Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Ramkinkar Baij retrospective

A retrospective of one of the most seminal artists of modern India takes place in New Delhi. Ramkinkar Baij was not only an iconic sculptor but also a painter and graphic artist.
The retrospective has been curated by sculptor K.S Radhakrishnan, incidentally a student of Ramkinkar. Prof. K.G Subramanyan and Prof. A. Ramachandran have been advisors to the curator. It includes over 350 works from various important collections including paintings, drawings, graphics and sculptures- covering about six decades of his artistic journey.

The exposition is also enhanced by diverse media interventions such as photographic blow ups, digital prints, texts and video clips in an attempt to contextualize the man and the artist in the most comprehensive manner.

The curator of the exhibition K S Radhakrishnan says “My curatorial venture aims at flagging those junctures where the artist met all those who traveled before him, with him, and after him. In other words, this retrospective aims to be a context in which the post 1980s generation of Indian artists see, accept, reject, understand or misunderstand the master creator, the artist, and the man….”

“The exhibition sheds light on an enlightened and creative soul who was more of a Fakir and a wanderer and through his work represents the larger-than-life persona of the artist and his creative genius,” revealed Prof. Rajeev Lochan, the NGMA director.

On the occasion of this retrospective exhibition, the NGMA is releasing a few significant publications, including ‘My Days with Ramkinkar’ translated by Ms. Bhaswati Ghosh (originally penned by Mr. Somendranath Bandhapadhyaya’; ‘Ramkinkar’s Yaksha Yakshi’ by Mr. K.S Radhakrishnan; ‘Ramkinkar Straight from Life’ by Mr. Johnny M.L; and ‘Ramkinkar Baij’ by Prof. R. Siva Kumar, in collaboration with Delhi Art Gallery, Musui Art Foundation, Aakar Prakar, Niyogi Books, and Navya Gallery.

Besides these well illustrated productions, the gallery is going to publish two comprehensive books on the artist that provide a holistic view of the person and the artist he was, namely ‘Ramkinkar: The Man and the Artist’ by Prof. A. Ramachandran; and ‘Ramkinkar and his Work’ by Prof. K.G Subramanyan. It has also produced three portfolios drawn from the repertoire of his watercolor, oil and graphic works. After Delhi, the exhibition will travel to Mumbai and Bengaluru.

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