A visit to NGMA, Bangalore

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is nestled in a green alcove off the main road away from the clamor of the traffic. Readers will remember that NGMA opened in Bangalore recently amidst controversies that invoked the ire of local artists and other members of the art community.
At the moment NGMA houses approximately 500 exhibits that are spread across a corridor, tiny rooms and large spacious halls that span two floors. You need at least half a day to see the entire space. The exhibits have been displayed - classified into broad categories - according to different time periods, art schools and by artists. One can see paintings by Raja Ravi Verma, Jamini Roy, Amrita Sher-Gil, the Tagore brothers and Rabindranath Tagore and a large number of Modern and Contemporary artists. While, there has been some effort made to display the older works in various zones, the Modern and Contemporary art section appears a little scattered and it could be organized better.

As one enters the gallery door, one can see old photographs, miniature art from the Rajput and Pahari schools depicting court scenes, and there are several graphic prints as well. A portrait sketch of Rajiv Gandhi done by Mukul Dey in 1945 is on display. Oil paintings by European artists who travelled to India during the late 18th to mid-19th century have also been showcased here. Ghats of Benaras, dancing girls and fauna and flora that represented exotic India form popular themes.


Ravi Verma’s Lady in Moonlight and Portrait of a Lady are two of his works that find a place here. In one of the large halls one comes across a small section dedicated to photographs (mostly black and white) by renowned photographers Raghu Rai and Dayanita Singh – the Masterjee series. Amongst the other works, one comes across a pair of terracotta pigs by N Pushpamala, small watercolour works by N S Harsha, a striking landscape by K K Hebbar, works by S G Vasudev, Yusuf Arakkal and Ravikumar Kashi.

M F Hussain’s paintings inspired by Mother Teresa, landscapes in muted shades by Ram Kumar and an intensely dark work by S H Raza, colourful abstracts by V S Gaitonde stand out due to familiar names. Ritual Image, a complex piece by Nandagopal and Form, a minimal bronze piece by Sankho Choudhuri present interesting dimensions in sculptures. Jamini Roy’s stylized forms and Amrita Sher-Gill’s paintings form a fairly large collection. The museum is a good place to get familiar with art and artists.

According to the official website of NGMA it also conducts educational and cultural activities; I hope that in Bangalore, too, it will take on such a role soon. Having started off on a wrong foot, it desperately needs to re-invent its image. It is imperative that NGMA garners local support and involves active participation from the various members of the art community in the city.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

On a positive note

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

The art market is hit hard and there is no getting away from it at the moment. But, all this talk about the recession can be quite depressing and I sincerely hope that this phase gets over as soon as possible.
While people are still buying art that is affordable, sales of mid and high end segments are highly affected. Buyers are now treading cautiously, and rightly so. Recently at the preview of an art exhibition one of the artists mentioned how thankful he was that he had not resigned from his day job. However, when the same artist said that he had slowed down the pace of his work as the demand was considerably less, it was reassuring. In my opinion some of the best works will emerge in the current phase. The furious frenzy to produce more works during the boom period will now be replaced by a more spaced output. Artists will have more breathing space and time to follow their creative instincts rather than follow popular demands. This is a good time for them to be experimental, dabble with different media, and come out with smaller works and maybe even an affordable line of works.

Collectors should take stock of their collections and think of getting it catalogued if it is sufficiently large and mark out the works which they would like to sell off. One should also consider insuring the more expensive or rare artworks. Unfortunately, insurance of art is still not a very popular trend in India, and very few companies are offering this. But, one could look around to find a policy that suits ones needs.
For buyers this is a good time to pick up quality works at competitive prices. Those who don’t know much about art but happen to be reading this could use the opportunity to get familiar with the art world. Those of you, who are looking at buying art at this point, should begin with a small budget. This is also a good time to network with people from the art fraternity and to attend art shows and other events. In short be positive and use the time constructively.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art bytes

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Narrative Movement is a group of artists from Shantiniketan who is organizing its first show in Bangalore. Gopa Sikder, Kousik Roy, Monoj Poddar, Pratyusha Mukherjee, Ram Kishu, Subrata Mete and Taslima Akter form the seven core members who are currently studying in their final year Masters programme in Fine Arts. These young artists bring in a raw energy in their paintings that are mostly figurative in genre, where some images are dark and surreal, while others romanticise spaces. What one notices is that most of the works involve a complexity in narration and go beyond the superficial decorative content. What is also interesting is that all these works are very different from the traditional format that one is familiar with from this region. It is good to see young artists exploring diverse themes, concepts and media.

Gopa’s imagery is surreal with animal forms overlapping with elements from nature in a vividly colourful world. Kousik’s imagery is dark and intense on one hand, whereas in “Innerview” he presents bright details of a bustling world reflected on the lenses of a pair of spectacles. Monoj’s mixed media works on canvas and board are intensely compelling with their complex narratives and overlapping forms. Pratyusha’s dreamscapes create a fantasy world around architectural spaces. Ram’s works depict figures from everyday life, while Subrata’s figures are also inspired from everyday life but involve a more multifarious approach. Taslima presents interiors and spaces in a romanticised form. The group presents a refreshing range of art that also happens to be affordably priced.

The exhibition was held at Gallery Mementos, The Chancery, Bangalore.

There is yet another gallery - Inspirations that will open its doors on January 4th with an art show that will feature paintings by 12 Indian artists. The works were in fact created at an artists’ camp held last week between 24th to 28th December, at the gallery premises. The art camp was inaugurated with a great deal of zest and the gallery appears to be well stocked with prints, reproductions, traditional paintings and other art.

The film ‘Rang Rasiya’ based on the legendary artist Raja Ravi Verma, a 19th century painter is set to release on January 23. To create interest in the film, a nationwide art competition has been organized on a massive scale. Anybody over the age of 18 can participate in it and there is more than Rs 25 lakhs in prize money involved. Details are available on http://www.rangrasiya.com/. Incidentally, the competition will be held on an all India basis with regional centres in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram and Bhopal.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art for All

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Last week’s column on reproductions of paintings as an affordable form of art appears to have touched a chord with many readers. Some of them wrote in to say that even though such paintings were not original their beauty and aesthetic appeal was unmatched. Very true. And, especially when one considers the prices. Today, despite the recession and the slowdown in the art market, prices of paintings are beyond the reach of many people. That’s also explains the popularity of an event such as the Chitra Santhe, the annual art bazaar that is held in and around Chitrakala Parishath for the last few years. Incidentally, this year’s Santhe will be held in late January, 2009 and not the last Sunday of the year as was the tradition up till now. The USP of the Santhe lies in the fact that is an open air informal art mart that is easily accessible to all. There is a wide variety and all kinds of art – from fairly good to downright appalling. There have been numerous discussions about having some kind of quality control, but apparently with that many participants and the Santhe atmosphere that is aimed at, it is not a practical option.
In any case, let’s face it, how many people are willing to walk into an art gallery just to look at art? Most people are intimidated by the gallery environs and sometimes the attitude of the staff also doesn’t help. Well, the Santhe does offer an excellent opportunity to get familiar with art over the day and then decide what one wants to buy. It might also be a good idea to have art appreciation lectures or seminars in conjunction with the Santhe, but most probably the logistics of it might prove to be daunting. Still, as an idea it has it merits, it will help prospective buyers gain some basic knowledge about art before making an informed decision.


The group show by artists from Delhi and Rajasthan that previewed last week had some interesting paintings. The large panels by Bhagat Singh were quite popular with the guests, beautifully rendered and pleasing. Immensely symmetrical and intricately patterned - the overall effect was very agreeable and soothing. Madan Meena’s abstracts with matrices of golden and silver circles also created a harmonious impact. Titled Lotus ponds the works were minimal in their approach. Manoj Kachangal abstracts were colourful and appeared to be inspired by some of Raza’s works.
Both Ritu and Anoop Kamath’s paintings were figurative but very different from one another. Where Ritu’s paintings have a greater visual appeal, Anoop’s works seemed to portray sardonic humour and a satirical touch.

(The exhibition is on till January 7 at Crimson Art Resource, The Hatworks Boulevard, Bangalore)

Not Original

(Nalini S Malaviya)

A client liked a painting she saw in a magazine and wanted it reproduced in a larger size. That set me thinking about copies (not multiples, as in lithographs, etc) or reproductions of a painting, which works out as an affordable option.
Reproductions of paintings done by famous artists have always been a popular choice with people looking at dressing their walls. One of the major reasons this is so much in vogue is because it is an affordable form of art. It costs only a fraction of the original. Obviously, there is little or no investment value from a financial angle in such paintings, but they have an immense decorative value. After all, how many people can afford a Picasso, Van Gogh, Rembrandt or a Raja Ravi Verma. In such cases there are three options - an offset print on paper, a digital print on canvas, or an oil reproduction

An offset print which is usually done on paper often tends to look tacky, and is not a good idea for dressing the interiors of residences. Small offices or low-budget reception areas tend to put these on their walls, and it is one way to add colour to drab walls.
Digital prints of paintings on canvas by Raja Ravi Verma and Haldenkar are very popular and have the advantage that these are available in various sizes. Being digitally reproduced, the colours and tonal values are matched closely with the original and give a similar look and feel as the original work. The prices also begin from somewhere around Rs.3000 or so, and therefore work out as an extremely affordable option. ‘Glow of Hope’ (also called Lady with the Lamp) a painting by Haldenkar always seems to be well in demand. Similarly, Raja Ravi Verma’s paintings are also much sought after. To reproduce these paintings in the digital format there are copyright and legal issues involved, and one should buy only from a reputed source. The good thing is that these can be printed on demand, and in the size that you want. Digital prints are of much better quality now, with better quality inks that last longer.

An oil reproduction is a wonderful way to enjoy a work of art by a famous artist. Unfortunately, oil reproductions are also fraught with issues, as fake art is a huge problem in the world of art. Therefore, be aware that there could be legalities involved and ensure you buy from a gallery that has copyrights in place. Reproductions are available from prices as low as Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 or more, so go ahead and own a work of art.

Carved in Stone

(Nalini S Malaviya)

A magnificent statue of Krishna catches the eye as one walks into the room to meet Sudarshan Sahoo, the sculptor from Orissa. Intricately carved in stone with extraordinary detailing and ornamentation, it is a beautiful work of art that reminds one of statues seen in temples in many parts of the country. In Bangalore to showcase his recent sculptures, Sudarshan Sahoo explains the finer nuances behind the art of stone carving.

The well known sculptor has created a ‘Shilpgram’ an arts and crafts village in Bhuvaneshwar that offers vocational training in sculpting to students and children.
The 1939 born sculptor has dedicated his entire life to revive and promote the traditional craft of carving statues from stone. Sahoo is a recipient of the National Award and the Padmashree amongst numerous other honours that he has received for his contribution to arts and crafts.

“Selection of stone such as sandstone, red or green stone, granite or sometimes wood is carefully done to suit the sculpture in mind. Every stone has a different characteristic, for instance, red stone lends beautifully to and reveals different tonalities at various depths and creates a beautiful effect”, explains Sahoo. A basic design is translated on the medium and the intricate detailing is mostly done ad hoc, as the work evolves.

Stone carving is a difficult craft that involves a lot of painstaking effort and happens to be extremely time consuming as well. “A small statue can take up to ten months with about 5 people working on it, whereas a larger work can take almost 2 to 4 years,” describes Sahoo. The ornamentation which appears as mere decorative detailing in the first instance, on a closer look reveals mythological tales and fables that have been engraved with utmost care. His statues of Buddha have travelled far and wide – many of them have been installed in Japan. “In Japan they love the serenity and unique features of Buddha that I am able to capture in my statues,” he elaborates with pride. His sculptures also stand out for their museum quality finish.

In the forthcoming exhibition there are Ganeshas, Buddha statues, Nandi and Apsaras or the dancing girls. It will also have a massive 9 feet tall and 12 feet long chariot that is truly a work of art. Figures of deities, geometrical and other traditional motifs are used extensively to decorate the sculptures. Sahoo and his entire family are now working on a mammoth 110 ton piece of granite to create a statue of Lord Parasnath which will stand at 32 feet height when complete.

The richness of our heritage is beautifully reflected in these statues. As Sahoo puts it, “people talk about the precision in Swiss watches, but look at our traditional crafts it is full of fine and precise work.” He goes on, “We want more people to come and see the kind of work that our artisans are capable of.” True, it is important to appreciate efforts that go towards conservation of our cultural traditions and to promote them in every way.

The exhibition will be held till Dec 19 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Random notes

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Miami Art Fair
The International Asian Contemporary art fair ‘Art Asia’ will be held at Miami later this week and Bangalore based artist Ravikumar Kashi will be showing his recent works there. Ravi is known for his experimentation with various mediums and in this fair he presents his photographs from a series called Snanidhi Series. In the past, Ravi has worked with new media and assemblages that have dealt with issues of urbanization and consumerism. In fact, his paintings used images from media to depict global issues that are equally relevant from a local context. Ravi has a Masters degree in printmaking from MS University, Baroda, and in English from Mysore University.

(Art Asia will be held from December 4 – 7, 2008 at Miami)

A ‘Modern’ show
Last week I attended the preview of an exhibition by Modern artists - FN Souza, SH Raza, Akbar Padamsee and Ram Kumar. There is a single Bindu work and a few other abstracts by Raza, nudes by Souza, and two works by Ram Kumar. The one in muted shades is a beautiful piece of art, and its photograph just does not do justice to the original. Raza, who now lives in Paris, is famous for his paintings that centre round a circle or Bindu as a creative energy force that permeates the entire universe, while Souza’s paintings are intense and known for their strong bold lines. All the four artists are well known names in the Indian art world and have also received widespread global recognition.

(The exhibition continues till 16th December at Gallery Mementos, The Chancery, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.)

India Art Summit 2009
The first art summit was held earlier this year in Delhi and had elicited mixed response from art connoisseurs. However, most visitors had agreed that it offered an excellent platform for networking and it was high time that India had its own art fair that could be at par with international levels.
The dates for the next art summit have been announced and it will be held from 19th - 22nd of August 2009 at New Delhi. This year too will see Seminars and Talks with speakers including curators, critics, artists, collectors and representatives from museums and galleries. Plans are on to create a sculpture park in order to offer participants and visitors an art fair like ambience. Art films, education series and social events will also be held for visitors. One hopes the summit is able to garner support from all quarters given the current economic crisis affecting all markets.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Portraits

The other day someone wrote in asking for information on artists who can make a portrait from a photograph. Frankly, there are very few people who now opt for this. Portraits were more common in the days when full colour photography was in its nascent stages. Remember, any palace you visited you could find numerous members of the royal family staring you down. Most of them were characterised by the feature that wherever you went their eyes seemed to be following you around. It gave one a strange and eerie feeling.
These days, very few people have their portraits painted, although there are a few who get a late family member’s portrait done. In this case a photograph is used as a reference to create an exact replica of the photograph, or it is used to create a portrait which gives an impression as if the subject had posed for it.
Portrait painting is a specialised field and requires considerable skill to ensure a resemblance to the subject. As this falls in the realm of realism, the artist does not have any scope to experiment with his creativity. Nowadays, there are many ways to ensure an exact reproduction of the subject, but in the olden days, artists had to rely completely on their skill to do so. John Singleton Copley was one such painter who was well known in the latter half of 18th century. He was famous for his realistic looking portraits that sparkled with the illusion of real silk, lace, pearls, skin and hair.


Metal Art

One of the few art exhibitions that I visited last week was one at Chitrakala Parishath where these larger than life sized metallic statues gleamed in the sunlight. A Red Indian with a spear and a rifle stood menacingly with his feet apart, while a Spiderman was perched on the rocky surface. These were the creations of Ilyas Ahmed, a welding engineer who now turns metal scrap into sculptures. Ilyas began his artistic tryst by taking a generator apart and putting it back together as a small statue. Now, this has turned into a passion and he actually buys scrap to create these pieces. Here and there one could recognize nuts, bolts, and chains which were used to form the metallic chassis.
The metallic parts were treated in order to prevent rusting.
Toy sized motorcycles and hybrid creatures that probably abound in the gaming videos and popular fictional characters from films were carefully displayed on shelves and pedestals. The sculptures that ranged in price from Rs 2,500 to 5 lakhs were seen to be attracting a lot of visitors. What stood out in these sculptures was the excellent design and workmanship.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Is this is a good time to buy art?

(Nalini S Malaviya)

A couple of readers wanted to know if this is a good time to buy art. Well, if you are not suffering from a liquidity crunch, then the answer is yes, this is definitely a good time to pick up some serious art. The art market is going through a critical phase and it will be a while before it stabilises. But, here are a few good reasons to buy art,
* For the first time in many years prices are coming close to being reasonable.
* Quite a few galleries and dealers are now willing to negotiate prices.
* Due to a cash crunch some investors are letting go of quality works at lowered prices.
* For the same reason, good works are likely to come up at auctions
* Galleries are likely to focus on better quality works in order to woo the discerning buyer.
* Artists are likely to slow down their frenzied pace (remember, a few years ago artists were accused of resorting to mass producing their works) and focus once again on quality.

The trend appears to be shifting somewhat from the investment aspect of art to its aesthetic or intrinsic value. It therefore appears that decorative and affordable art will do well in the interim period, but serious collectors are on the lookout for excellent works.

As a buyer, for you, an ideal work of art is one that can combine the aesthetic and financial investment components. To buy a work, one can either do a systematic research and zero in on to the artist or even the art work, or one can visit ongoing art shows and pick one that appeals visually and also suits ones wallet. The former has more chances of being a winner in the long term, as it is backed by appropriate research.

Art lovers not welcome!
In closing I wanted to mention that on one hand most galleries are cribbing about the current situation where sales are hit and even footfalls are reduced, on the other hand one hears of instances where walk-ins are actively discouraged. Last week it happened to me as well, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. It also made me wonder, what about the enthusiastic buyer who decides to check out the art gallery round the corner, hoping to find something suitable for that empty space above the sofa? Does he then turn back after encountering sullen staff, wishing he had never ventured into such hallowed surroundings? Well, one hopes these are isolated cases and don’t become a popular trend.

Bangalore Art Shows

Nalini S Malaviya

Going by the number of exhibitions being held in the city it is hard to believe that the art market has slowed down at all! One reason that could explain the quantum of shows is that most of them must have been planned for and organised well in advance. But, what is interesting is that many of them also claim to be selling quite a few artworks.
Readers will remember that most auctions of Indian art as well as Western art have been performing miserably in the last few weeks. Many prominent art galleries too have indicated that their sales are affected. But, auctions reports alone cannot be used as a sole measure of the overall state of the art market. In fact, one notices that there is a section of people who is continuing to buy art for its intrinsic value. And, also, sale of affordable art is on the rise. Anything under a lakh or so is an attractive proposition for buyers. What is emerging is that buyers are much more aware now and they are able to distinguish, evaluate and compare quality with prices. This will hopefully result in better quality art at reasonable prices.

At one of the exhibitions that I visited last week, a large painting priced at Rs 90,000 or thereabouts was already sold. This particular work caught my attention with its subtle wit and humour. It features a cow wearing headphones and apparently snoozing, while listening to a crow seated on its hump and ‘crowing’ into a microphone. Part of a group show by four artists (Jiban Biswas, Mintu Malick, Ashis Mondal and Nageshwar Sharma) from Bengal, one saw pleasant works that focused mainly on aesthetics. This exhibition concludes today at Chitrakala Parishath.

Incidentally, there were three other exhibitions going on at the Parishath - one of them was held by students from CAVA University, Mysore and featured their paintings and sculptures. The effect was a little crowded as there were too many works, but I quite liked a few works in stone and a couple of paintings. Hopefully, these students will do a better job of media and PR next time, because as far as I could see not many people knew about their show.
Another exhibition by a group of artists (Sumita Maity, Arpita Chandra, Pradip Sau and Anjan Kumar) from Bengal appeared to be slightly disjointed, but had a few good works.
The last exhibition that was going on was of watercolours inspired by nature, but it was a little too garish for me. I feel the beauty of the medium lies in its delicate, understated look which was completely missing. These three exhibitions that I have mentioned have already ended last week.

Published in Bangalore Mirror

Tale of two cities

(Nalini S Malaviya )

Last month I was in Ahmedabad and could not help but compare the art scene between the two cities. Quantitatively speaking, the number of galleries and art shows that happen in Bangalore is much higher than what one sees in Ahmedabad.
Visitors from Mumbai and Delhi find Bangalore lagging behind on the art front, and I have to say the same for Ahmedabad. The level of awareness and interest in art appears to be low and one of the reasons that I could correlate it with is that there is hardly any coverage about art related events in the media. And, this is despite the fact that a number of well known artists live there.
Media plays an important role in reporting news and creating awareness about local and global issues. But, it has an equally important role to play in providing the necessary leverage in promoting fine arts and culture. We are fortunate in Bangalore to have a supportive media who has been giving widespread coverage to art exhibitions and related topics. It is another matter that often the kind of art that gets promoted is questionable. While, in Ahmedabad, gallerists and other people that I talked to, cribbed about the dearth of art critics and journalists.

I must talk about one of the exhibitions that I visited at Marvel art gallery, a leading art space in Ahmedabad that centred around a contemporary theme along with an unusual execution. ‘Nagarnama II’ - Nationalism to Internationalism featured some humungous sized canvasses by a young artist Harshil Patel. More than the paintings themselves the two huge works running almost the entire length of the gallery, and the entire floor covered with charcoal bricks gave it an interesting dimension. Exploring the theme of rapid urbanization and the corresponding change in cultural identities, the paintings portrayed the altered skylines. This combined with an installation and a collage of photographs; the gallery space was radically altered and created a special ambience. The feeling one had of standing on the pitch black road and viewing colourful artworks around me was remarkable.

In closing I would like to mention that on November 8, the art auction house Emami Chisel will hold its next auction of Indian art. According to their press release, the focus will now be on contemporary works and a lot of young artist's works will be put up for auction this time. Apart from painting, drawing and printmaking there will also be sculpture, photography and a two Channel video projection. The online auction starts on November 3rd and will merge and continue with the live auction on 8th November.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art in the virtual world

(Nalini S Malaviya)

In this electronic age where technology has pervaded every aspect of our lives how can art be left behind? The virtual art fraternity is replete with artists, galleries, collectors and connoisseurs. An online presence is a highly effective tool to network with members with common interests. While social networking sites have made news for a variety of reasons, there are now a growing number of networking sites dedicated to art. Online networking provides an edge over peers, offers a much larger reach and is an effective PR and marketing medium. All this at minimal costs (or often free). Another major advantage is the rapidity with which information is exchanged resulting in faster turnaround time.

Earlier the trend was more towards setting up websites to showcase artworks and art related services. Whereas now, blogs have emerged as a popular and free-to-use platform that offers similar, although somewhat limited facilities as a website, but is a great way to create an online presence. Easy to use and even easier to update and maintain, blogs can be used for marketing oneself and to reach out to a wider audience.

In the virtual world, where geographic or regional boundaries do not exist it is easy to relate to likeminded people. Dedicated social sites on art offer an exclusive platform to different players from the art community. Exchange of knowledge, expertise, views, statistics and the latest buzz allow valuable interaction between members.
Similarly, online newsletters and publications enhance exposure to art related events and news from across the world. While all these provide a valuable platform to the artist, they also offer the buyer wider access to information.

As we can see there are numerous benefits in being active on an online forum, but there are a few disadvantages that one should be aware of. These may not be specific to art related sites but it helps to go over them. As online identities can be misleading, it is important to check out the credentials of the person you are interacting with. Similarly, when any financial transaction is involved one should be extra cautious about use of credit card or divulging personal details. With that in mind sometimes a moderated networking site works out better.
In any case, it is always advisable to follow Netiquette when expressing oneself. So, go ahead and create a virtual presence to either showcase your art or to learn more about art.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Signature style and contemporary art

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Most readers who visit art shows on a regular basis, will be able to identify the artist when they come across works by well known names. For instance, when you look at paintings by SH Raza, FN Souza or even Suhas Roy, chances are you will recognize the artist immediately. Artists often tend to create an identity of their own over the years. In terms of medium, style, genre or even theme the artist’s work can becomes recognizable.
Raza’s geometric abstracts and the ‘bindu’, or the delicate, ethereal beauty of Suhas Roy’s women, particularly from the ‘Radha’ series – these are characteristic of the artist’s style. Most modern painters developed a signature style that they kept refining over the years. And, very often then not the artist is recognized by art created in his signature style.

Then, there are a few artists one comes across locally who become proficient in a particular theme or style, and if they experiment it is only within their comfort zone. Having perfected a particular form of art with a high saleability factor, it is no surprise that these artists are less willing to take chances.

On the other hand, one finds that most contemporary artists are more experimental in nature. They are willing to try out various mediums and also different themes and genres. Subodh Gupta one of the biggest names on the Indian contemporary art scene is a case in point. The medium for his installations vary from cow-dung patties to stainless steel, and he also expresses himself through paintings.
With greater exposure to Western art and culture there is an openness to experiment and try out new things. Indian artists are increasingly finding global acceptance through their international quality works. And are therefore willing to take greater risks.
Incidentally, this is a good time to be a young artist brimming with new ideas supplemented with innovation. Conceptual art or new media are all waiting to be innovated upon.

With all the buzz surrounding Indian art, one finds that the Bangalore art scene is quite nascent at the moment. Serious collectors’ crib that one does not get to see the best on the Indian art horizon, whereas, dealers and galleries feel that Bangaloreans are not ready for it. A chicken and egg situation as a friend, who has been in this business for years put it.
Well, someone has to take the first step. Here’s hoping to see some seriously good art.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

A historic sale by Damien Hirst

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Who wants to spend on cadavers?

Damien Hirst has astounded everyone with the phenomenal results at the Sotheby’s auction held last week. £111.4 million! That’s right, he made that much in the sale that was spread over two days. For those of you who are familiar with the works of the flamboyant artist, you must have seen pictures of animal cadavers preserved in formaldehyde solution or those of dead butterflies pinned and painted upon. Well, this particular sale showcased 223 works done in the last two years and the auction was dedicated to a single artist i.e. Hirst. "The Golden Calf," a white bullock preserved in formaldehyde, with hoofs and horns made of 18-carat gold and a gold disc crowning the head went for £10.35 million.

In fact, in what was a first, Hirst took his works to Sotheby’s directly sans galleries and dealers, which means he collects their commissions too. Taxidermist, publicity monger - these are some of the epithets that have been heaped upon Hirst, as his choice of medium and marketing strategies have always been controversial. Art market analysts were skeptical if the sale would be successful at all, but then Sotheby’s and Hirst went all out to woo prospective buyers. A genius whether in marketing or creativity, well, that is debatable.
And, now that a recent research claims that looking at beautiful paintings can actually alleviate pain, one wonders why one wants to place cadavers in their immediate environment and look at them!

Silent verses
In stark contrast to Damien Hirst’s avant-garde art we have an exhibition of paintings titled ‘Silence’ by the city based artist MS Murthy. Murthy’s works are minimal abstracts with tiny specks of light. Formless and almost austere the paintings are monochromatic panels of earthy colours that evoke a sense of calm and tranquility. His works appear to be spiritual in their minimalism, and one feels stillness and a sense of quiet when looking at them. Vast spaces that flow seamlessly create an aura of solitude and serenity.
His earlier series on the Buddha was also non–figurative, with expanses of colours streaked with irradiant light on the canvas.
Murthy has won the International Biennale Award (2003) from Iran Academy of Arts in which he represented India.

(The exhibition can be viewed till October 5 at Times and Space Art Gallery, Bangalore)

Published in Bangalore mirror

Eastern and Southern Dimensions

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

A travelling show, ‘On High Ground of Indian Art: Eastern and Southern dimensions’ presents works by 13 artists representative of Indian art from the 1940s to the turn of the 21st century. The show tries to capture the influences that shaped the art of these prominent artists and attempts to present it in a contextual format. Paritosh Sen, Suhas Roy, SG Vasudev, Rekha Rao, Laxman Aelay are some of the artists whose works are part of this exhibition.

The Victim, an acrylic on canvas work by Paritosh Sen, focuses on the aftermath of the tsunami. The poignant image of the young girl sitting in the forefront with sketches of dead children and fish behind her paints a picture riddled with grief and trauma. The Landscape by Surya Prakash is a melange of colours that presents nature in all its majestic beauty. The Hyderabad based artist is known for his beautiful landscapes. The Chennai based artist K Muralidharan combines folk art elements in his mixed media work on canvas to weave a visual narrative. Despite borrowing motifs from folk art, the images are surreal where hybrid creatures are a combination of human and animal forms to create a fantasy world.

Palaniappan’s abstract is in his inimitable minimal style - the linear trajectories on the artist’s canvas project scientific precision on to the creative world of art. Subroto Gangopadhyay’s works are a riot of colours that capture the festive spirit. The dancing figures appear lyrical as they move energetically to the musical rhythm. Suhas Roy’s painting belongs to his popular Radha series that effectively presents his unique style.

Most of the other works are also representative of the artist’s signature style. For the viewer who is unfamiliar with the progression of Indian art at various time points, the exhibition offers an opportunity to look at some quality works by well known artists.


(The exhibition ended at Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bangalore and will head to Kolkatta)

Published in Bangalore Mirror

Art and media

(Nalini S Malaviya)

As I have mentioned in the past as well, art has emerged as one of the safest investment options, provided one does a thorough research. Media coverage of art and artists has also increased proportionally and it is common to see artists featured on Page 3. And, coverage of art shows is also a constant in dailies. A reader wrote to say he was compiling a list of all artists that have been covered in local newspapers as a prospective list of artists worth investing in, and here I would like to point out, that presence in the media and investment potential are two separate issues. What one needs to realise is that not all artists that are featured in local newspapers and publications necessarily make for a sound financial investment. Interesting art, brand value/seniority of the artist and sometimes strong PR could be the reason for featuring an artist or his/her work. In fact, it could be something as simple as filling up the designated page. Therefore, one may find that the media coverage of an artist could be unrelated to the quality or investment value of their art.

Having said that, artists who are featured often in the media, are those who are likely to be in the news for their art or for their performance at auctions. In which case, they are also those who are likely to make their mark professionally. Keeping track of artists and their exhibitions is an excellent way to familiarise oneself with the art scene. One can learn a lot about different genres of art, styles and trends. One can combine this information with research and one should be able to invest wisely.

Picture is for illustration purpose only

One also comes across the term ‘investment artist’ often. I feel that this is a much abused term and happens to be a very convenient phrase to sell art to unsuspecting buyers. That is why it is so important to empower yourself with knowledge about art. It not only helps you in making decisions regarding what to buy but it also enriches your life. One is able to better understand art in context with its times and relate to abstract concepts, as well.
Another great way to enhance knowledge is by visiting art exhibitions, the more one looks at art the more one connects with it.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Printmaking

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Recently, I came across a few artists who are taking photocopies of their paintings and selling them as prints. Buyer should not confuse these with traditional forms of limited edition fine art prints, which are produced with specialised techniques and have an investment value, as well. Fine art prints involve creating an image on a surface (called a matrix) and transferring it on to another surface, usually paper. Wood, metal or stone are commonly used as matrix in printmaking techniques. Print making usually involves a manual process to transfer the design onto the surface. Woodcut, lithography and etching are some of the methods used to produce a small number of multiples.
Offset printing on the other hand involves reproducing the original, and can produce a large number of copies.
In printmaking each print is numbered and signed by the artist, which also denotes the edition size (total number of multiples) and authenticity of the print. Traditionally, the block used to transfer the design was destroyed to prevent further copies from being produced.
Printmaking is an involved and labour intensive process and one finds that most trained printmakers are now moving away to different mediums which are either more rewarding in terms of creativity or financially.

Paintings by Mukesh Sharma

Talking about prints, I went for the preview of “Walled Expressions - Untold Tales”, an exhibition of paintings by the Jaipur based artist Mukesh Sharma. Essentially a printmaker, Mukesh’s recent oeuvre comprises of colourful imagery that weaves a narrative reminiscent of a painstakingly designed patchwork quilt. The intricately spun visuals borrow elements from Rajasthani art, miniatures, murals and folk arts amongst various other aspects.
Folk motifs from Rajasthani art, block prints from Sanganer, and rich colours from the desert come alive on the canvas. The geometric fragments along with swathes of brilliant colours and detailed motifs are juxtaposed seamlessly to form a kaleidoscope of imagery.
A fusion of people, practises, traditions and rituals his paintings capture the transformation that has occurred due to urbanization and present an amalgamated picture that is slowly evolving. A blend of ethnicity and contemporary, the paintings echo the dichotomy which is hard to ignore. Artists are invariably drawn to the socio-cultural effects of rapid development and progress, and interpret these in diverse forms. With a master’s degree in Fine Arts from MS University, Baroda, Mukesh works as a freelance artist.

The exhibition continues at Olive Beach till 22nd of September, Bangalore.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Installations by M Shanthamani

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

A set of black pickle jars, a pregnant lady along with a potted plant, and an ominous cloud suspended in a dark room appear theatrical and carefully staged to form a set of installations that have been cast with paper pulp and charcoal.
Shanthamani’s preoccupation with fragmentation continues in this exhibition as well. Her last show of paintings dealt with issues arising out of the city’s rapid urbanization, the resultant identity crisis and associated socio-economic concerns. Here too, there is an emphasis on the disintegrating urban environment, ecological imbalances and man-made catastrophes waiting to happen.

The set of four installations, Frozen Phoenix is a paradox, which force one to question whether the human resilience will rise above all odds or will it succumb to the effects of an altered environment. Being a woman artist, Shanthamani is able to bring a greater level of gender sensitivity in her works.
The black pieces of charcoal are a product of millions of years of ecological changes within the earth’s crust, and yet they annihilate in moments before turning to ashes. A symbol of ephemeral-ism, it causes one to reflect on the transience of the human race, and at the same time draws attention to the lingering impacts of irresponsible actions.

The use of charcoal as a metaphor works well in the sculptures and one is irrevocably drawn to the intense interpretations offered by the artist. The black cloud suspended in the dark space creates an eerie and somewhat surreal effect. The pregnant woman appears frail yet resilient as she stands next to the blackened potted plant.
This time Shanthamani’s works are powerful enough to succeed in unsettling the viewer. Part of a curated show, the installations will next move on to New Delhi.

The exhibition continues at Gallery Sumukha till 24th of August

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art Shows in Bangalore

(Nalini S Malaviya)

A number of art shows have previewed in the last couple of weeks. The inaugural evening of an art exhibition organised by Mahua art gallery was held at their new premises. The group show ‘Across the Threshold’ exhibiting works by 31 artists from across the country such as Kolkatta, Baroda, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Sikkim and Shantiniketan presented an interesting range of paintings and sculptures that span different genres, styles and themes. Although, some of the works conform to a familiar pattern that one comes across at most shows in the city, there were a few pieces that offered a fresh perspective. Paintings by S G Vasudev, Yusuf Arakkal and JMS Mani were in their signature style, and so were a few others.

Sohini Dhar’s landscape that follows the miniature art format combines a graceful rendering with a poetic flow. Sharmi Chowdhury’s narratives present situational wit and sarcasm. The watercolours use disconnected images to bring out the absurdity in common everyday events. Tejendra Baoni’s sculpture in bronze and iron is an elaborate and striking piece of work. Yogesh Mahida plays with space to create a high gloss stainless steel architectural piece with bronze pigs climbing up the stairs. An interesting concept.
Venugopal comments on urban issues and environment through mediatic imagery, which is very popular with young contemporary artists today. Romanticism and impressionist style landscapes, elements from folk art and crafts, and surrealism are some of the facets that come together under one roof.

The gallery promises to hold art appreciation and other workshops in addition to regular exhibitions.
(The exhibition continues at Mahua Art Gallery till 16th of August, Sadashivnagar, Bangalore-80)

The other show that I went to celebrates the common man’s love for music. Bangalore based artist S Krishnappa continues his tryst with musicians and their dance, portraying their abundant joy and vivacity. The paintings resonate with rhythm and a lyrical fervour. In an entirely decorative style, the artist combines folk art nuances with a vibrantly colourful palette to paint images of men who celebrate their existence through music. The popular format varies minimally in the various canvasses – the groupings differ as the musicians express their effervescence as they play various musical instruments.

(The exhibition can be viewed till 14th of August at The Hatworks Boulevard, Cunningham Road, Bangalore-52)

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Is this art?

(Nalini S Malaviya)

Much has been written about the magic boxes that have been installed enroute to the new airport. These underpasses have failed miserably in decongesting traffic, especially at peak hours. Yes, I know, this column is about art and not civic issues, although one has to admit that our city roads just lend beautifully to an imaginative mind.
Coming back to the boxes, let’s begin with the first one that was built at Cauvery circle on Sankey Road. Those of you who have taken this route may have noticed the ‘art’ on the walls. There are visuals of an orange-coloured sun on either side of the wall as you enter the underpass.

According to some newspaper reports (which appeared around the time the magic box was opened to public), the so called mural was apparently designed and implemented by art students in an attempt to beautify these magical passes. I seem to remember these were done either free of cost or at a nominal charge covering basic material costs.
At the time, on seeing them, a friend had declared them a ‘monstrosity’ and an assault on the senses. I had nobly refrained from such epithets and had found them ‘childish’ but ‘not so bad’. Last week, when passing by, I noticed that the paintings on the wall look faded and patchy - the colour has actually left the surface in places, and therefore this cannot be ignored anymore. Whether there is a need for a mural in such locations is debatable, but once a project like this is undertaken one must do it right.
A mural or a wall painting requires specific skills, and a mural on an external wall that is exposed to the weather elements is that much more susceptible to wear and tear. We have some incredibly talented artists in the city who are known across the world, and there are a few who specialise in making murals. It is a complete mystery why the BBMP has not used the artistic and technical skills of those who have the expertise. The mural as it stands today is an eyesore and whatever the reason – budget or lack of skill - there is no excuse to inflict these on the unsuspecting Bangalorean and the odd tourist who happens to pass by.
Art on these walls fall under the realm of ‘public art’ and had they been conceptualised and executed with that in mind, we might have had a totally different take on this. Surprisingly, these ‘sun’ images have been duplicated at another magic box as well and they might be elsewhere too.
With these visuals multiplying at an alarming rate, I wonder if it is too late to do anything about them.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)