. The works differ in the rendition, style and palette each of them uses.

While JMS Mani locates his protagonists in busy market places and hubs of activity depicted in sharp use of vibrant colours, Perumal uses slightly subdued hues to capture the idyllic lives of the rural cattle rearing community.

The show is on view till 31st March 2014.

Seeds

(Etchigns on display)

Art Heritage gallery, New Delhi presents the solo show of artist, Kavita Nayar. The show is titled, ‘Seeds’ and is to be held in the basement gallery. The show has on display exclusive prints made by the artist, which portray a lyrical painterly quality.

Subdued hues, and full of spiritual and Buddhist symbolism, the works on display have been made by etching on zinc plates. The show finds a balance between contemplation and celebration.

The show is on view till 21st March 2014.

( News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Lalit Kala Akademi hosts artwork from across the country

(An award-winning painting at the exhibition)

Selecting the brightest and the most imaginative artist after going through a mind-boggling number of 6,583 entries is a painstaking job. But for the Lalit Kala Akademi, it was an essential prerequisite to get the right kind of artists from across the country. This also meant getting proportional representation.

To achieve the task of selecting the 168 artists for its 55 edition of National Exhibition of Art, the Akademi-appointed committee had commensurate number of painters, sculptors, graphic artists and photo experts as its members.

Explaining the method of selecting the artists, Akademi Chairman K.K. Chakravarty said: “We did blind testing which meant the committee members were clueless about the identity of the artists whose work they had to appraise. And they had also been kept in the dark about the artists’ place of residence. Only after the selection, the details were revealed to the members.”

Of the total number of artists, 10 artists have been selected for the prestigious National Awards. And this year, noted artist S.H. Raza conferred the awards on winners on the premises of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries here on Wednesday.

Shedding light on the prestigious exhibition, which started at the Akademi on Thursday and will continue up to April 10, Dr. Chakravarty said: “The exhibition has been conceptualised in such a way that it has broad national representation. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to state that this exhibition represents the entire country. The exhibition lends extraordinary meaning to ordinary objects by associating them in unforeseen permutations and combinations.”

The exhibition is showcasing multi-storeyed facades, deserted interiors of heritage sights, empty rooms with stacks of books, iconic figures and mechanical objects. The caparisoned elephant, zebra, winged horse, bull, frog, snake, cat and rat have also been absorbed and translated into anthropomorphic forms.

(Report by Madhur Tankha for The Hindu)

Hana - The Lotus, Gazing into the Myth, Meditative Hues and more..

NEWS

Hana - The Lotus

( Work by Yuriko Ando Lochan)

India International Centre, New Delhi, presents a solo show titled, ‘Hana- The Lotus’. The show displays thew works of artist Yuriko Ando Lochan. Lotus is the central theme of the lyrical works on display as the lotus captures the hearts of people, as a representation of life. It has the connotation of the view on life based on the concept of eternal change.

The artist successfully merges in the works, the two enriching cultures that have influenced her, Indian and Japanese, where India is the primal source of human culture and Japan of refined sensibilities of her origin, together forming an soulful body of work.

The show will be inaugurated by H E Takeshi Yagi, Ambassador of Japan in India, and Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, Chairperson IIC- asia project.

The show previews on 25th March 2014 at 6: 30 pm and is on view till 1st April 2014.

Meditative Hues

(work on display)

Gallerie Ganesha, New Delhi presents a solo show of paintings titled, ‘Meditative Hues’.

Artist Niti Jain shows her meditative abstracts in this show. There has been a marked evolution in her work. 

For her previous show, she had created abstracts with vibrant bold colors, vigorous strokes and pronounced brush stroke. 'Meditative Hues' in contrast is a calmer rendition with a subtlety that speaks of an inherent spirituality.

The show is on view till 27th March 2014.

Gazing into the Myth

(Work by Jayasri Burman)

Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore and Ruchika Anand present a solo show of paintings by eminent artist Jayasri Burman. The works are displayed in the show titled, ‘Gazing into the Myth’. 

The exquisite and intricate works portray figures and interconnected stories from nuances of mythology and history. The narratives dominate the distinct style that the artist employ presenting to the viewer a tapestry of colour, beauty and folk lore.

The show is to be held at the Visual Art Centre, Hong Kong and previews on 19th March from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.

The show is on view till 23rd March 2014.

The charm of still life

( Work by Puja Sethi)

Beanstalk, Gurgaon presents an art show by artist Puja Sethi. Puja Sethi is trained in fine arts at Columbia University and the Art students league of New York. 

Presently her area of work is realism and naturalism in art using oil, watercolor and diverse drawing media.

The show displays some exquisite still life paintings and her skill in portraitures. With vibrant colours and skill of rendition, the works on display traverse a large variety of subjects.

The show is on view till 21st March 2014.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

When East meets West

A joint exhibition of paintings by Victoria A.M. and Wilhelm Bronner depicts the meeting of cultures

(Artist Victoria A.M with one of her paintings. Photo: Thulasi Kakkat)

Victoria A.M.’s ‘Moonshade’ tells the story of a baby girl at birth, traces her growth into childhood and womanhood, through the joys and sorrows of life, intertwining it with the metaphor of a river’s lifeline. Much like life’s unexpected turns, dangers lurk within the river’s beauty too. The painting, dominated by two women resting beneath jasmine flowers, is inspired by Victoria’s 2006 poem on Indian villages that told of the unspoken sadness of flowers whose nectar has been stolen by bees at dusk. “A woman’s life in this world is like that too; the small ‘sadness’es of her being go unseen,” she says. ‘Moonshade’ is on display at ‘East Meets West’, an exhibition of Victoria’s works with those of German artist Wilhelm Bronner.

Just across the room stands Wilhelm’s installation of 20 pairs of wooden squares each marked with ‘E’ and ‘W’ on its corners. Two peers figure in each pair, one representing the Indian side of things and the other, the German side. For instance, while the German uses his umbrella against the rain, the Indian shields himself from the sun. “I plan to take this exhibition to Germany too. So, for the Indians here, this is an introduction to our culture, and for the Germans, it’s an introduction to India,” he says.

(Artist Wilhelm Bronner with one of his paintings. Photo: Thulasi Kakkat)

Wilhelm and Victoria met in 2013, through a common friend, at Victoria’s Mattancherry studio while Wilhelm was here for the Biennale last March. Victoria had earlier been introduced to German culture through an exhibition of her works in Berlin in 2011, held as a fundraiser for Adivasi girls. Wilhelm has been to India six times in the last 40 years. The two decided to collaborate on an art show that would depict the meeting of Indian and German cultures. ‘East Meets West’ features four of Wilhelm’s pieces, besides the installation, and six by Victoria — two oils and four acrylic-on-canvasses.

The meeting of cultures is best seen in Wilhelm’s ‘The Indian City’, done only in red, black and white. It is his artistic impression of traffic in big Indian cities where buses, auto rickshaws and cars manoeuvre between bikes, cows and dogs, in a chaotic confusion that somehow functions. “I was overwhelmed by the sound and noise of India when I first came, and this shows my experience of it as just an outsider’s observations, not judgements.” In the central three pieces, ‘East-West faces’, a pair of eyes looks out of each quadrant of the square paintings, and hands reach out from one side to the other in friendship, symbolic of the mutual connection between cultures. “I want to show that though we have different social behaviours and politics, we are above all human and connected to the world.”

Victoria’s paintings reflect her education in Shankaracharya’s teachings, and explore humankind’s relationship with this earth. ‘Shell collectors’ and ‘Little land and even less water’ deal with the struggles of everyday living; the first depicts women collecting shells for income, and the second shows women searching for water. ‘Past and Present’ expounds the idea further saying that regardless of race, all our bodies return to the soil once the soul leaves. Two women separate the canvas, the first wholly human, the second made of mud with birds shooting out of her eyes. “Both are self portraits,” says Victoria. The exhibition is on till March 16.

(Report by Esther Elias for The Hindu)

Obituary - Jasu Bhai Naik - An Unsung Veteran passes away..

OBITUARY

Jasu Bhai Naik- An Unsung Veteran Passes Away

(Artist Jasu Bhai Naik)

Jasu Bhai Naik is no more. Like many art teachers who silently prepare many important artists of the future, in many remote corners of our country, Jasu Bhai Naik too was not known to the world. But in South Gujarat everyone knew him, not only as an artist but also a Gandhian and social reformer. He was the guiding spirit of the BA Mehta Kala Mahavidyalaya, Amalsad. Many young artists studied under him, a few of them went for further studies in big city art colleges and became successful. Many of them stayed back in South Gujarat itself which is rich in many industries. Surat and Vapi are the closest industrial towns in South Gujarat and diamond cutting is one of the important industries. So many young artists who get trained in the BA Mehta College join these industries as designers and craftsmen. But they all carry the legacy of Jasu Bhai Naik who even after retiring from service remained the hub of the South Gujarat art and cultural activities till his death on 17^th March 2014, on Holi day. He must have been nearly hundred years old as for a person like him after a certain stage, age becomes irrelevant. He had been suffering from throat cancer for quite some time. But with simple life and positive attitude, and above all his zest for social reforms, he continued to live a comparatively pain free life.

Though I do not belong to Gujarat, I have some emotional connections with South Gujarat as it was there I had first witnessed how art was taught and practiced in small town art colleges. The person who took me there was artist Somu Desai, an alumnus of BA Mehta Kala Mahavidyalaya. I met Somu in 2007 and the next year itself I visited him at Pardi, near Vapi, and he took me to his college. From there he took me to Jasu Bhai Naik’s house and Somu had insisted that it was imperative to meet the man who had given some status to the artists in South Gujarat who otherwise were considered to be just artisans and craftsmen. He received us with a grandfather’s enthusiasm and love. I could feel the Gandhian spirit in his demeanour and dress. His smile was benevolent. He spoke in Hindi and in broken English. And when he really wanted to express himself he spoke in Gujarati and Somu translated for me. 

Jasu Bhai Naik was an old school artist. He learnt his techniques in the British Academic style which was promoted by the J.J.School of Art in Mumbai. Most of the central western and central Indian art colleges followed the J.J.School syllabus and the accent was given on developing academic skill. Jasu Bhai Naik was trained in this school of thought but instead becoming a portrait artist or becoming a part of the growing industries in and around his town, Jasu Bhai decided to be a social activist. He promoted art and culture amongst people and was instrumental in establishing art programs in many schools in the Amalsad area. He was one of the founding fathers of the BA Mehta Kala Mahavidyalaya. He took the initiative to conduct art workshops and exhibitions of the local artists. Though, BA Mehta College was not a full-fledged graduate college, he inspired many of his students to go to other art institutions to get higher education. In a true Gandhian way, he inspired the young artists to develop sustainable models of living so that they could pursue their art with freedom and dignity.

Somu Desai remembers that Jasu Bhai Naik understood the value of art and he felt the necessity for small town artists establishing their independent career. When Somu Desai, after graduating from the BA Mehta College, decided to shift to Mumbai to earn as a designer, Jasu Bhai Naik’s advice was to get back to art once he found enough money to do so. Somu says that he always remembered his master’s words. After working in the field of textile designing for a few years, Somu shifted his base to Baroda and started learning things from the young graduates from the Fine Arts Faculty. He at once became a mentor to many and a learner from many. And like his master, he inspired many other young art graduates from BA Mehta College to go to Baroda or elsewhere to study and practice art. Somu says that his inspiration comes from Jasu Bhai Naik. Another artist, Akshay Naik, who heads the Applied Art Department of the BA Mehta College, also believes that Jasu Bhai Naik was a unique personality who inspired a lot of artists in South Gujarat. Jasu Bhai Naik lives on in the minds of the artists from South Gujarat. 

JohnyML

NEWS

Rhythm of Life

(Work by Vinay Bagde)

Gallery Pradarshak, Mumbai presents a solo show of artist Vinay Bagde. The show is titled, ‘Rhythm of Life’ and displays some of the acrylic on canvas works of the young artist from  Latur. The vibrantly coloured works display the influence the artist has felt by the rural surroundings and tribal life of the Lamani tribe. 

Rendered mostly in figuratives, the works displaymen and women of the tribe actively trying to be part fo an urban setting, be it as construction workers or as day labourers deviating from their original occupation of tending cattle.

The works are on view from 18th March to 29th March 2014.

Gitanjali and Sea Inside

India International Centre, New Delhi presents a solo show titled, ‘Gitanjali and Sea Inside: Parallel Journeys’. The show will display art works by artist Nibedita Sen. The show is a reflective study presentation with an array of prose, verses, paintings and installations. 

The artist has tried to trace a parallel between the word images of Tagore and her own visual metaphors, which she feels are the reflections evolving from a similar amalgamation of inward and outward journeys.

The show is on view till 29th March 2014.

Portraits & Scenes de Vie

(Work by Pichaya Manet)

Alliance Francaise de Madras, is displaying some of the original paintings of artist Pichaya Manet. Reminiscent of the early 20th century Fauvists, his paintings are an intensity of colour and exaggeration of form. The show is titled, ‘ Portraits & Scenes de Vie’.

The artist is not afraid to interpret what he sees with a spontaneous freedom that stems from his passion for dance. A modern vision is juxtaposed with the traditional, while an innate sense for rhythm remains the key to each piece.

The show is on view till 19th March 2014.

Courtesan

( Work on display)

Apparao Galleries, Chennai presents a spectacular group show of art works by eminent contemporary and upcoming artists. The show is titled, ‘Courtesan’. The word courtesan evokes vision of sensual women who were aware of the effect of their sexuality and its power over people, unafraid and strong. In a time marked by hedonism, refinement, extravagance, intrigue and beauty. The courtesans used their weapons for survival in such a society.

The show aims to bring to life these forgotten women and their ways of life by celebrating beauty, wit, sex, refinement and elegance.

The show is on till 5th April 2014.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

Terrafly, The Elephanta Festival, Stalked and more..

NEWS

Terrafly

( work by K S Radhakrishnan)

Art Musings gallery, Mumbai presents a solo show of sculptures by renowned sculptor, K S Radhakrishnan. The show is titled, ‘Terrafly’ and on display will be the exquisite small and large scale sculptures in various mediums. 

The show will be hosted at the Jehangir Art Gallery, Auditorium hall and will preview on 20th March 2014 and on view till 25th March 2014.

Terrafly will be on show later at Art Musings Gallery from 26th March to 15th April 2014.

Retrospective

( work on display)

DakshinaChitra, Chennai will be presenting the works of eminent painter, Alphonso Arul Doss, under the title, ‘Retrospective’. It will be a collection of his paintings and drawings since the 1950s until now. There are about 60 works on display that include realistic portraits, water colours, and signature paintings on Christ, Nataraja and time and space series.

The artist was a professor and the principal of a prestigious college of arts and crafts for many years and groomed many famous and talented artists of today. He painted in the period when India was still a young nation and artists were eagerly exploring new facets of freedom and how they could relate to it through their paintings.

He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the National award in 1988. His works are in galleries and collections all over the world. He has held several one man shows in India, Holland, USA, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Bangkok.

The show is on view till 25th March 2014.

The Elephanta Festival 2014

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is organising the 25th edition of Elephanta Festival. The schedule of the event planned is as follows:

March 15, 2014 at Gateway of India 6:00 pm onwards - 

National and international artists like kathak dancer and actress, Prachee Shah; vocalist and tabla player, Pundit Raja Kale; Indian classical flute maestro, Pundit Hariprasad Chaurasia, saxophonist and composer, George Brooks and harpist, Gwyneth Wentick will enthrall audience with their performance.
 
March 16, 2014 at Gateway of India 6:00 pm onwards -

National and international artists like Indian classical dancer and Marathi actress, Tejaswini Lonari; sufi vocalist and Hindi playback singer, Kavita Seth; kathak dancer, Anu Sinha and sitar maestro, Nishat Khan will add charm to the serene evening.
 
March 15, 2014 – March 16, 2014 - Heritage Walk at Elephanta Caves 11:00 am onwards

Renowned academicians Dr Suraj Pandit and Mr Sandeep Dahisarkar will take the participants through a guided tour of the Elephanta Caves.

March 15, 2014 – March 16, 2014 – Sculpting and Painting Contest @ Elephanta Caves
08:30 am – 03:00 pm

The contest is open to all and the entry for the festival is free.

Stalked

Offroad Films presents a solo exhibition of photographs by artist and filmmaker Aishwarya Arumbakkam. The exhibition opens up with an introductory talk by the artist followed by the launch of a limited edition zine. Images and words dodge and find each other in this zine that acquires the voice of a victim enduring stalking. Urgent and in the present tense, the zine battles with several complex emotions like fear, violation, guilt, withdrawal, frustration and resistance.The artists in collaboration are Kabini Amin and Bhavana Vyas Vipparthi.

Opening at Atta Galatta this photography exhibition “Stalked” is an essay of photographs that gives voice to the alarmingly unspoken, ignored and misrepresented trauma of stalking in an attempt to trigger understanding and dialogue. Through the medium of black  and white film photography, the artist portrays a vicarious experience of trauma by expressing the victim’s battle with the intangible encounter and the scars it leaves behind on them. All the people featured in the photographs are victims of stalking.

The show is on view at 7:00 pm onwards on 20th March 2014.

( News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

Life in the spiritual lane

The paintings display myriad inspirations that form diverse styles

( work on display)

Every once in a while all of us need a little inspiration. It could be from anywhere – nature, spirituality, an incident or an individual. It is exactly this which is reflected in the collection of paintings on display at Alankritha Art Gallery. Titled ‘Life Inspired’, this collection of paintings by three artists; M.S. Vasu, Nirmal Karmakar and Avinash Deshmukh, showcases little things that they draw inspiration from.

( work on display)

Nirmal Karmakar for instance draws his inspiration from Krishna. His series of paintings all showcase Krishna in various moods and situations – in one place he is lost in his music and in others he shares tender moments with Radha. Even as Nirmal celebrates Krishna as the true Indian hero, the focus in most of his paintings seems to be on the face and its myriad expressions with an intelligent use of colour and brush strokes.

( work on display)

M.S. Vasu on the other hand depicts a series of sermons being delivered by a monk to all the living beings in nature. From an elephant to a bird, the monk delivers sermons to every living being, with each creature signifying a Brahma Rishi. The message he wants to pass on is that everybody listens keenly when a monk preaches. All the while his works celebrate the various elements of nature and have an air of serenity about them. He uses immense detailing in the backdrop of his paintings with religious symbology and scriptures.

( work on display)

Avinash Deshmukh’s works on the other hand stand apart; he celebrates the innocence of childhood while breaking away from the spiritual line of thought. His series of art works using acrylic on canvas all explore the various moods of two children – a girl and a boy as they go about their lives. From the amazement and wonder of discovering something new to the calm innocence in their sleeping faces, he explores every mood that a child undergoes.

( work on display)

This exhibition of paintings is on view till March 15 at Alankritha Art Gallery.

(Report by Ranjani Rajendra for The Hindu)