Thursday, March 13, 2014

Serigraphs, Songs of Spring and more..

NEWS

Serigraphs

The Viewing Room, Mumbai presents the exquisite serigraphs of three renowned artists. The show titled, ‘Serigraphs’ displays the works of three artists who have contributed to the Indian art scene over the years. The artists are Jehangir Sabavala, Ram Kumar and Sakti Burman. 


The show previews on 13th March and is on view till 29th March 2014.

Facebook of Reclaimed Identities

Open Palm Court Art Gallery, New Delhi presents a solo show titled, ‘Facebook of Reclaimed Identities’. The show displays the art works of eminent artist Puja Kshatriya.
The show features distinct styled portraits of people the artist has been inspired by creating an intense archiving of human faces.

The show is to be inaugurated by Michael Heinz, Director, Austrian Cultural forum and previews on 25th March at 5:30 pm. 


The show is on view till 27th March 2014.

Songs of Spring

Kynkyny Art Gallery, Bangalore presents a show titled, ‘Songs of Spring’ a solo show of art works by artist Dhrubajyoti Baral. Dhrubajyoti's lilting, colour-soaked tempera dreamscapes, alive with birds, trees and animals, conjure the lush abundance of nature in full bloom. His trademark lovers embody the fevered enchantment, longing and intoxication that the season ushers in. 


The show previews on 15th March 2014 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm and the show continues to be on view till 27th March 2014.

(News reports by Sushma Sabnis)

FEATURE

State of affairs
B.D. Dethan’s painting exhibition, ‘Avastha’, is a dispassionate look at the deterioration of society
(Artist B.D. Dethan with his works. Photo by S. Gopakumar)
A glass filled with liquid has a disembodied human face floating at the bottom, while psychedelic shapes frolic in the background. The spires of a monument rise high above a city skyline, only to emphasise the large arms and face of a forlorn looking entity captured between them. These are examples of the imagery that currently adorn the walls of the Suryakanti Art Gallery at Sasthamangalam, where an exhibition of artist B.D. Dethan’s works is underway.
Dethan explains that the series, titled ‘Avastha’, is a reflection of his emotions related to the times we live in. “Society is at a point where basic values such as kindness and compassion are hard to come by. Open a newspaper or switch on the television and most of the things we see are appalling. It is this frame of mind that gave birth to this series, and while I have tried to keep my emotions and work separate, some things do seep through,” he says, pointing out the many vices he has depicted on canvas. The face in the glass is his take on the effects of alcoholism.
Other images border on the abstract as half-formed human shapes merge with those of animals and human vanity is represented through a clown-like visage that peeps out through a frame.
Dethan’s disdain for the trend of elevating men to the status of gods is evident in yet another work, while a museum exhibit of busts and remnants of civilisations is accompanied by his thoughts on time and culture. “We have seen many cultures come and go, and eventually this is all that is left,” he says indicating the painting, “it is meant to remind us that everything in the world perishes eventually, except time, which is the only constant.”
From civilisations to the present day, he makes an interesting observation on people’s reliance on medicines. “We are in a situation where we are often forced to take medicines and then suffer the side effects in some form. It is not something we can entirely avoid but not something that is particularly good either.” The work in question shows a human foot poised to crush a bottle of pills, deterred by a razor sharp blade waiting above the bottle, promising retribution.
Dethan goes on to elaborate his views on art in general. “I don’t believe painting is just a fine art anymore. Take the example of Picasso, where he fused cycle parts together to create art,” he says, referring to the Spanish artist’s ‘Bull’s Head’ artwork, where he represented the face and horns of a bull using a bicycle seat and handlebars. “The creative vision that led him to see that work where others saw just a jumble of cycle parts, that is what is paramount in an artist. Paint and canvas are no longer the only medium to express one’s vision.”
The exhibition is on at the Suryakanti Art Gallery till March 31. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Sundays.

(Report by Sooraj Rajmohan for The Hindu)

No comments:

Post a Comment