‘Faith Matters’ and ‘School’: Subodh Gupta’s twin shows

‘Faith Matters’, a new significant series by Subodh Gupta, is included in a parallel exhibit program along with Ukrainian artist Serhiy Bratkov at Kiev based PinchukArtCentre. A curatorial note mentions: “The exhibit presents the finest examples of the international art that bridge the national identity and tackle global challenge.”

Both artists come from different backgrounds. For this project, the two though, have worked on a common theme. The artist duo depicts the changes cultures undergo in today’s fast-paced world. If Bratkov’s including photographs and installations reflect the life of Ukrainian society in the post-Soviet era, Subodh Gupta’s paintings and sculpture installations map the shifts occurring in the national cultures in the context of the modern world’s life.

Along side this show, the London based gallery, Hauser & Wirth, presents his solo ‘School’. A striking work by him comprises 45 brass stools paired with his trademark steel thalis. It’s designed to create a breathtaking environment. Importantly, he has included an object with personal significance in the new set of work at Hauser & Wirth. A curatorial note explains: “The stools in ‘School’ are cast from his father’s low wooden seat. The brass version of this traditional item bears his initials in the corner.”

Both shows are a major milestone for this internationally established artist who has carved a niche for himself for his versatile oeuvre that incorporates painting, sculpture, installation, photograph, performance and video. He is known to employ the techniques of French conceptualist artist Marcel Duchamp, endeavoring to elevate the ready-made into a meaningful art object. He thus transforms icons of everyday India life into the monumental art works.

In the process, the artist produces an act of displacement, referring to the cultural, social and economic changes experienced by contemporary society. He constantly explores art’s capacity to channel the effects of expansion, displacement and translation.