A group exhibition at Mumbai based Jamaat Gallery features works by artists Ajay De, Gautam Mukherji, Bharti Prajapati, Rajesh Srivastava, Rini Dhumal, Samir Mondal, Shankar Kendale, Shiva Sanjari, Senaka Senanayake, and Raja Segar.
These are 10 different artists who all depict the feminine form to be enjoyed and savored on view at Jamaat Gallery, Mumbai. Rini Dhumal from Baroda displays the divine feminine power. The divine faces that he depicts exude strength , knowledge and wealth that is associated with divinity. She prefers to paint in a variety of mediums such as inks, dyes, pastels, acrylic and gold leaf to create captivating canvases. A rich amalgam imparts a great texture and eye-catching composition.
Samir Mondal who is originally from West Bengal and now based in the city of Mumbai is counted among India’s best watercolorists. He works mostly on paper only. His colors create a symphony on canvas and as if flow to his masterly command. The fine medley of colors shows the intrinsic joy of the medium. His contemporary women are bold and beautiful albeit empowered and strong.
Senaka Senanayake again from Sri Lanka is a master in artist who works in acrylic and inks with immense fluidity on paper. He generally depicts the dancers in movement. Shankar Kendale is an artist based in Bangalore. He paints in oils on canvas mostly with a palette knife. The artist’s texturing and interplay of light & shadow that he creates both are indeed beautiful. Showing the rural woman engrossed in her own life is a sight to behold.
Shiva Sanjari originally from Iran is now based in India. The artist work exudes an influence of the French painterly tradition using charcoal on paper. Her fascination of the feminine form tends to exude a sort of Western slant and sophistication apparently of the European world.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Feminine Form at Jamaat Gallery, Mumbai
A new show of figurative paintings (Jun 5, 2011 to Jul 1, 2011) revolves around feminine form that has inspired creative minds down the ages, as an accompanying note states. “She is gentle and strong, coy and bold, pampered and hardworking, compassionate and merciless, calm and fiery, sober and merry. Several artists from India, Iran and Sri Lanka portraying the fascinating form in their own inimitable styles,” the write-up adds.
Originally from Kolkatta, Ajay De is now based in Mumbai. He has a command over the medium of charcoals on paper. His works in charcoal carry a hint of acrylic paint. The women he paints are gentle, yet pensive, and with expressive eyes.
Bharti Prajapati, an artist from Ahmedabad, is known to paint highly stylized female forms, using oils on canvas. The women have beautiful textures and are done in bright colors. Gautam Mukherji, an artist from Kolkata, works with acrylic paint on canvas. He is very much grounded in his culture. His homely women from West Bengal are quite evocative of the Badhralok, as evident in their languid movements, stylized clothes exquisite ornaments and elongated almond eyes. They are very much seeped in an indulgent mode.
Raja Segar from the island country of Sri Lanka has quite a distinctive style that can be termed ‘refractive’. The white light, as can be deciphered, fractures into beams of color. The women he paints are from working class, doing a multitude of tasks like plucking tea, feeding birds and nursing children. The works are acrylic on canvas.
Rajesh Srivastava who hails from Delhi again has a very contemporary look and feel. His unique approach and style is evident in the exquisite miniature works that have jewel-like faces. The faces he paints carry expressive eyes. The body akin to an aerial landscape abstract is done in muted colors. The compositions with mixed media on board are indeed fabulous.
Originally from Kolkatta, Ajay De is now based in Mumbai. He has a command over the medium of charcoals on paper. His works in charcoal carry a hint of acrylic paint. The women he paints are gentle, yet pensive, and with expressive eyes.
Bharti Prajapati, an artist from Ahmedabad, is known to paint highly stylized female forms, using oils on canvas. The women have beautiful textures and are done in bright colors. Gautam Mukherji, an artist from Kolkata, works with acrylic paint on canvas. He is very much grounded in his culture. His homely women from West Bengal are quite evocative of the Badhralok, as evident in their languid movements, stylized clothes exquisite ornaments and elongated almond eyes. They are very much seeped in an indulgent mode.
Raja Segar from the island country of Sri Lanka has quite a distinctive style that can be termed ‘refractive’. The white light, as can be deciphered, fractures into beams of color. The women he paints are from working class, doing a multitude of tasks like plucking tea, feeding birds and nursing children. The works are acrylic on canvas.
Rajesh Srivastava who hails from Delhi again has a very contemporary look and feel. His unique approach and style is evident in the exquisite miniature works that have jewel-like faces. The faces he paints carry expressive eyes. The body akin to an aerial landscape abstract is done in muted colors. The compositions with mixed media on board are indeed fabulous.
The Feminine Form at Jamaat Gallery, Mumbai
A new show of figurative paintings (Jun 5, 2011 to Jul 1, 2011) revolves around feminine form that has inspired creative minds down the ages, as an accompanying note states. “She is gentle and strong, coy and bold, pampered and hardworking, compassionate and merciless, calm and fiery, sober and merry. Several artists from India, Iran and Sri Lanka portraying the fascinating form in their own inimitable styles,” the write-up adds.
Originally from Kolkatta, Ajay De is now based in Mumbai. He has a command over the medium of charcoals on paper. His works in charcoal carry a hint of acrylic paint. The women he paints are gentle, yet pensive, and with expressive eyes.
Bharti Prajapati, an artist from Ahmedabad, is known to paint highly stylized female forms, using oils on canvas. The women have beautiful textures and are done in bright colors. Gautam Mukherji, an artist from Kolkata, works with acrylic paint on canvas. He is very much grounded in his culture. His homely women from West Bengal are quite evocative of the Badhralok, as evident in their languid movements, stylized clothes exquisite ornaments and elongated almond eyes. They are very much seeped in an indulgent mode.
Raja Segar from the island country of Sri Lanka has quite a distinctive style that can be termed ‘refractive’. The white light, as can be deciphered, fractures into beams of color. The women he paints are from working class, doing a multitude of tasks like plucking tea, feeding birds and nursing children. The works are acrylic on canvas.
Rajesh Srivastava who hails from Delhi again has a very contemporary look and feel. His unique approach and style is evident in the exquisite miniature works that have jewel-like faces. The faces he paints carry expressive eyes. The body akin to an aerial landscape abstract is done in muted colors. The compositions with mixed media on board are indeed fabulous.
Originally from Kolkatta, Ajay De is now based in Mumbai. He has a command over the medium of charcoals on paper. His works in charcoal carry a hint of acrylic paint. The women he paints are gentle, yet pensive, and with expressive eyes.
Bharti Prajapati, an artist from Ahmedabad, is known to paint highly stylized female forms, using oils on canvas. The women have beautiful textures and are done in bright colors. Gautam Mukherji, an artist from Kolkata, works with acrylic paint on canvas. He is very much grounded in his culture. His homely women from West Bengal are quite evocative of the Badhralok, as evident in their languid movements, stylized clothes exquisite ornaments and elongated almond eyes. They are very much seeped in an indulgent mode.
Raja Segar from the island country of Sri Lanka has quite a distinctive style that can be termed ‘refractive’. The white light, as can be deciphered, fractures into beams of color. The women he paints are from working class, doing a multitude of tasks like plucking tea, feeding birds and nursing children. The works are acrylic on canvas.
Rajesh Srivastava who hails from Delhi again has a very contemporary look and feel. His unique approach and style is evident in the exquisite miniature works that have jewel-like faces. The faces he paints carry expressive eyes. The body akin to an aerial landscape abstract is done in muted colors. The compositions with mixed media on board are indeed fabulous.
Husain: A protean maverick, a prolific artist
In an obituary to the iconic Indian artist, The BBC reported: “One of India's most famous artists, MF Husain, has died in hospital in London aged 95 after years of self-imposed exile. He had been unwell for several months.”
Art critic S Kalidas said Mr Husain was painting until two weeks before his death, and led a "full life". "He could paint anywhere - on the streets, in the studio. He was colourful, agile in mind and body. He was a fast thinking and fast painting man. I have never seen anybody paint so fast," he said.
“Maqbool Fida Husain was India's most iconic and prolific artist - and painted right up until two weeks before his death in London at the age of 95.”A New Delhi based writer on art & culture, Sudha G Tilak, wrote in The BBC News essay: “Husain was a protean maverick who embraced the free market, took to making cinema, angered Hindu radicals at home with his provocative work, gamely took leaving India in his stride, accepted Qatari nationality and loved fast cars, including a red Ferrari that he owned.”
"I have expressed only 10% - 90% is still inside. I don't think I will be able to do it, I think I have to take that with me to my grave," he had said in a recent interview. His peers and admirers marveled at the energy of this indefatigable painter - artist Anjolie Ela Menon says he "ran ahead of all of us - he had such energy".
So much so that he declared five years ago that he planned to work on ‘three major projects’: histories of Indian civilization, ‘other civilizations’ and a history of "cinema which is close to my heart".
When his admirers in India got worked up about his self-imposed exile, he calmly told an interviewer: "Nothing is stopping me; I can return tomorrow. But please know I remain an Indian painter whether I am painting in Paris, London, New York or Qatar..."
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Prominent artists whose works feature in the latest Christie's auction
Works by some of the biggest names in Indian and Pakistani contemporary art are to be sold by the British auction house, Christie's, on Thursday. The sale is led by this picture of a figure on a rickshaw by Tyeb Mehta (1925-2009) - one of the most significant works to come on to the market and expected to fetch up to £1.2m ($1.96m).
Leading the contemporary works is a painting, entitled ‘Father’ (1989) by Atul Dodiya (b 1959), which is expected to sell for up to £250,000. Mr Dodiya is regarded as one of the leading artists of his generation. This picture was part of his first solo show, which was autobiographical and reflected the influences of 20th Century greats such as Edward Hopper and David Hockney.
‘Idol Thief I’ (2006) by Subodh Gupta (b 1964) is, according to Christie's, "firmly rooted in the vernacular of everyday India". Buyers in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, the US and Europe have expressed an interest in this work.
An untitled work by Jitish Kallat (b 1975) is expected to sell for up to £180,000. The artist is renowned for employing a bold and vivid visual language that is influenced by both Asian and European artistic traditions, along with popular advertising imagery.
Neha is exciting oil on linen work by Schandra Singh that is expected to be sold for up to £35,000. Ms Singh is based in New York and her large-scale paintings show people in relaxing situations "as a form of escape from distress".
Also being sold in the auction are less expensive paintings such as this work by Rina Banerjee. It is expected to sell for up to £12,000. Ms Banerjee is based in Manhattan in the US and her work has been exhibited at the Bronx Museum of the Arts and Whitney Museum of American Art. A work by Khadim Ali is also comparatively less expensive. Put together in gold leaf and signed and dated in Urdu, it is expected to make up to £8,000.
(Information courtesy: The BBC NEWS)
New Christie's auction that ‘represents the very best of South Asian art’
The British auction house, Christie's, is carrying out a major sale that presents the market with one of the most exciting groups of contemporary South Asian art ever to be offered at auction," according to Yamini Mehta, director of modern and contemporary South Asian art at the auction house.
A well-known artist whose works form part of the sale is Francis Newton Souza. This painting from 1958 is expected to fetch up £500,000. Executed during a high point of his career, it utilizes 'savage brushstrokes and a fiery palette while maximizing use of space by constructing a cityscape from a series of overlapping, highly-faceted geometric forms. The overall affect is one of fractured stained glass', Christie's experts say.
Some of the most sought-after works submitted to the auction by Mr Souza's family are a pair of paneled glass French doors (half of which can be seen above) that were once a prominent feature of his studio flat and are expected to fetch up to £120,000. Each door comprises 30 drawings which provide a montage of "windows" into the artist's imagination.
An important modernist work is an untitled piece done in 1955 by Akbar Padamsee (b 1928), an artist whose work has recently gained new momentum and weight on the international stage. This picture is expected to sell for up to £400,000. It is a rare and early work executed during his time in Paris.
Mention must be made of ‘Going Away’ by Nilima Sheikh. Apart from exhibiting her work in India and internationally, she has lectured on Indian art at many venues in her home country and internationally. Going Away is expected to fetch up to £80,000.
"The sale as a whole is expected to generate in excess of £4m and represents the cream of South Asian art," a Christie's spokesman has been quoted as saying.
(Information courtesy: The BBC NEWS)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
'Organics' as the core theme of a group show
Twelve Gates Art Gallery in Philadelphia presents 'Organics', a group show of works by Amina Ahmed, Delna Dastur, Ina Kaur, Antonio Puri, Gurpran Rau, and Nitin Mukul. The idea is to highlight the multifariousness of the organic art genre by collating organic works with different inspirations and origins - placed within the realm of the social and personal identity of the South Asian American art.
The force behind Antonio Puri’s work is the deconstruction of identifiable social labels to evaluate the idea of one's existence. Gurpran Rau creates surfaces, which evoke weathered walls that reveal underlying histories and denote passage of time. Nitin Mukul contrasts elements of ‘both the terrestrial and urban’ and employs forms that ‘refer to the worlds constituted by both the biological and social’.
The recurring elements in Amina Ahmed’s work are geometry, repetition and rhythm whereas the richly saturated colors of artist Delna Dastur’s are inspired by nature. Ina Kaur focuses on identity trapped in the continuum of cross-cultural negotiation. Amina Ahmed, a current member of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts NY, presents an installation that explores pattern and measurement, working with the fivefold symmetry. Here Ahmed explores the way her work “organically unfolds and re-folds tracing the steps of an underlying path.”
Delna Dastur received her BA in Art History from Wellesley College and MFA from American University. She is currently a faculty member at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and The Art League of Alexandria. Ina Kaur is a native of New Delhi and currently heads the drawing and printmaking area at the University of Tampa. Her work focuses on identity caught in the ‘continuum of cross-cultural negotiation.’
Juxtaposition is a major theme in Mukul's artwork. He uses a range of media such as painting, video, installation, and set design. Antonio Puri’s artwork is as complex as the idea behind them, using layers of veneers, glazes, and varnishes. Gurpran Rau is a San Francisco based artist. She studied art at New Delhi Polytechnic, La Sorbonne, The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts (Paris), and Purdue University. ‘Organics’ features a selection of Rau's work that are organic mixed-media.
(Information courtesy: Twelve Gates Art Gallery, Philadelphia)
The force behind Antonio Puri’s work is the deconstruction of identifiable social labels to evaluate the idea of one's existence. Gurpran Rau creates surfaces, which evoke weathered walls that reveal underlying histories and denote passage of time. Nitin Mukul contrasts elements of ‘both the terrestrial and urban’ and employs forms that ‘refer to the worlds constituted by both the biological and social’.
The recurring elements in Amina Ahmed’s work are geometry, repetition and rhythm whereas the richly saturated colors of artist Delna Dastur’s are inspired by nature. Ina Kaur focuses on identity trapped in the continuum of cross-cultural negotiation. Amina Ahmed, a current member of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts NY, presents an installation that explores pattern and measurement, working with the fivefold symmetry. Here Ahmed explores the way her work “organically unfolds and re-folds tracing the steps of an underlying path.”
Delna Dastur received her BA in Art History from Wellesley College and MFA from American University. She is currently a faculty member at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and The Art League of Alexandria. Ina Kaur is a native of New Delhi and currently heads the drawing and printmaking area at the University of Tampa. Her work focuses on identity caught in the ‘continuum of cross-cultural negotiation.’
Juxtaposition is a major theme in Mukul's artwork. He uses a range of media such as painting, video, installation, and set design. Antonio Puri’s artwork is as complex as the idea behind them, using layers of veneers, glazes, and varnishes. Gurpran Rau is a San Francisco based artist. She studied art at New Delhi Polytechnic, La Sorbonne, The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts (Paris), and Purdue University. ‘Organics’ features a selection of Rau's work that are organic mixed-media.
(Information courtesy: Twelve Gates Art Gallery, Philadelphia)
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