Artists featured in ‘The Narrator, Protagonist and the Other’ show

‘The Narrator, Protagonist and the Other’ is the title of a show at Indigo Blue Art, Singapore. Here is a brief note on the participating artists and their themes:

The central premise of Murali Cheeroth’s paintings is the city architecture, rampant urbanization and its curious interplays with and within urban cultures and ecology. The same is explored in context of the history of visual representation and introspecting the idea of re-construction; technology, speed and change. Local and the global intersect here, unraveling multiple layers of urban identities.

Vivek Vilasini examines the prevailing social structures, adapting various expressions of cultural identity to raise specific questions about the fast changing global scenario, which almost every individual fails to keep pace with. His large-format photos tend to evoke delicate ironies that invariably impact existing ideologies, and also influence the viewer’s socio-cultural consciousness.

Expression of Farhad Hussain’s reality through the process of the ‘comic’ is launched with an apt imitation of the experienced or imagined that translates into the ephemeral moment of happiness; with the neon colors, the satire begins. The protagonist acquires center stage; the surreally perfect settings, the dynamics between the characters then narrate a parallel story. The un-observed, un-seen, the covered elements of human nature in the cultural context are added through a rather unreal perfection in the actors’ action.

On the other hand, Nayanaa Kanodia’s work reflects the changing face of India, through fascinating images of known and unknown faces and public figures, capturing the life of common people on the street and the urban elite. The acute static demeanor of her portrayals deftly lends itself to movement attained through vivacious vehicles, the captivating composition of patterns and the Indian spirit reminiscent of glorious past fusing with the modern advents and amenities. Charged with innocuous humor each depiction personifies the subtle ironies of daily life that lay in a complex mix of harmony and conflict with the collision of West and East.