Art News: Recounting Memories by Gurudas Shenoy in Bangalore

Recounting Memories by Gurudas Shenoy 

at Sublime Art Galleria in Bangalore

Gurudas Shenoy’s urban spaces recount narratives constructed around places, their architecture and history to form visual chronicles. The irregular façades of structural forms conceal stories of life and living. An array of emotions, personal and collective sagas and memories lie embedded within the walls of settlements. Archives of human existence entrenched in every brick and piece of glass, the inanimate captures the living breath within its folds.


The evolution of the current series of cityscapes can be traced to his travels across India and Europe. A significant point in his artistic journey, the European visual and cultural environment opened up entirely new vistas for him. It triggered rigorous experimentations on canvas, and an expansiveness in his imagination and thought, resulting in a fresh vocabulary. Paris, Amsterdam and Prague amongst other cities, contributed to a refined aesthetic in terms of colours, lines, form, light and textures, leading him to explore the city in its vitality, sheer energy and its resplendence. His fascination with buildings, old and new, their historicity, and their silent role as witnesses to time and its transformation, their inhabitants and their lives with all its variations, became a muse.

Apart from the cityscapes, Shenoy’s newer works occupy a transitory space, where the structures from an urban skyline gently dissolve their linearity and are suggestive of memories of land and the surrounding environment. Undulating terrains, open skies and hints of topographical details speckle the surface and the works become calmer and unencumbered in their exploration. Perhaps, meditative too, reflecting Shenoy’s state of mind and a personal sense of serenity that he now embraces. The experimentations with colours and textures intensify, and he continues to gravitate further towards abstraction. He revisits landscapes - from places he has travelled to, and represents them as snapshots in time and space. The colours are vivid with strong and often dramatic brushstrokes that capture the essence of the memory – of land, its contours and colours, the play of light and the prevalent mood. 

Nalini S Malaviya

Art Critic, Bangalore

Excerpt from the catalog essay Recounting Memories

All images are courtesy the artist

Recounting Memories by Gurudas Shenoy at Sublime Art Galleria in Bangalore previews on 2nd Nov and continues till 28th Nov, 2018. 

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• Art News: 'Bend' - A solo exhibition of contemporary sculptures by Kalyan S Rathore
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• Art Mumbai: Written on Water curated by Sanjeev Sonpimpare
• 5 Reasons a Good Catalogue Text is Essential for Your Art
• How To Write An Artist Statement
• 6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation
• Exhibiting Art in Non-Gallery Spaces
• Guide To Exhibiting Your Artworks
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Art News: 'Bend' - A solo exhibition of contemporary sculptures by Kalyan S Rathore

'Bend' - The Nature Of Change And The Order Of Repetition

A solo exhibition of contemporary sculptures by Kalyan S Rathore

Curated by Nalini S Malaviya

till September 29 at Gallery Manora, Bangalore

Aesthetics in Distortion

The preciseness of mathematical rules, the natural order in nature and the variants that occur during repetition, lie at the core of Kalyan Rathore’s art making. His sculptural installations derive inspiration from form, structure, space and aesthetics that occur in nature - as an innate incidence. Rathore explores elements of design, formation and spatial arrangement as observed in nature and their underlying patterns of morphology to recreate them in his sculptures.

Rathore has been working as an industrial designer and has conceptualised and created several large scale installations, which have been based on mathematical algorithms, and employ multimedia. Applying principles of progressive distortion, he repeats patterns to create motifs that resemble flora, fauna and naturally occurring elements. The sculptural forms appear to grow organically in a sequential manner, mimicking growth and patterns in nature, yet are reduced to a minimalist form that captures the essentials - the essence of the shape, form and motif in a geometric layout.

 ‘Bend’ explores the variant that alters the mathematical code at the fundamental level, albeit from an artistic perspective, while applying mathematical rules such as the Fibonacci sequence and other relevant formulae responsible for the progression. For instance, the fractal defines a form created by repetitive application of a mathematical rule, where the form does not have to be homogenous, but it is precise. In the event of an error or variation introduced in the rule, the precision gives way to a slight distortion of the form, while retaining its essence, which is close to what is found in nature.

In the current suite of works, ‘Bend’ employs stellation to build the polytopes with new figures and forms - the essence of floral and animal figures, and patterns prevailing in nature. The sculptures explore plurality of probable motifs, genesis of natural forms, germination of organic life, and a multitude of possibilities that manifests in nature as an intuitive process.

Nalini S Malaviya

Curator

Bangalore

August, 2018

(excerpt from the curatorial essay)

Artist’s Statement:

Reality is warped. Straight lines are ‘straight’ only under the frame of reference we choose to adhere to. Mass is the summation of energy and Energy is an equally distorted idea too. We are left with no friendly-concepts in science when Quantum-physics walks into the room. The more we explore the more we push the wrinkles of uncertainty around the corner. This is not just a metaphorical position but one that rings true in the scientific communities as well.

‘BEND’ is my ode to the world of distortion. Distortion by design and Design by repetitions. Mutations that are born out of repetition and change.

Perhaps the key to chaos is in Order. Can this order be harnessed and explained? The answers may lie in nature. Where nature chooses Geometry as a guiding template to render herself. I seek to find the common elements in every form; from an Atom to the Universe. In flora and fauna this seeming waywardness is apparent. On deeper inspection strict mathematical principles seem to govern the recipe for growth, structure and aesthetics. Geometry it appears is the solution nature turns to in order to negotiate and resolve the need for resources.

The sculptor in me wants to pin down a ‘minimum fundamental form’ that applies itself by replicating and changing at the same time. I present to you my series called BEND; The Nature of change and the order of repetition which is an ongoing exploration of Nature inspired structures.

The exhibition continues till September 29 at Gallery Manora, Indira Nagar, Bangalore

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To contribute articles, please get in touch at nalini.indianart@gmail.com

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Art and the Question of Authorship and Ownership in the Internet Era by Narendra Raghunath
The 'Reality' of Photo Art Today by Shibu Arakkal
A Tribute to Artist M.B. Patil by H.A. Anil Kumar
Art News: apexart Open Call for Group Exhibitions 2018-19
5 Reasons a Good Catalogue Text is Essential for Your Art
How To Write An Artist Statement
6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation
Exhibiting Art in Non-Gallery Spaces
Guide To Exhibiting Your Artworks
How to Create an Online Presence

Art News: Ode To Nature By Shirley Mathew

Ode To Nature - A Solo Exhibition By Shirley Mathew

Conceived while sitting in front of a Buddhist temple in Bylekoppe, Coorg, Shirley Mathew's latest suite of works delve deep into the interconnectedness between nature and spirituality and translate them onto canvas. The outcome is a beautiful series that is a celebration in brilliant colours.
 
Shirley Mathew, a graduate in Psychology (Hons), Jesus and Mary College, Delhi, was initially interested in the nuances of drama and theatre in school and college. She has acted in plays and directed skits from a young age. All along she dabbled in art and later enrolled for intensive study in art at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in the US. She further trained in Barcelona, Spain at the Escola Llotja, the institution where Picasso studied in his early years and his father had taught. This was followed by a short residency at the Garhi Studios of Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi that was enriching as an artist.  She later trained in Tuscany, Italy and learned new techniques to hone her talent that has led to another dimension in her creativity.

Shirley has represented Karnataka at the Art Fusion Show, Mumbai, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Statehood of Maharastra.  A finalist in a National Art Competition, she has participated in more than 50 shows that include several solo shows in prestigious galleries of Bengaluru. She has made a presence in the genre of Abstract Expressionism and has displayed her works in 10 cities of India. Her interest to learn other art forms led to completing courses in Madhubani Painting and Basic paper making conducted by well known artists in the respective fields.

Working mostly with mixed medium, Shirley allows the subject to rule the choice of palette and techniques. Her philosophy is to touch as many lives positively with her creativity and has been conducting art awareness shows for many years in her studio. Shirley has conducted workshops for underprivileged children to raise funds and with professionals in the corporate world to introduce art as therapy.

Her works are in the collection of private homes and Corporate Houses in India, Bahrain, Singapore, USA, Australia, UK and France. She lives and works in Bengaluru.


Exhibition continues till 28th Feb, 2018 at Sublime Galleria, Bangalore

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Also read,

• Art News: apexart Open Call for Group Exhibitions 2018-19 
• 5 Reasons a Good Catalogue Text is Essential for Your Art
• How To Write An Artist Statement
• 6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation
• Exhibiting Art in Non-Gallery Spaces
• Guide To Exhibiting Your Artworks
• How to Create an Online Presence

Art News: OPEN CALL: apexart International Open Call 2018-19

OPEN CALL: apexart International Open Call 2018-19

From February 1 - March 1, 2018 apexart is accepting proposals for its International Open Call for exhibitions. Three winning proposals will be presented as part of apexart’s 2018-19 exhibition season, and can take place anywhere in the world, except for New York City. Curators, artists, writers, and creative individuals, regardless of experience level or location, are invited to submit proposals online.

•   The Submission Process: Proposals should describe focused, idea-driven, original group exhibitions. No biographical information, CVs, links, or images may be included within the application - just describe the exhibition you want to create and why. Submissions cannot exceed 500 words and must be submitted in English, and submitters must have visited the proposed exhibition location previously. This year’s submission form also requires the listing of three potential artists, though this list will not be reviewed by the jury. Proposals are judged only by their content and the organizer’s ability to communicate, rather than by familiar names or past accomplishments.

Illegal Kosmonavtika (Installation view), an apexart Open Call exhibition organized by Magda Guruli and Mariam Natroshvili in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2017.

•   The Selection Process: An international jury, composed of more than 150 individuals from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, rates the proposals. Rather than convene a small panel to review hundreds of ideas, apexart’s crowd-sourced voting system allows many jurors to individually review a subset of proposals. Submissions are made anonymous and randomized for juror review, and apexart does not influence the results of the jury. The organizers of the three highest-ranked proposals each receive an honorarium and funding for the selected exhibition proposal, and work closely with the apexart team to turn their idea into an apexart exhibition.

To submit an exhibition proposal, visit apexart.org/opencalls.php by March 1, 2018.

Proposals will be accepted from February 1 - March 1, 2018.

To learn more about how to submit your 500-word exhibition proposal, visit apexart.org/opencalls.php

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If you found this article useful, please share it using the social media widgets at the bottom and do subscribe to receive regular updates from Art Scene India.
 
Also read,

• Art News: apexart Open Call for Group Exhibitions 2018-19 
• 5 Reasons a Good Catalogue Text is Essential for Your Art
• How To Write An Artist Statement
• 6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation
• Exhibiting Art in Non-Gallery Spaces
• Guide To Exhibiting Your Artworks
• How to Create an Online Presence

Art News: Re-presentation of Reality in Contemporary Art

Re-presentation of Reality in Contemporary Art 

 22nd Nov at 5.30 pm at Reves Art Gallery, Bangalore

Introduction: All works of art are representations of reality, whether that reality is made up of sensory perceptions, an inner world or a fictitious account. The various styles or forms of art making suggest different ways of looking at reality.  In today's context, mediums such as television and film, and technology such as virtual reality offer transformative experiences with varied representations of the reality and of imaginary realms.

New media and technologies have opened up possibilities, breaking barriers of time and space in two dimensional media, making it possible to simulate experiences involved in viewing and engaging with art. It also allows an amalgamation of the personal and the popular in novel ways.
The all pervasive nature of the Internet and wide use of technology have impacted art production and consumption, allowing multiple ways of creating and engaging with contemporary art.

About the Panelists

Murali Cheeroth 

Murali Cheeroth has exhibited in over 100 significant shows across the globe in the last two decades. His visual works refer to a wide variety of sources in the cultural sphere and contain within them a deep conversation with the history of representation in visual media, fine art, cinema, music and architecture. Within the context of the history of visual representation, his current explorations include the architecture of the city, urbanization and urban cultures. He looks closely at the ideas of re-construction, infrastructure, technology, speed and change, intersections of local and the global, multiple layers of urban identities and so on.

Some of his major exhibitions include ‘Passage to India’ – the New Indian Art from the Frank Cohen collection in UK (2009); Indian Art summit in New Delhi, SH contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai, Chicago Art Fair and London Art Fair in 2010, Colombo Beinnale, 2012, Chalo India – A group show of Contemporary Indian Artists at Basel Art Centre, 2014. Hotel Maria Kapel Korte Achterstraat 2a1621 GA Hoorn NL-2015, Art fair in Torino, Italy2015, The 2nd international art exhibition of the Silk Road, Shanxi Art Museum, China-2015. His art education includes a BFA and MFA from Shantiniketan, West Bengal and advanced computer diploma in digital media.

Ravikumar Kashi 

Ravikumar Kashi is an artist who works in different mediums such as painting, sculpture, photography and installation. His works combine or cut across defined expectations from these mediums. His idea / concept driven works are layered and connect with the viewer in multiple ways. Desire, decay and death are a major concern in his works along with introspection.

Kashi was born in Bangalore in 1968. He completed his B.F.A. from College of Fine Arts, Bangalore in 1988; M.F.A. from Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda in 1990; and M.A. in English from Mysore University, in 1995. He learnt handmade papermaking from Glasgow School of Art, U.K. He also learnt Hanji, traditional Korean papermaking, from Jang Ji Bang, Korea. He has shown his works in solo shows and curated shows across the world in galleries, art fairs, biennales and museums. He has received National award from Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi and two awards from Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy and one from Karnataka Shilpa Kala Academy for his works. He writes on art in Kannada and English. Two of his books, 'Anukta' and 'Kannele' have been published from AkshsraPrakashana, Hegggodu. His book 'Kannele' has received Karnataka Sahitya Academy award. He teaches at RV School of Architecture and Acharya School of Design as adjunct visiting faculty.

Shanthamani. M

Shanthamani. M has done a Papermaking Course from Glasgow, Scotland after finishing her Master of Arts (Fine) in Painting from the M.S. University, Baroda. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting is from CAVA, Mysore University. Her solo exhibitions abroad were “Neither Tree nor Ash” at Suzanne Tarasieve Gallery, Paris, France in 2016 and “Carbon Myths” at Gallery, Helene Lamarque, curated by Anne Maniglier, Miami, Florida, the USA in 2010.

Her participation in the Kochi Muziris Biennale, India 2014, in Art Brussels, represented by Suzanne Tarasieve Gallery, Brussels, in India Art Fair, New Delhi 2012, in “Critical Mass” Tel Aviv Museum, curated by Tami Katz-Freiman, Rotem Ruff, Tel Aviv, Israel, in “River, Body & Legends” a corpus multimedia presentation with two Women artists at Matighar, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi 2003, in the two person show held at Galerie Muller & Plate, Munich 2001 and the 10th Triennale-India underline her credentials as a contemporary artist.

In 2017 she was Artist in Residence at Cité Des Arts, Paris and in 2013 she participated in the International Bamboo workshop with the students of Ensad, Paris, in Saline Royale.

Nalini S Malaviya

She is a Bangalore based art critic and consultant. She has been writing for the media since 2003, and has been an art columnist for Financial Times (Delhi and Bangalore) and Bangalore Mirror. She has contributed to Times of India, Sunday Herald, Art and Deal, Art Etc., Art Journal, Art Fair and Lalit Kala Contemporary.

Her curatorial projects include Reimagining: (Un)Reality and Space, Irreverent Gene, Polynomials of Relevance and the ongoing Parallax of Visual Memories. She has published papers on Art, Artists and Society – Catalysing Social Change, and Linear Progressions: Tracing the Line in Karnataka for the Karnataka Lalithkala Academy Journal.

Some of her prefatory essays for art catalogues include 'Feeling Absence' a photography show by Shibu Arakkal, ‘Icons in our Midst’, New Delhi, essays for Yusuf Arakkal's catalogues and books and for artists Gurudas Shenoy, Milind Nayak and Suresh K Nair among others. She was on the Jury for the Lalit Kala Akademi National Exhibition 2017.

An occasional fiction writer, Nalini has published short stories as part of various anthologies, The Shrinking Woman, The Curse of the Bird and Bhelpuri. She publishes www.artsceneindia.com, a popular blog cum Ezine featuring art news, events and articles. She can be reached on nalini.indianart@gmail.com


Venue
Reves Art Gallery
Address;#32,Yedla's 3rd Floor,
100 ft Maranahalli Road,
Sangam Circle,8th Block Jayanagar
Bangalore -560082
Tel -080 48663224
Mob +91 9901931314

If you found this article useful, please share it using the social media widgets at the bottom and do subscribe to receive regular updates from Art Scene India.
 
Also read,

• 5 Reasons a Good Catalogue Text is Essential for Your Art
• How To Write An Artist Statement
• 6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation
• Exhibiting Art in Non-Gallery Spaces
• Guide To Exhibiting Your Artworks
• How to Create an Online Presence

Terra Firma in New Delhi

Looking for balance and harmony in nature

Terra Firma presents recent works by four leading artists of Karnataka - Milind Nayak, Gurudas Shenoy, Shirley Mathew and Praveen Kumar at the Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Their works relate to the existing urban scenario and reflect on issues related to humanity and its co-existence with nature. All four artists are proficient at expressing structural and natural forms, in various medium and distinctive colour palettes. Their paintings evoke poignancy and deep contemplation as they explore the urban landscape with all its inherent beauty and conflicts.

 

Art News: Heritage ‘per square feet’ at Venkatappa Art Gallery

 Measured per square feet from soil to sky!

Third in the Sambhrama series, Heritage ‘per square feet’, presents works by Mysore artists in an exhibition curated by Shoaib Chadkhan and Anil Chandran. The show offers paintings, performance, talk and panel discussion to probe, inquire and explore the subject in varied dimensions. The Karnataka artists' resistance to the adoption of Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG) began in February 2016, and saw a series of artistic events and protests since then. 

As part of VAG Forum's ongoing artistic activities towards a creative reclamation of public space, organizing an art exhibition/event for 10 days once in 45 days, has been taken up by the VAG Forum, which comes under the name 'Sambhrama'.

Art News: Jaipur Art Summit 2017

5th edition of Jaipur Art Summit (Dec 14-18, 2017) planned on a much larger scale

Rajasthan and specifically Jaipur, which had always been an art, culture and heritage rich city in the world has now steadily and strongly made its presence felt on the world art scenario. Jaipur is creating an international language of art, literature and design and some of the festivals have been really instrumental in giving Jaipur an international and national presence, one of them being the Jaipur Art Summit. 

Over the past 4 years, the Jaipur Art Summit has been able to create a premier platform for modern and contemporary art in the state to display the work of masters as well as young and upcoming artists from the globe. The five day long event is a first of its kind in the state. 
Its effort is to take the rich legacy of the state in various art forms across many mediums and formats like painting, digital art, art installations, sculptures, interactive art and other contemporary and folk-centric expressions to a wider spectrum of audience. 

It includes an international painting exhibition, national seminars / talks on contemporary and traditional art related subjects by scholars of repute, international art camp, site specific art installations, live art demonstrations of rare art forms, video art screenings and art films apart from performing art forms. 

The prime objective of the summit is to bring together artists working in different mediums and genres, cultural art players, art historians, critics, institutions and galleries from the country and the globe to promote art and build an environment for appreciation for arts, exchange of peer learning and knowledge sharing. This will help in bringing together regional, national and international voices alongside a world view, fostering possibilities of partnerships and create newer pathways for art promotion globally. 

In this coming 5th edition of Jaipur Art Summit the event is planned on a much larger scale taking into its ambit many more dimensions of not only contemporary art but also tribal and traditional arts internationally, owing to the response in the 2016 edition.

In 2017, the scheduled dates for Jaipur Art Summit are 14-18 December and the Summit would include participation of international/ Indian artists, art colleges, literary figures, architects and interior designers in several distinctive art events like: 

• International Artists Camp and Artist Interactive Sessions 
• International Art Exhibition  and Galleries Show 
• Demonstration of Tribal and Traditional Arts 
• Site Specific Art Installations 
• Contemporary Art Talk and Discussions 
• Art Movies and Art Critics Session 
• Art Performance Shows 
• Creative Art Workshops
• Graffiti and Street Arts 
• Experimental Photography Shows 
• Digital and Multimedia Arts 
• Performing Arts (Folk/ Theatre/ Music/ Dance)

(press release)

Art News: Call for applications for Artist Residency in Manipal University

Call for applications for Artist Residency in Manipal University last date May 15, 2017

The intention of this Art Residency at Manipal University is to add to the public art and aesthetics of the University. The University has already taken a major step in art-advocacy by hosting the prestigious KK Hebbar Gallery, and wants to further extend its support to young and talented artists. This year the Resident is required to be a Sculptor. As the University is located in a culturally and ecologically distinct region, it is preferred if the selected Artist pays homage to this distinctness by working with material (for example, laterite) native to the region. The idea is to create works, individually or in exceptional cases as part of a group of 3-4, that dot the landscape of the many different types of Institutions (such as medical, engineering, hospitality etc )that constitute the University. The works should be clearly visible, and perhaps pinned in a way that they cannot be stolen. It is also a key requirement that the Artist be a good communicator, who is willing to take customized classes/demonstrations in these varied Institutions explaining the rationale, process, and the need for public visibility of art in non-museum spaces. Such an opportunity is a great incentive for the selected Artist—his or her work would literally be seen by thousands of young people every day, and would become part of their lives.

The University will also provide opportunities for the Artist to further curate and exhibit their work, and mentor interested and talented students. The Artists need to submit their CV, with photos/samples of their work, a statement of what they hope to achieve in the given time, and details of budget, materials and other requirements for their work. The remuneration offered to the main sculptor is Rs 50,000/- per month for 3 months, and if there are a few assistants, their remuneration may be up to Rs. 30,000 per month.

The K K HEBBAR ART FOUNDATION will select the artist for the Artist Residency Project.

Dr Nikhil Govind
HGAC MANIPAL

All applications to be directed to: raorekha460(at)gmail.com, rajanipras(at)yahoo.com
(Press release received from Rekha Rao)

Art News: Anita Dube declared curator of Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018

Anita Dube declared curator of Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018

Kochi, March 29: Anita Dube, one of India’s most provocative and versatile contemporary artists, was announced here today as the curator for the fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) beginning December 2018. The selection is in keeping with the Biennale’s long-standing tradition of being an artist-led exhibition. 

The reveal – made by Culture Minister Shri A.K. Balan during the KMB 2016 closing ceremony at Durbar Hall Wednesday evening – followed the unanimous decision made by a high-powered panel of renowned artists and prominent personalities to bring Dube’s unique artistic insights and sensibilities to the Biennale – the largest celebration of contemporary art in South Asia. 

“Through three editions, the KMB has gained a reputation for being one of the most important exhibitions of its kind around the world. It is an honour and a very big challenge to be declared curator of this wonderful platform. I am delighted that the jurors thought I can deliver. I accept the responsibility with excitement and humility. It is early days yet and my thoughts will no doubt undergo several changes going forward, but I view this as an opportunity to do something special,” said Dube, who was present at the function.

Dube takes over from Sudarshan Shetty, whose vision for the third edition of India’s only Biennale saw 97 artists from 31 countries showcase their production – across a variety of forms, styles and disciplines – over a 108-day period starting 12/12/16. Spread out across 12 venues, KMB 2016 received more than six lakh visitors.

Based out of the National Capital Region, Dube is renowned for her conceptually rich, politically charged works. An art historian and critic by training and a visual artist in practice, she has been widely exhibited across the Americas, Europe and Asia, including at the first edition of the KMB in 2012. Dube’s practice uses found objects and industrial materials, photography and ‘word architecture’ to critique contemporary socio-political realities.

Her aesthetic idiom, in many ways, reflects her background as a member of the Indian Radical Painters and Sculptors Association – a short-lived but hugely influential collection of artists and art students who rebelled against what they perceived to be the commodification of art in India.

In fact, Dube’s selection comes nearly three decades after she wrote the manifesto of the group’s seminal exhibition ‘Questions and Dialogue’ held in 1987 in the western state of Gujarat – that called for an explicitly radical, socially and politically conscious approach to art making. The group focused on inexpensive materials and found objects to produce works that resisted commercialisation and connected with working-class audiences.

Describing Dube as a ‘thinking artist’, KMB co-founder Bose Krishnamachari said, “Anita’s sensitivity towards materials, incorporating everyday objects derived from informal, craft and industrial sources and spaces, is profound. As is her wordplay and use of mediums, gestures and imageries – all of which will make for varied experiences and resonances in a space as adaptive and accommodating as the Biennale. Her oeuvre features both knowledgeable consideration and skillful melding of the sensibilities and styles of abstractions with real, contemporary concerns. This will doubtless be reflected in her curatorial vision.”

Krishnamachari, who is also President of the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) – the organisers of India’s only Biennale, was part of the ‘Artistic Advisory Committee’ that selected Dube as curator. The other panelists were KBF Secretary Riyas Komu, Velu Vishwanadhan, Sarat Maharaj, Ravi Agarwal, Dayanita Singh, Sadanand Menon, Kavita Singh and V. Sunil.

“Anita’s selection not only reinforces our commitment to having artists at the helm, but also our mission to address contemporary social-political-cultural concerns. Anita is a strong proponent of making art accessible to the public through effective political and social engagement. This is precisely what the Biennale tries to do,” Komu said.

Dube is also a board member at KHOJ, an international artists’ association she co-founded in 1997 in New Delhi. Over two decades, the initiative that began as a modest annual workshop has become one of the most important platforms shining a global spotlight on South Asian art, organising and hosting international ‘itinerant’ workshops, residencies and exhibitions.

Besides KMB 2012, she has been represented in various national and international biennales and festivals such as ‘Biennale Jogja XI’ (Indonesia, 2011), ‘Against Exclusion’ 3rd Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (2009), ‘iCon: India Contemporary’, Venice Biennale (Collateral event, 2005), ‘Yokohama Triennale’ (Japan, 2001) and the ‘7^th Havana Biennial’ (Cuba, 2000).

Dube was also a participant in the groundbreaking 2009 exhibition, ‘Indian Highway’, an itinerant collective show curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Julia Peyton-Jones and Gunnar B. Kvaran, which represented the growing importance of the sub-continent’s creative panorama – especially the vibrancy of its contemporary art scene – and the economic, social and cultural developments in the region over the past 20 years.

Art News (Bangalore) - Reimagining: (Un)Reality and Space

Reimagining: (Un)Reality and Space curated by Nalini S Malaviya marks the official launch of Yepart.com. The exhibition features recent works by Debraj Goswami, Kalyan S Rathore, Maripelly Praveen Goud, Muktinath Mondal, Murali Cheeroth and Venugopal VG

The show opens on 19 Nov 2016 at Hatworks Boulevard, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru and continues till 17 Dec 2016.

Reimagining: (Un)Reality and Space

Observation, truth and materiality interweave to create alternative realities that occupy a realm which is corporeal, yet fictitious, clouding lines of physicality of dimensions. The plurality inherent in existing and functioning within these coordinates, challenge and inspire individuals to examine the intrinsic harmony and conflict embedded in such systems, and simultaneously imagine new spaces. Notions of time and space amidst variables construct fresh associations and connotations, where the resulting topography is a visually enriching landscape capturing points of dissonance and accord, shifts in reality, and reimagined spaces.

The artists' critical engagement with the curatorial premise reimagining (un)reality and space, results in interventions, which explore and question notions of time, space, reality and the subjective relativity that pervades through these dimensions. Multiple realities emerge from stresses of urban living, where observation and truth is skewed and dependent on other dynamics. Ideologies contort for material gains and govern the present and the future. Cognitive and sensory perceptions distort from an altered state of consciousness. The time and space thus occupied is unreal and fabricated as a spontaneous outcome, which is ungoverned by design.

There is an attempt to delve into conflicts, and examine the inherent precariousness and fragility entrenched in natural systems, which are impacted by consumerism and materialistic trends. Reimagining spaces create virtual maps of imaginary loci, introspective journeys in search of the self and enquiries on the 'now' form intriguing visual chronicles of contemporary concerns.

Debraj Goswami contemplates an alternative state of reality that exists in parallel, blurring the boundaries of factual and unreal, and creating distorted dreamlike states. Subconscious preoccupations dictate existence, to assume a truth that is probably fictional and appears surreal. The complexities of living ensure that perceptions of real, unreal and simulated become indistinct and a machine made robotic existence dominates. Past, present and future concerns manipulate sensory reality to form a convoluted sense of the real, and living in the moment becomes a figment of imagination in unusual and often humorous ways.

Kalyan S Rathore’s sculptures exist in a metaphysical context, where time and space are no longer linear entities but transcend corporeal boundaries. The repetition of the sculptural unit akin to fractals in the universe, construct forms that are non-representational and non-specific to natural features. Conceptually based, they explore a fluid reality, while attempting to negotiate a labyrinth that forms life’s journey. The quest for the spiritual and transcendental leads to an introspective process that pauses for self-reflection, while encountering chaos and conflict during the course.

Maripelly Praveen Goud extends the materiality of the print medium to create virtual contours and linear graphs that map imaginary loci and places. Relying on scrunching the paper as a means to initiate cathartic release, the process spontaneously creates dimensions beyond the surface of the plane. The accidental lines morph into unspecified shapes, forms and maps allowing multiple readings - the markings could be representations of metaphorical sites or subconscious points of reference. The material and the medium combine to form layers of meanings within the conceptual maps.

Muktinath Mondal focuses on ecological imbalance, a disrupted equilibrium - a direct result of human interventions. He paints a stark image - black canvases that point to a dark reality, a glimpse into a bleak future that interrogates the very existence and survival of living beings. An increasingly fragile eco-system disintegrates and vanishes as a materialistic world prevails. Time as a distant phenomenon assumes vital relevance, and its catastrophic fate becomes inevitable, unless the current variables are harmonised. The red highlights in the paintings form the primordial link, the essential connective tissue between the various species including mankind, and which innately determines their coexistence.

Murali Cheeroth examines the notion of time as a relative value, with its meaning and intent evolving and transfiguring as a quotient of consciousness, application and relevance. Engaging with the interplay of text, material, texture and aesthetics, the concept of time morphs into multiple meanings and discourses, which reflect the subjectivity of viewing and reading into the artwork. Expressing time as a function of cognitive, linguistic and visual interactions, its reading draws from multiple standpoints, ranging from the personal to the historical. His performative artwork relates to issues linked to microcosmic spaces, which are intimate, act as receptacles of memories and share an indispensable interrelationship with the larger environment.

Venugopal VG explores the dichotomy inherent in situations emerging from urban living, and portrays complexities and dilemmas of reality. Pictorial elements indicating human emotions, desires and relationships construct paradoxes that emphasize the fragility of urban reality. Manipulating and combining physical, emotional and spatial derivatives, the narratives that are created are constructed to create a transmuted reality that is derived from factual components. Identity, migration, adaptability, and transformation are some of the critical issues that explore existential crisis to form imagery which warp representations of reality.

The exhibition will be available online on www.yepart.com from 19th November 2016.

Do visit the exhibition and share your thoughts in the comments section below or write on nalini.indianart@gmail.com.

If you would like to interview the artists, review or cover the event on your blog/website, or for any other media enquiries, please get in touch on nalini.indianart@gmail.com/ naozar@yepart.com/ +91 98450 06644 

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