Metamorphoses by Jehangir Jani

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Jehangir Jani, the Mumbai based artist was in town for the opening of his new exhibition ‘Metamorphoses’ comprising of fibreglass sculptures and drawings. I found his sculptures delightfully whimsical and suggestive of a trace of humour. The myriad heads are those of hybrid creatures – part human and part animal. The gold foil accentuates the animal characteristics against a featureless form of the black human head. Lionman, Elephantman, Rhinoman among other hybrid creatures surprise the viewer with their absurdity, craftsmanship and expressiveness. In these creatures of fantasy, the beastly quality presented against the stark and smooth metallic finish of the heads may even disturb the viewer. One feels that the animal traits in a human being are expressed with a sharp wit.

According to Jehangir, as we move towards being a more ‘civilised’ culture, we tend to suppress our animal instincts, but then it manifests itself in various other ways. He points out how the twentieth century was an era of discovery, knowledge acquisition and inventions, yet this phase was marked by wars and blood baths. Not to forget the growing number of troubled people turning to therapy.

I felt that the apparent contrast between the sophisticated appearance of the sculptures against the rawness of the drawings presents an interesting study. The drawings are in two sets, where the larger ones focus on internal strife and chaos, while the smaller works are darker and appear more intense, projecting the physical attributes of the brain itself in various adaptive stages in response to stimuli.

(The exhibition will be on till August 6 at Gallery Sumukha)

Digital Fix

On a completely different note, in this technological day and age you don’t expect anyone to be unfamiliar with either e-mails or use of computers. Well, there are artists who are far removed from technology, and rely completely on traditional methods of communication and painting. Then, there are artists who are so proficient with technical advances that they use it as a tool to create their art around it.
It is common to see artists taking digital photographs and modifying them with photo editing software - playing around with colours, backgrounds and other features (adding and deleting elements). And, some then print it on canvas and fill in the colours. There is a school of thought that believes that art should be completely done manually, and there are buyers reluctant to invest in such paintings (remember, here we’re not talking about digital art).

While, this is debatable, what the artist can do is to state clearly how the painting has been done and then leave it to the buyer to decide whether he wants to buy a digitally aided work or not.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

A career in fine arts

(Nalini S Malaviya)

There have been a considerable number of mails requesting for various kinds of information on a career in fine arts. This has come from students at the threshold of selecting a profession and also from professionals looking at making a career switch. Then, there are a few homemakers who have been pursuing art as a hobby and would now like to take it up as a full time profession.
For the first category, I would suggest that students interested in a career in art should decide only after consulting a professional counsellor, who will help them evaluate their aptitude and suitability in this field. A career in fine arts may appear to be filled with glamour and glitz to those from the outside, thanks to the million dollar sales. And, now that artists are appearing regularly on the page 3 circuits there is a lot of visibility as well. But, as a profession, fine arts is like any other career. Remember, there is a huge number of artists who struggle to make even ends meet, and to establish oneself can be a long and tedious journey. Creativity and talent are just some of the prerequisites needed to be successful as an artist. A career counsellor can provide all the necessary details regarding institutes and colleges and also on the diverse sub-categories that one can opt for.

For professionals who want to work as artists, they should consider the financial implications before making any drastic move. But before that, they must be sure if they have the capabilities to make it as a fine artist.
I would like to point out that it is always difficult, especially initially, for self taught artists and painters to be taken seriously by critics and collectors. Incidentally, MF Husain, Arpana Caur and Badrinarayan are some of the self-taught artists who have found tremendous success. Women artists who have a background in fine arts may find it easier to get acceptance. Especially, homemakers who have a degree in fine arts may fine it fairly straightforward to get into mainstream, whereas it might be a little difficult for the occasional hobby painters.

All said and done, one should make a career choice for the right reasons. It is so much more satisfying when one does something because one enjoys it.
However, do remember that art by itself is an extremely therapeutic outlet. Whether one pursues it as a career or not, one should definitely try to paint or sculpt and it will surely be a great stress buster.

The changing art scene

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Last week at the preview of one of the art shows, I was fortunate enough to meet Professor MGK Menon, a renowned Indian scientist. Prof Menon was part of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai as a Director and currently he is an Advisor, Indian Space Research Organization. He was in the city on a holiday and one of the things that we talked about was the exorbitant price of artworks today. He incidentally helped build the art collection at TIFR during his tenure. Having bought KH Ara, Tyeb Mehta, MF Husain at prices that we cannot even dream of now, he felt how dramatically the art scene has changed over the years. It is so true when art lovers say that now people buy for investment and not because they have a passion for art!

It was interesting to see how most people comment on how the art scene in Bangalore has altered so much over the years. Well, the fact is that once the world sat up and took note of Indian art, the dynamics of the market changed forever. New Delhi is choc-a-block with galleries and artists, Mumbai, of course is the nerve centre, Kolkata is somewhat lagging behind, but Bangalore is one city that has seen some furious growth.

The art scene here is much more vibrant now than say five years ago, lots of shows are happening, many foreign artists are also exhibiting here, but on the flip side many local artists who are incredibly talented and are doing very well outside the city, do not show their works here. Which is such a pity!
And, sometimes one feels that at some level there is stagnation as well. When visiting exhibitions one hopes to see new and exciting works but one comes across familiar pieces. Well, if you look at the statistics, serious collectors and investors are opting to buy works by Indian artists whose works are more contemporary.

However, it is difficult for established artists to move to a different genre or medium - there is not only the comfort factor but often a genuine demand for those works. But, one wonders how long will this demand last? Shouldn’t the artists look at reinventing themselves? Galleries and curators should also take it upon themselves to encourage artists to experiment. Younger artists who have the talent and skill should be promoted. When that happens the art scene in Bangalore will truly be more alive and vibrant.

Bangalore : Art shows galore

(Nalini S Malaviya)
The art scene in the city has picked up considerably over the last couple of weeks. The last few days went by in a whirl of activity for many of us, visiting a variety of exhibitions – photographs, paintings, installations and mixed media.
Two exhibitions that have ended but are worth mentioning are - the wild life photography show by M N Jayakumar that has been extensively covered and written about, and it was truly quite spectacular. There were some wonderful snapshots from the wild. Then ‘Silent Symphony’ featured pen and ink drawings by artist Babu Jattakar who incidentally is a faculty at the Applied Art Department, Chitrakala Parishath. The black and white landscapes were presented in a conventional style. They were excellent - pleasant compositions and affordably priced.


Another show, ‘Artists without Boundaries’, features a group of women artists from across the country. With names like Arpana Caur, Rekha Rao, Asma Menon, Gogi Saroj Pal, and Naina Kanodia among others, it seemed promising. But the collection could have involved a larger body of works, which would have offered greater insights into each artist’s oeuvre.
Rekha’s painting was a little different from her earlier series as it added a figurative element – a film poster - to her abstracted backdrop. Portraying the social issue of untouchability, Rekha has drawn from the legendary film actress Nutan’s defining film ‘Sujata’, also based on the same theme. Naina Kanodia’s works are delightful, with their photograph-like visuals. The figures always appear to be suspended in time, surrounded by their abundant worldly belongings. Arpana Caur presented Guru Nanak in her signature style, while Gogi Saroj Pal’s works have been painted with greater abandon than usual.
The exhibition is on at Renaissance Gallery for another week.
Meanwhile, Kaleidoscope 2008 kicks off today, featuring assorted works by various artists. It is on at Kynkyny art gallery till July 19.

And, finally I want to say I am delighted and touched that last week’s column has enthused at least a few photographers who are now keen on exhibiting their fine art photographs. I look forward to that.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Fine Art Photography

There's reason for cheer as fine art photography emerges as the next big thing

(Nalini S Malaviya)

I met a couple of local photographers, recently, as part of a search for good photographers for an online portal. One of them, Vivek Mathew is an extremely talented youngster who has had successful shows in the city. His photographs of landscapes, objects, buildings and the monsoon (reflections in puddles and so on) were simply amazing. This, in fact is a good time to be a photographer. After the art boom, fine art photography is poised to be the next big thing in the country. Although the market is still nascent at the moment, the number of exhibitions of photographs and prints has gone up exponentially in the recent past. Mumbai and Delhi markets are comparatively a lot more mature compared to Bangalore. But, here too there are a number of exhibitions of fine art photography taking place. Varied themes such as wildlife, architecture, interiors, landscapes and people are captured through the lens and are creating waves in the art circles.


There are now dedicated galleries and portals to showcase fine art photography, which just goes to prove how the market is evolving. Many art galleries too have begun showcasing photographic prints either as an exclusive show or as part of a multi-media exhibit. There are many painters and other artists as well who are turning to photography. With their fine art background they bring a different kind of sensibility to this art form.
Worldwide, the market has been doing well for quite some time now. Sotheby’s, Christies and other international auction houses regularly hold auctions of vintage photographs. There is a growing awareness amongst collectors and investors regarding this medium, and while the market for prints might be under developed at the moment, it is one with a lot of potential.

When investing in photographs a few things that one can keep in mind are –
· Professional background of the photographer
· Edition size (less than 15 is a good idea) – the lower the better
· Use of good quality archival paper

Some of the photographers who are considered to be established and are known to be producing good quality works are Raghu Rai, Dayanita Singh, Pablo Barthomolew and Shibu Arakkal. But this list is endless, and there are many foreign photographers too who are exhibiting in India. As an emerging medium, prints are affordable at the moment, available in the price range of Rs 20,000 to a few lakhs.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Are these prices real?

Many young artists are hiking their rates to ride the global price tide you see at auctions. But this won’t pay in the long run, says Nalini S Malaviya

A recent report made out a convincing case that Indian art is undervalued at the moment and prices will go up in the future. Is that true? If you ask the uninitiated, the answer will be ‘Indian art is already over-priced and there is no logic or sense in the million dollar deals that take place regularly, particularly at auctions’. Auction prices apart, most people find it hard to digest the prices of art even in the primary market.
Analysts look at prices from a global perspective based on which prices may be low compared to Chinese or Western art, but the fact remains that Indian art’s climb in the recent past has been spectacular. And, there’s no denying that now it has become unaffordable for many.
One of the problems that have come into focus in the recent times is the many artists trying to ride this wave by increasing their prices with every show. While this is valid for some of them, based on their performance at international shows, buyers find it irritating that students and new artists also price their works exorbitantly even in their first or second show. What they need to remember is that if they raise their prices too soon and too much, they will not be taken seriously by an art collector.

On a slightly different note, I expected more reactions to my earlier column (Till death do us art) about the German artist who was planning to use ‘death’ as a stage performance, as part of his art exhibition. Readers did react to it, but mostly on my blog and that too when I had first reported the event with a link to the original story. But strangely enough, my write-up about Badrinarayan’s drawings seemed to have irked a few readers. Now art, of course, happens to be a very subjective matter, where you may like something, which I may not and vice versa. I have also mentioned in the past, how the definition of art is expanding, and it is not always about aesthetics and beauty. But in this particular instance, what one needs to appreciate is the emphasis and efforts at popularising folk art traditions. You probably know that most folk arts such as Madhubani, Pithora, Warli, and Chittara are on the decline. Badrinarayan’s art may not be immensely cerebral but his usage of clean lines in a folk art style while presenting Indian folklore is quite commendable. Incidentally, his art is also popular at the international level.


(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Visual tales by a master storyteller

This week I would like to talk about my meeting with artist Badri Narayan and his forthcoming exhibition. After living in Mumbai for several years, the artist shifted to Bangalore a couple of years ago and although he has been suffering from ill health he continues to paint. His zest for life and his spirit remains indomitable and in fact the several paintings that graced his walls, have been painted by him in the last couple of years.

Born in 1929 in Secunderabad, Badri Narayan is a self-taught artist and has been painting for about six decades. He has worked with several mediums such as paintings, ceramics, tiles, woodcuts and engravings. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in the year 1987.

A master storyteller, Badri Narayan weaves tales that are inspired by Indian myth and folklore - the Jatakas, Puranas and other stories. But, the interpretation of these is completely unique and centres round everyday life.
From an early age he was interested in literature, folk tales and visual arts and probably that explains a strong influence of these elements in his repertoire. Compassion, wisdom, kindness are just some of the emotional foci that form an integral part of his narrative. The characters in his visuals may belong to another age and period but the events and episodes portrayed are contemporary in narration and relevance. Relationships and other human traits fascinate the artist and are brought out through detailed depictions. As Badri Narayan’s art draws heavily from the folk arts, the images are stylised and may even appear child-like at the first instance. But there is a rich simplicity that evokes an instant emotional connect. In his colourful watercolour paintings too there is a strong use of the pen and ink with motifs that are repeated for an ornamental purpose. He acknowledges the fact and is happy to promote and present Indian cultural and traditional elements through his art. For instance, there is extensive cross-hatching (tiny criss-crossed lines) done in some of his works. Symbols and metaphors are also often used to emphasize the significance. Despite their illustrative quality the paintings and drawings are fluid and eloquent in their narration. In his new series, a number of drawings are inspired by Hamsa - the mythical swan. The drawings are sparse yet compelling as they spin a new tale.

Badri Narayan’s series of pen and ink drawings titled Hamsa, Jataka and Other Drawings will be showcased at Renaissance Gallerie from June 12 to 18.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

The week that was - Bangalore

Surprisingly, just when I thought nothing happens in summer, there was a lot of creative activity in the city. Remember the sculpture workshop I had talked about a couple of weeks ago? Well it ended recently with all the artists having created at least 1 sculptural piece. The good thing about a workshop such as this is that it offers a fantastic opportunity to watch artists at work. To see the changing shape of the clay over the days was an exciting process. The inimitable Laxma Goud finished with three pieces – complete with ornate designs and elaborate detailing. Talk about energy! Alex Mathew created a fascinating clay model of Francisco Goya’s etching ‘The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters’. I look forward to seeing that in bronze. Jyotsna Bhatt from Baroda worked and conditioned the clay diligently over and over again just as she does with her ceramic pieces, to finally make a delightful cat. Some of you will remember the Ahmedabad based sculptor Karl Antao who had an exhibition of his sculptures in the city last year. Working along similar lines, he made busts of a man and woman joined together at the base. I have to say his works are quite intense and cerebral. I enjoyed Manjunath Kamath’s self-portrait with a quizzical and satirical touch. Reghu and his take on rural men and women are quite well known in Bangalore, he made a similar model here too. All the clay models will be cast in bronze later on and will hopefully be put up for public viewing.

The Kala Utsav was organised by the Department of Kannada and Culture at the newly renovated Venkatappa Art Gallery. Artist SG Vasudev’s catalogue - the Kannada version of his last show ‘Past Forward’ was released during the festival. There seemed to be quite a few artists (50, I’m told) participating in the 5-day event, but unfortunately most of the works that were put up were quite mediocre. However, there were some interesting paintings from Ken School of Art and a few sculptures from CAVA, Mysore.

Finally, last Friday, Ravikumar Kashi held a daylong informal preview of his paper installations that are going to be a part of an international art fair to be held later in the year in Santa Fe. The books have been made out of paper pulp and I had seen some of them before at his studio, but the other works titled ‘What if’ have been made recently. These are similar to an earlier series ‘Armour’ that he had done a couple of years ago.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Till Death Do Us Art

“I want to display a person dying naturally in the piece or somebody who has just died,” declared German artist Gregor Schneider on an online publication. “My aim is to show the beauty of death.” I came across this recently. The ultimate performance piece screamed the headline! Disturbing, grotesque, and shameful, were some of the epithets heaped upon the artist from readers worldwide. However, there were a few isolated voices that believe it is the ultimate form of art.

It makes one wonder, can the act of dying before an audience; qualify as a form of art? On one hand, my conservative and probably somewhat saner side is repulsed and disgusted at the thought of reducing death – the final act - to a stage performance. On the other hand, I’m reminded of other such artistic performances and installations where artists have used dead animals, meat, urinals and grotesque paintings to create art, which they believed in.
Damien Hirst immersed a 14-foot tiger shark in formaldehyde in the work titled ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living.’ It is considered iconic. In 1917, Marcel Duchamp created ‘Fountain’ using a urinal as Found art. And, then you have Jana Sterbak, a Canadian artist, who likes to use meat to construct her artworks.
These are some of the instances of bizarre or untraditional artworks that often find critical acclaim but fail to find universal appeal.

Images courtesy wikipedia

For long we have associated art with aesthetics and beauty, but now in an age where reality television shows compete frenziedly to outdo the other, it seems a few artists too are joining this mad rush. How much more bizarre, shocking and monstrous can one get, seems to be the mantra. What can we do that has never been done before?

And, while some believe that this is the height of innovation, creativity and original expression, I suspect that these are in the minority. The majority of public finds such ventures attention-seeking gimmicks and publicity stunts. For them, it is difficult to comprehend that behind such acts lies a genuine intent to break boundaries and redefine new media art.
Our years of conditioning is such that it is hard to be totally accepting. What I can do on my part is to be less judgmental and remind myself that unconventional thoughts eventually lead to innovation and even invention.
But then, even as I write about this the hunt for a volunteer to die for this exhibition probably continues…

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art Bytes

Last week I should have mentioned about the Artes Mundi prize that was recently awarded to the Mysore based artist NS Harsha. UK’s prestigious 40,000 pound award is considered to be one of the largest international art awards. In fact, Harsha beat eight other nominees to win this prize. Way to go Harsha!

Incidentally, you must have noticed that the art scene is kind of quiet at the moment, especially in Bangalore. There are very few shows happening and even fewer that are worth talking about. Well, the summer heat is definitely taking a toll on all of us!

As I write this, the Hong Kong Art Fair (14 – 18 May) – a new annual art fair is going on. Limited edition prints, installations and paintings by world famous artists such as Picasso are available, where prices range from HK$7,500 to HK$275 million! In fact, according to the official website, one hundred galleries from 20 countries are showing thousands of works of art - from Andy Warhol to Zhang Xiaogang. Browsing through the list of galleries, I found a few such as Chemould and Vadehra art galleries from India, but none from Bangalore – at least none that I could spot.
Talking about art fairs, you must have read about the India Art Summit that is being organized in New Delhi in August this year. The event aims to bring together various players, such as artists, critics, galleries, dealers, auction houses, framers, and others who are associated with the art field, on to a common platform. There will be art exhibitions, installations, talks and opportunities to network for the various participants. The first of its kind event in the country, the summit has been planned along the lines of international art fairs and plans to have participants from across the world. Here’s looking forward to that.

Back in Bangalore, starting May 17 Gallery Sumukha is organizing a week-long sculpture workshop at its premises with sculptors such as Gopinath S, Jyotsna Bhatt, Karl Antao, Laxma Goud and Venkat Bothsa amongst others. The artists will create sculptures in clay, which will be later cast in bronze. Viewers are invited to visit the gallery and interact with the artists at specified timings. Some of you will remember that in 2004 the gallery had organized a similar workshop in printmaking with eminent artists proficient in printmaking. I happened to miss that workshop but hopefully will be able to visit this one.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

An evening with JMS Mani

Last week I went for Ananya Drushya’s interactive session with the artist of the month. This month features JMS Mani, who most of you will know from his very popular ‘Badami’ series. Mani was invited to talk about his art and events that have shaped his artistic career. Initially reluctant to speak, Mani did talk at length about his early days with RM Hadpad (Founder of Ken School of Art), his exposure to different media, making prints, turning down a seat at the MS University, Baroda (which he admitted he regrets sometimes) and so many other lesser known facts associated with his life. He sportingly shared anecdotes that were not only delightful but refreshingly honest and sans frills. Such a pity that there were so few of us in the audience! Fortunately, (SG) Vasudev felt the need to repeat the interactive session at a later date and hopefully it will happen again sometime this month.Incidentally, Mani studied and then taught at Ken School of Art and retired from there as the Principal recently. The prints of his works that were on exhibit offered a valuable insight into his growth as an artist – lithographs, drawings and paintings from his early days to the present were on display. As Vasudev pointed out, Ananya attempts to showcase a retrospective wherever possible. I liked Mani’s early black and white works much more than the colourful men and women from the ‘Badami’ series. But, it so happens that this series is what defines him. The rustic appeal and the apparent spontaneity of vibrant colours in these paintings draw the viewer. For so many successful artists this can be such a vicious trap – they are forced to paint what the buyers want, but then critics pan them for repeating their works and not trying out anything new. A Catch 22 situation for them, don’t you think? Maybe sometimes we are too quick in judging artists; it helps to remember that at the end of the day this too is a profession for them. Artists also need to make ends meet and have families to support.
But then, I find artists today are much more experimental in their approach and are willing to take risks. If you look at the results of a few past auctions, what stands out is that contemporary artists who are trying out different media and genre are doing exceptionally well.

Young talent with potential

We hear and read about successful artists only, but the truth is that for every Husain or Subodh Gupta there are many more artists who are struggling to find a foothold in the world of art. Many have been around for years while others have just begun their artistic trysts, but, on the flip side, there are those with average or mediocre talent who produce poor quality work and still expect to make it to the big league.
Anyway, in this week’s column, I’ve decided to draw attention to two young artists Tikendra Kumar Sahu and Sataban Sarkar who are participating for the very first time in a duo-exhibition. Their works may not be outstanding as of now but seem to have the potential to evolve and mature.

Sataban is studying for a master’s degree in print making at Nandan Kala Bhavan in Shantiniketan, while Tikendra has a bachelor’s degree in painting from Chhattisgarh and a master’s degree in Graphics from Bangalore University.
When I went to the gallery, I met Tikendra who was actively involved in the display of his paintings. He struck me as an intelligent and a very focused young artist who was quite clear about what he was painting and what he wanted to paint in the future. In this series Tikendra has combined relief work with painting on white paper. Using watercolours on embossed sheets, Tikendra internalises dogmas and ingrained values in an effort to question and rationalise them. He uses symbols to convey his thoughts, which sometimes are too literal and tend to focus on being decorative.

However, in his other works, emotional depths to erotic senses are presented subtly and gracefully. An introspective quality characterises these other paintings and there is sophistication in the handling of the theme, as well. In fact, if he can move away from his preoccupation with the decorative style he can do phenomenally better, which luckily he is aware of.

On the other hand, Sataban’s prints on rice paper and cloth are a combination of satire and wit as they comment upon political and social evils. The prints are produced skilfully and those on a single piece of cloth appear far better than a few paper ones. Undoubtedly, there is a raw quality evident in his works, but overall are quite interesting.

(The exhibition is on till May 2 at Right Lines Art Gallery).

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Divergent Discourses

Last week saw Dinesh Vazirani, Director, Saffronart - an online auction house - giving a talk in Bangalore. He delivered a lecture on modern and contemporary Indian art before a select gathering of art collectors, gallery owners and art aficionados. What made the evening particularly interesting was that such interactions between the various members of the art community are rare in Bangalore.
The event, organised by Tangerine Art Space, was part of the opening of their art exhibition ‘Divergent Discourses’ that featured established artists such S G Vasudev, Yusuf Arakkal, Manu Parekh, Jogen Chowdhary, Krishen Khanna, Laxma Goud, Rameshwar Broota, Rini Dhumal, Surya Prakash and T Vaikuntam, amongst others. The single-day exhibition at the venue now continues online on their website.

Dinesh Vazirani focused on the timelines of Indian art, how it has evolved over the years, and in particular, how the art market has grown exponentially over the years. He also touched on the various factors that impact pricing and the state of the market.
The contemporary art market has grown spectacularly in the last couple of years and Vazirani elaborated upon it with facts and figures. You will remember, last year, at the Christie’s auction of Asian contemporary art held in Hong Kong, Harsha’s painting ‘Mass Marriage’ went for a hammer price of HK$ 6.4 million, which was a record for any Indian contemporary artist. N S Harsha, who lives in Mysore, made one of his rare appearances and was present at the talk. He was given a much-deserved standing ovation. Harsha happens to be not only incredibly talented and extremely grounded, but also one of the most articulate (minus the sales pitch) artists I have met.
One must give credit to Leena Chethan the Founder Director of Tangerine Art Space for organising such an event. Incidentally, Leena drew a lot of flak for the first art show that she had organised a couple of years ago.

But, coming back to the present, an interactive forum such as this is vital in bringing together all players connected with the art field. It also leads to a healthy discussion, and creates a positive atmosphere for the city’s art lovers. Hopefully, such interactions will eventually also help in bringing more transparency (much needed) to the market.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Abstraction

Have you stood before an abstract work of art and wondered what it was? Well, you’re not alone. Most of us have trouble understanding a non-representational or a non-figurative painting - in other words a painting that has no recognizable form or objects. Going back in time, abstract expressionism developed as a result of a movement that began in the late 1940s and picked up momentum during the 1950s. You might be familiar with artist Jackson Pollock’s experiment with a dripping can of paint and a canvas placed on the floor. Pollock swung his arms around over the canvas and this process called action painting resulted in an abstract work. The idea was that these intuitive movements gave expression to an artist’s creativity at the sub-conscious level.

To understand an abstract art that is completely non-specific, sometimes, it needs to be placed in context - the artist’s life, background and environment help to relate to the artwork. A good abstract art should visually draw the viewer and have an impact on him. I bought a couple of paintings from Hariraam, an artist from Chennai (his abstracts that explore the concept of time and space are amazing), and what he said makes perfect sense, “to understand abstraction you need to put in a certain amount of effort. What you need is sensibility, and not necessarily intelligence. Remember, a work of art is not a piece of wizardry. An artist creates by virtue of his own inner process and then offers it to the viewer.” Some of the well-known Indian artists celebrated for their abstracts are VS Gaitonde, J Swaminathan, V Vishwanadhan and Prabhakar Kolte.

Now, Sheetal Gattani, an artist from Mumbai is exhibiting her recent abstracts in Bangalore and her minimal palette is a delight to watch. Watercolors and acrylics on paper and canvas respectively have been layered extensively to create these non-representational paintings. Devoid of any form and identifiable elements her abstracts are minimal in all aspects. She explains, “I seek to paint without any past conditioning. I’d like the viewer to experience the same… To me it’s important to paint without a mind, just responding to the medium, light and space, the unity of it all. I enjoy the labour, the deepening and unfolding of layers.” Perhaps that best explains her paintings that otherwise defy categorization or justification.

(The exhibition will be on till April 25 at Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore 27.)

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Sculpture by the Sea

Last week, I talked about Reghu and his sculptures. And, coincidentally, a press release that came to me recently from Australia was also about an art fest held there in the month of March. At the fourth annual Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe exhibition in Perth, the Cottesloe Beach was transformed into a sculptural delight. The event featured 54 entries from Western Australian artists and invited artists from across the world (12 other countries) for instance Iceland, Japan and India. This happens to be Australia’s largest outdoor public exhibition of contemporary sculptures, and in fact there’s another one coming up - ‘Sculpture by the Sea’ in Bondi, Sydney, in October.
Now, the Indian artist who participated in this show was Abir Patwardhan, a sculptor who studied at the M S University, Baroda, and lives in Pune. He, in fact, exhibited his sculptures in Bangalore last year with a show ‘Prayer for the Porcupine’, a delightful series of whimsical works done in beaten copper. In Australia too, Abir’s work, ‘New Beginning’, was very popular and was bought by a local buyer. Good for Indian art.

Abir Patwardhan's 'New Beginning'

An open air exhibition of sculptures sounds like an extremely exciting prospect both for the artist and the viewer. One sincerely hopes that the concept of a project like this can be replicated or adapted here.
Strangely enough, I read that this year during the Harmony show in Mumbai, no awards were given to the emerging sculptor category. Apparently, the reason given was that there were no good quality competitors in that segment. What a pity. Where have all the good sculptors gone?
Sculptures are now gaining more acceptance as an investment instrument and artists such as Subodh Gupta and Ravinder Reddy are doing exceptionally well at international auctions. Most sculptures by well-established artists translate into good money, comparable to that of paintings. However, at the micro-level, the problem with sculptures is that you have to find a suitable place to display them. Size can be a major deterrent and unless you live in a sprawling bungalow, it is an impossible task to find an appropriate location for a decent-sized sculpture. Also, sculpting requires special facilities to be able to work with different materials and media. It takes more time and effort to create a sculpture. It is no surprise then that there are a lot more painters than sculptors in the country.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Ceramic art (Sculptures by G Reghu)

I first came across Reghu’s sculptures about four years ago. Tiny ceramic figures that were based on groupings of men, women and children in animated postures caught my eye. Simple, earthy and quite minimal the figures seemed to be suspended mid-air while depicting various emotions. What stood out the most was their innocent child-like charm. Reghu hasn’t changed much over the years but his sculptures are now larger, they sport a ‘glaze’ finish, and there is a lot more variation in the grouping of figures. The artist comes from a traditional agricultural family, and his sculptures are also inspired by rural lifestyles and traditions. One can even say that his art is an ode to the Indian villager and celebrates their indomitable spirit as they go about their daily existence. Mother and child, or the entire family, cows, and heads of men and women form some of his sculptures. The simplicity and the banality of everyday life that he depicts characterize his figures. At the preview these sculptures were arranged in a garden where they formed a charming set of artworks. In fact, some of these figures reclining on chairs are quite amusing to look at. Devoid of embellishments, the small figures and also the larger sets strike a chord with their rustic appeal.

Reghu’s style of working involves sketching out his sculptures in detail through drawings. He then follows essentially the coil technique to create the figures, which he then fires in a wood kiln, and uses special techniques to obtain a glossy or a glazed look. He incidentally is a graduate in sculpture from the College of Fine Arts, Trivandram and although he began with stone as a medium, he later moved on to working with indigenous materials. He was closely associated with J. Swaminathan at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal and that has also strongly influenced his works.
His sculptures have no doubt evolved over the years and he has experimented with bronze as well. However, one hopes to see more variation in his choice of theme and the medium in future.

(An exhibition of his sculptures was on till March 26 at Time and Space Art Gallery, Bangalore)

( - Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art market needs more transparency

China’s contemporary art market is miles ahead of the Indian art mart, and globally, there is a huge interest in this segment. I recently read a report that pointed out some of the ills that are now plaguing the market. Some Chinese artists, it was alleged, pay critics, produce paintings by the drove, and auction houses work with dealers and artists to manipulate prices. This ‘disclosure’ is a market-related phenomenon. After all, where there are millions of dollars at stake everyone wants a portion of the pie. Art critics being paid to write ‘favourable’ reviews is something, which one hears about even in our country.

Now, most art experts feel that the Indian art market is also poised to grow tremendously. Which means the stakes will go even higher. Looking at some of the recent sale figures, M F Husain’s untitled work fetched $409,000, leading the Sotheby’s New York spring sales of Indian art. Prior to that, Saffronart’s first contemporary sale this year closed at a total sale value of over Rs 27 crores (US$ 7.15 million), which was well above its total higher estimate of Rs 19.56 crores (US$ 5.1 million). What is also interesting is that at this sale 25 percent of the bidders were not Indians, according to Saffronart sources.

Controversies have been dogging the Indian art scene as well. A few Indian auction houses have received criticism that ranges from dealing with fake paintings to popular film posters. In fact, all kinds of issues have been raised time and again. Instances of dealers bidding for the works that they themselves have consigned have also been heard.
Market forces that are looking at short-term gains can not only affect their reputation irrevocably but can also impact the entire market scenario. What has emerged in recent times, as we have just seen, is that there is a growing segment of non-Indian buyers who are looking at Indian modern and contemporary art from an investment perspective. I believe that clean and above-board dealings will help strengthen the market, enhance credibility and encourage this buyer base to invest further. Therefore, the point is that the greater the transparency in the market, the better it will be in the long run. And, most importantly it will benefit all.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

The Baroda connection

A few months ago I was in Baroda and when Rameshbhai Pandya, retired professor from the department of fine arts, MS university, found out that I was in town, he very graciously invited me for a preview of an art show at Sarjan Art Gallery. I reached the gallery half an hour after the specified time (in fact quite early according to Bangalore standards) and was surprised to find the place jam-packed, where everyone knew everyone. This despite the fact that there were no cocktails but only tea and snacks (Gujarat is a dry state!). In any case the retrospective exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Ahmedabad based Piraji Sagara, a founder member of Progressive Painters' Group was a delight to see. In a non-conventional approach, the artist had used different mediums, combined them and presented figurative as well as non-figurative works. The 1931 born artist took the trouble to take me around and to show me each of his works and explain the various nuances associated with it. Wood, metal, beads, he had experimented with various mediums and textures. A very interesting show!

Back in Bangalore, I visited artist Jasu Rawal at his studio, who is incidentally also from Gujarat (born 1939), and completed his MFA from M.S. University, Baroda. But he has been living in Bangalore for several decades. Jasu bhai as he is fondly called is a fine artist and a fabulous human being, and he known in the city for his abstracted landscapes that often combine elements of still life. He, in fact, recently had a retrospective exhibition of his works spanning 40 years of his career. He has been awarded twice with the Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy Award in 1972 and 1980. This particular exhibition was organised by Ananya Drushya, where the photographs of his paintings were displayed at the gallery premises. Now, Ananya Drushya is an organization that aims to create awareness about visual arts in schools and other sections of the society. Readers will remember that about two years ago, the visual chapter of Ananya had started with a group show, where seventy artists from the city had contributed their paintings.
This is a great initiative but it needs more focus and probably greater involvement from its members to make the Karnataka arts scene more vibrant and to be able to reach out to a larger audience.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Paper Tigers

I recently read a report that talked about how artworks on paper are gaining ground with investors, especially works by Indian artists. The article went on to elaborate on the history and tradition of Indian art on paper, and also listed the prominent Indian contemporary and modern artists who have a significant number of works on paper.
Good quality art paper is probably as good as canvas. But art on paper, especially low grade paper, can have a significantly short life. This is not to say that all artists are using substandard paper, but as an investor you should be aware of what you are buying. In fact, these days most artists take utmost care when it comes to using quality materials – pigments, canvas, paper and so on. But then, the stakes are now very high and one is spending thousands to lakhs of rupees for a single work of art, in which case you have every right to check and validate the quality of paper used. After all, there are a few artists riding the popularity wave and may not hesitate to cut costs. Framing of paper works requires special attention, so keep that also in mind when buying art on paper.

On a completely different note, it is an interesting fact that the kind of art people buy has a lot to do with their geographical location along with other factors such as age, profession and so on. This is not a result of any scientific study but observations made by a few experienced people involved in organising art exhibitions.
For instance, a ‘curator’ (a term used loosely here to denote a person organising an art show) from Mumbai told me that many Bangaloreans are fascinated by paintings with rural women and their earthen pots. But then, it could also be linked to the fact these are the kind of exhibitions that we are exposed to. This trend is more popular with the first-time buyer or those looking at decorating their walls.
Nothing wrong with it, except that one wonders how many of these paintings make sense from an investment point of view. On the other hand, discerning art lovers know exactly what and whose works to buy. Young buyers (in their 20s and 30s and there are many of them now) are more open to newer concepts and media, and are also more willing to take chances with an artist’s name.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)