23 Jul 2020

Art Scene India presents Convergence

Convergence, a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures by Shanthamani Muddaiah, Shivani Aggarwal and Minal Damani, curated by Nalini S Malaviya starts July 24, 2020


Convergence a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures  curated by Nalini S Malaviya   Shanthamani Muddaiah | Shivani Aggarwal | Minal Damani
The pandemic has disrupted the ‘regularity’ of our existence, where the new normal is a paradox, unrelated and at variance with memories of the past, disconnected from the present and a distant future. This interruption has necessitated a reconstruct and rethink of strategies, modes of functioning and a revaluation of what constitutes essential. The existing paranoia and other associated anxieties have brought to the fore several pertinent questions regarding factors responsible for calamities, unwarranted human interventions and indiscriminate actions that disregard ecological considerations. 

The hiatus, therefore, compounded by disquiet and turmoil, has compelled a deeper introspection of the human-nature coexistence and equilibrium, and of environmental, socio-economic and psychological sustainability issues, under transient and perpetual stress.

Amidst this, artists and art projects have pivoted to realign core practices to adopt meaningful human and community centric approaches. Modalities of engagement with the audience have also undergone perceptible repositioning with near total shift to digital platforms, and a predominance of artists collectives and community based projects. 

This curatorial endeavor embraces a collaborative model, an art and media collective, centered on the three artists’ core practices to relocate social and ecological realities on a democratic forum. The artworks and the online digital site, act as a resource, to articulate and respond to shifts in contemporary socio-cultural conditions. Art Scene India, a 14 year old blog, a digital publishing site for art information, in response to collective concerns and in view of the pandemic situation, now accommodates a conceptual and aesthetic shift to incorporate curatorial expression as part of its vision.

The democratic approach builds upon the artists’ practice that is deeply informed by environment and gender sensitivities, and social, political and geographical concerns – arenas that assume great criticality in the contemporary context. Shanthamani Muddaiah, Shivani Aggarwal and Minal Damani locate and realign their preoccupations, and present their recent works, much of which has been produced during the pandemic and is thus layered with current apprehensions, as a subtext to the primary narrative.

Convergence a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures  curated by Nalini S Malaviya   Shanthamani Muddaiah | Shivani Aggarwal | Minal Damani

Shanthamani views the world around her through a prismatic lens, questioning issues that interplay between the individual and the society, the self and the planet. Her strong concerns about urbanization and its impact on ecology are reflected in her drawings and sculptural installations. Loss of agricultural land, and livelihoods, migration, commodification, and exploitation of human and natural resources, and capitalism as the dominant culture are some of the issues that she analyses and expresses through her large scale depictions. For this exhibition, in view of the online site for display, small format pre-existing sculptures are presented, which paraphrase fresh import in light of current contexts.

Shivani’s introspective stance negotiates the complex interrelationships between the external world and the self. She navigates the intricacies of linkages between the material and intangible elements, expressing the impact and the fragility of these associations. Her works map constructs around ethos, culture, gender and identity, deploying material as a gestural entity. Shivani’s visuals are embedded with symbolism, representing notions of self, while exploring emotional flux and confinements of space in response to the situational crises. Stitching and crochet allude to gender as a subtext, and aesthetics acts as a tool to construct the narrative. The sculptural nature of the works are markedly evident through use of multiple media primarily photography, painting and stitching/crochet.
 
Convergence a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures  curated by Nalini S Malaviya   Shanthamani Muddaiah | Shivani Aggarwal | Minal Damani








Minal’s works emanate from a deep autobiographical space, reflecting upon the self, in conjunction with the external world, charting responses, which have an intense personal connect. Through a rigorous mapping device to trace diagrams and graphs of events in real-time and space, the intricate patterns that are generated, appear as macroscopic capsules of land, memories and episodes. Her current series acts as a witness to these times, documenting the volatility of the financial markets as an indication of the prevailing emotional turmoil. The fluctuations allude to hopes and dreams, fears and apprehensions, where the range of emotions reflect life during the pandemic experience. 

The exhibition functions as a convergence of material, site and situation to define the contemporaneous of witnessing, experiencing and living through the ongoing pandemic. 
 



Shanthamani Muddaiah

Hands  Year: 2019  Medium: Fiberglass on wooden pedestal, artist Shanthamani M, Convergence by Art Scene India   
Title: Hands
Year: 2019
Medium: Fiberglass on wooden pedestal Edition: Edition of 3
Note: Artist’s proof of is on display in Bangalore
Note: The artist has done “Hands” in different sizes and materials over several years.
Size:
Each Hand: 20 x 10.5 x 7.5 inches
Pedestal: 22 x 19 x 1 inches
Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

 Title: Flying Landscape  Year: 2016  Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint  Edition: Edition of two (larger in scale) with Artist’s Proof (pictured)  Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah     Title: Flying Landscape  Year: 2016  Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint  Edition: Edition of two (larger in scale) with Artist’s Proof (pictured)  Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah  


Title: Flying Landscape (detail) Year: 2016  Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint  Edition: Artist’s Proof (pictured)  Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah     Title: Flying Landscape (detail) Year: 2016  Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint  Artist’s Proof (pictured)  Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Flying Landscape 
Year: 2016 
Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint 
Edition: Artist’s Proof
Note: Larger edition is on display in Paris
Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches 
Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah




Title: Temptation  Medium: Graphite with Charcoal on Paper  Year: 2020  Edition: Artist’s Proof  Note: One edition will be larger in size Size:  Big Apple: 2.5 x 2.5 X 2.5 inches  Small Apple: 0.75 x 1.72 x 1.5 inches  Pedestal: 8.5 x 4 x 1 inch  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Temptation  Medium: Graphite with Charcoal on Paper  Year: 2020  Edition: Artist’s Proof  Note: One edition will be larger in size Size:  Big Apple: 2.5 x 2.5 X 2.5 inches  Small Apple: 0.75 x 1.72 x 1.5 inches  Pedestal: 8.5 x 4 x 1 inch  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Temptation 
Medium: Graphite with Charcoal on Paper 
Year: 2020 
Edition: Artist’s Proof 
Note: One edition will be larger in size Size: 
Big Apple: 2.5 x 2.5 X 2.5 inches 
Small Apple: 0.75 x 1.72 x 1.5 inches 
Pedestal: 8.5 x 4 x 1 inch 
Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Temptation  Medium: Graphite with Charcoal on Paper  Year: 2020  Edition: Artist’s Proof  Note: One edition will be larger in size Size:  Big Apple: 2.5 x 2.5 X 2.5 inches  Small Apple: 0.75 x 1.72 x 1.5 inches  Pedestal: 8.5 x 4 x 1 inch  Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah












Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Trap 2 
Medium: Acrylics and stitching thread on handmade paper 
Year: 2020 
Size: 7.5 x 11 inches each, set of 6 
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal


Title: Stitch Forms (Drawings) 
Medium: Thread stitching on paper 
Year: 2020 
Size: 4 x 6 inches each, set of 5 works 
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal


Title: Trap 
Medium: Acrylics and copper crocheted wire on paper 
Year: 2020 
Size: 12 x 8 inches each, set of 10 works 
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal


Title: Untitled 
Medium: Photography, acrylics and stitching on archival paper 
Year: 2020 
Size: 12 x 12 inches each, set of 4 works 
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Dilemma 
Medium: Acrylics and copper wire on paper 
Year: 2020 
Size: 3 x 5 ft wall mounted 
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal


Inquire

Minal Damani

Title: Rise and Fall 1 Year: 2020 Medium: Archival pen on paper Size: 12” x 15.5” Artist: Minal Damani
Title: Rise and Fall 1 
Year: 2020 
Medium: Archival pen on paper 
Size: 12” x 15.5” 
Artist: Minal Damani


Title: Rise anRise and Fall 2 Year: 2020  Medium: Archival pen on paper  Size: 12” x 15.5”  Artist: Minal Damani
Title: Rise and Fall 2
Year: 2020 
Medium: Archival pen on paper 
Size: 12” x 15.5” 
Artist: Minal Damani


Title: Rise and Fall 3 Year: 2020  Medium: Archival pen on paper  Size: 12” x 15.5”  Artist: Minal Damani
Title: Rise and Fall 3
Year: 2020 
Medium: Archival pen on paper 
Size: 12” x 15.5” 
Artist: Minal Damani
    
Title: Rise and Fall 4 Year: 2020  Medium: Archival pen on paper  Size: 12” x 15.5”  Artist: Minal Damani
Title: Rise and Fall 4
Year: 2020 
Medium: Archival pen on paper 
Size: 12” x 15.5” 
Artist: Minal Damani
 
Title: Rise and Fall 5  Year: 2020  Medium: Archival pen on paper  Size: 12” x 15.5”  Artist: Minal Damani
Title: Rise and Fall 5 
Year: 2020 
Medium: Archival pen on paper 
Size: 12” x 15.5” 
Artist: Minal Damani


Inquire


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9 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautifully curated about the Art and the Artist,great show Nalini,
Wishing you very best

K. V. Subramanyam said...

Sensuously curated : intelligently perceived.

Nalini Malaviya said...

Thank you!

Lecturer Chandran said...

Inspiring in the Pandemic World for taking real ART to REAL people.

indrajit prasad said...

Beautiful works by all three artists. Happy to see Minal's new works. Congratulations and best wishes to all of you.

Prithi Shetty said...

I came here via your article in DeccanHerald "Brushstrokes-on-the-silver-screen"
https://www.deccanherald.com/sunday-herald/sunday-herald-art-culture/brushstrokes-on-the-silver-screen-879612.html
On this topic, I too had a few questions worth exploring.
1) Why are contemporary fine art artists artwork not used much in Indian movies ?
2) Why do contemporary Indian writers stick to whimsical but can't write any realist or believable but creative novels ? In English and other Indian languages.
3) Why is it so rare to adapt good current books, into current Indian movies ?
4) Sometimes Indian artist's artwork is featured in movies. Some well-known or prolific ones & some newbies. But credits for them is very hazy. Speaking to art blogs or publications should also be one line of PR & marketing. At the very least those artists (or their PR) could talk about it on their own social media.

Nalini Malaviya said...

Hi Prithi, thanks for stopping by! You've raised some very pertinent questions regarding use and credits wrt contemporary Indian art, film adaptations and the workings of PR machinery. I'm afraid I will not be able to answer these here, but will try to put together my views either as articles or social media posts. Will update here. Request you to pl check back here, thanks

arthut India said...

art is heart, very loved !!

Anonymous said...

👍