‘Revisiting The Popular’

Artist Kanchan Chander’s new body of work ‘Revisiting The Popular’ was recently on view at Art Positive. Curated by Sushma Bahl, the show included over sixty works - paintings on canvas and paper, mixed media works on inkjet and archival paper and sculptures.

The highlight of this show was the series of six mixed media works depicting some of the popular icons from Hindi cinema and also those from Hollywood. Using faces of some of the popular heroines of our times, the artist created a seamless relationship between glamour, strength and success. She merged the portraits of one heroine from Hollywood with one from Bollywood and embellished them with mixed media elements.

Some of these works were in black and white. The artist explained: “Cinema has played a vital role in my life. If I had not been a painter, I would have probably been an actor. I have chosen to depict those popular icons who have influenced my life and whom I admire.”

Using layers and layers of paper, sequins, swarovski, lace and many more decorative times, each of Kanchan’s mixed media work is a work of painstaking effort and beauty like the paintings dramatically different and almost spiritual based. One of them, the largest work in the show, ‘Gajagamini (4x6 feet)’ depicted the artist riding an elephant, in a reference to freedom of spirit.

“These are works which reflect the peace I feel now after having led a roller-coaster life. The stance in these works is meditative, the colours are those that brighten up my life as well,” she said. The next series titled Abhivyakti – nineteen paintings on paper - depict different poses and expressions of women who during motherhood are on a journey of self-searching and self questioning, once again inspired by Kanchan’s own experience as a woman and a mother.

In addition to the above, there was a sculpture in aluminium and swarovski created like a grid of nine similar works of 15 inches each. Designed in a spiral contour, the work showed her skill at handling of form as well.

(Information courtesy: Art Positive)