Art Scene India: August 2016

18 Aug 2016

Art News: New Art Gallery Opens in Bangalore

Iconic portrait of renowned singer MS Subbulakshmi painted by MF Husain to be displayed at ‘Art Bengaluru’ by Navrathan’s Art Gallery

MF Husain’s iconic portrait of MS Subbulakshmi, the world renowned singer and foremost proponent of Carnatic music, will be displayed by India’s newest art gallery, Navrathan’s of Bangalore. Navrathan jewellers have been a familiar destination for Bangaloreans since 1954. The sign of the iconic `nine jewels’ – the nine auspicious planetary gems – has lit up 18 MG road and attracted a stream of clients eager to acquire their signature gold jewellery. The man behind the legendary success of Navrathan jewellers is Mr. Gautam Chand Bafna, a connoisseur of arts, who has now extended his patronage to include fine and decorative arts; modern and contemporary Indian paintings, European paintings, antiques as well as interior décor, period-style furniture, porcelain, glass, silver and sculpture.

The painting of MS Subbulakshmi will be displayed in Bangalore thanks to the efforts of Mr. Gautam. As a sponsor of Bangalore’s premier annual art event – Art Bengaluru, which launches on 19th August at UB City, Navrathan will unveil and showcase Husain’s portrait of `M S’ as Subbulakshmi was affectionately known, as the centrepiece of their display.

Portrait of a Legend

MS Subbulakshmi painted by MF Husain at ‘Art Bengaluru 2016’ by Navrathan’s Art Gallery, Image courtesy Thomas Jose

Navrathan’s Art Gallery presents portrait of MS Subbulakshmi painted by MF Husain at ‘Art Bengaluru 2016’

The monumental portrait, 6 ft x 4 ft, an acrylic on canvas depicts the virtuoso singer holding her famous tambura. She wears a deep red sari, a conspicuous bindi, nose stud, ear rings and her hair is adorned with jasmine flowers. Husain has captioned the portrait “Subbulakshmi” in Tamil and has also signed it in Tamil. The portrait was painted by Husain in a flash of inspiration, the way he remembered her, when he heard the news of her passing. At the time, the artist had a major exhibition of his work, which he dedicated to the singer, in Chennai, where the portrait was originally unveiled. At the time Husain said that when he once heard her sing, for two minutes “It was so divine. I can never forget it in my life-time”. He heard of her passing on 11th December 2004 and painted the portrait in a day in Dubai. When he travelled to Chennai a few days later, he brought the painting and displayed it himself as the focal point of his exhibition at the Lakshana Museum of Arts.

The Queen of Music

Subbulakshmi’s music in films made her nationally famous. However, her devotional songs created even greater fame in India and internationally. Her voice interpreted the compositions of the three greats of Carnatic music, Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshiter and Shyam Sastri. Mahatma Gandhi was moved to tears when she sang his favourite bhajan Vaishnava Jana To Tene Kahiye Je Peer Parayee Jaane Re. When she sang at the United Nations Assembly, the New York Times wrote that Westerners could understand her message though it was delivered in a different language. She sang before Queen Elizabeth at London’s Royal Albert Hall. In 1954 Subbulakshmi received the Padma Bhushan and in 1969 received the title of Sangeetha Kalanidhi. She was the first woman to be honoured by the Madras Music Academy. In 1974 she received the Magsaysay Award and in 1975 she received the Padma Vibhushan. In 1990 she was awarded the Indira Gandhi Award for national integration. In 1998 she became the first musician to be honoured with the Bharat Ratna.

The United Nations has issued a stamp to mark Subbulakshmi’s birth centenary, coinciding with the celebration of India’s 70th Independence Day on 15th August 2016.

Navrathan’s is honoured and privileged to display this superb portrait of one of India’s greatest singers by one of India’s greatest artists.

Contact Michael Ludgrove, Navrathan’s Art Consultant on +91 99725 97430 and Chirag Chopra on +91 99006 85028 for all enquiries

Navrathan’s Art Gallery

Navrathan’s has taken up 35,000 square feet over three floors at 39 MG Road, perhaps the largest such

Mr. Gautam Chand Bafna

space in India. The familiar logo of Navrathan’s, a lotus with nine variously coloured petals, following the colours of the nine jewels, can now be seen above an impressive heritage facade building.

The second floor of this paradise for the discerning interior décor enthusiasts, houses Mr. Gautam’s latest venture, an art gallery. A state-of-the-art picture hanging system has been installed in a 3,000 sq. ft. picture gallery dedicated to exhibitions of paintings, photography and other interesting genres. A series of exhibitions is planned and will commence in September, and will include Masters as well as newly discovered talents; Photography and other categories such as rare books, maps, jewellery design and watches will also be featured.

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9 Aug 2016

Interview: Albrecht Behmel - This is the Era of the Artist

In a discussion with Art Scene India, Albrecht Behmel, the well known German artist, novelist, historian and award-winning playwright shares his views on the art market, the future of art criticism and the relevance of marketing in the Internet age.

Albrecht Behmel in conversation with Art Scene India

NM: How would you briefly describe the art scene in Germany?

AB: There is a lot of talent around here. Great people like Christian Awe with a unique vision. I love to follow careers such as his from street art to major creator. There are great art-dealers and collectors here, like Jenny Falckenberg and Frieder Burda.
So that side of the scene is healthy and well. Galleries are in trouble as everywhere else with the internet taking their place more and more every year. Just imagine what Google did in the last years to make all the museums of this world accessible online using big data. I know that personal relations are what keeps a gallery alive but I am not sure most of the galleries are aware of how massive the pressure will become.

NM: What inspires you as an artist?

AB: Two things: nature and the movies. I am a huge fan of both. I live in the country with my wife, two kids, a brother in law and a mother in law. It is brilliant when an extended family can live together in harmony. Nature is near, there is a lot of wild life. that inspires me. And I love the movies, so I did a series of super heroes whose outlines I filled with silhouettes of other heroes, monsters, villains, victims etc. That is fun! I especially love the Marvel Series and a Star Wars series I created. I can totally lose myself in these paintings. On another level I am inspired by colors that make me happy, powerful deep red, massive yellow or turquoise and so on.

Batman by Albrecht Behmel, In conversation with Art Scene India

NM: What is your take on art critics? Do you think their relevance is waning or on the rise in the contemporary context?

AB: Well, If you mean professional art critics, I am not sure they have much of a future in the era of social media. Instagram, Pinterest are such powerful platforms for artists to create their own tribes that I am not sure how traditional criticism can survive without major adaptation. Yet I don’t really see this happening. I am convinced that in the future they will lose much of their power to “fanboy99” who comes out of nowhere but manages to entertain better because he understands how the internet really works. Long articles in newspapers are surely not the way of this century.

NM: How important is it for artists to remain current on trends and stay updated on global markets in general?

AB: It is 100% vital to understand the market if you depend on the market, i.e. if you want to sell. Funnily, having said that, prices are not the main thing here at all but marketing is. I always study the latest developments, I go to as many art fairs as I can manage, I read a lot and I follow auctions. That doesn’t mean I have to change my work or my style. It means that I try to understand what makes other artists remarkable. There is so much to learn.

NM: What would you advise upcoming artists?

AB: Feel good about charging the right price, don’t undersell, and know your numbers! That’s about the only advice I can give because as far as the art is concerned there is so much talent out there, so much passion and innovation! This is the era of the artist. It has never been so easy to become a creator as it is today. Everything a young artist needs today is totally in reach, all the knowledge, the exposure, the materials - most of which is free! But if you want to make a living, or better if you want to thrive: make sure you are not cheap but expensive.

Albrecht was born in 1971, studied arts and humanities in Heidelberg and Berlin, Germany and founded his own painting technique The Magic of the Swarms in 2012. This style is also called abstrahistic because it merges figurative shapes into abstract forms. A frequent and generous donor to international charities, Albrecht has recently supported Evelina Children’s Hospital in London, Al Madad Foundation London, Dolphin Aid, Rotary Clubs and university clinics in Germany. Albrecht co-authored international bestselling books like “The Successful Kid” as well as 20 other titles, novels, non-fiction, games, etc. He lives in the German Black Forest not far from France and travels a lot.

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