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18 Feb 2020

Art and Sustainability

The month long public art initiative at VR Bengaluru, Whitefield celebrates sustainability with innovative art installations and activities

The ongoing Whitefield art collective WAC2020, now in its 5th edition, was inaugurated on 7th February, at VR Bengaluru, Whitefield, better known as the Black Box. The evening saw the unveiling of the art car, painted by the art collective, Aravani Arts Project, by artist and President, Kochi Biennale Foundation Bose Krishnamachari and festival curator Sumi Gupta.

Art car painted by the art collective, Aravani Arts Project

Since this year’s theme for the festival has been sustainability, the art, and all the activities are built around it. Sumi Gupta explained, “The Whitefield Art Collective since its inception in 2015, is committed towards the environment and sustainable processes. We are also focused on ensuring inclusivity for our events and nurture new talent; we always make sure we support and highlight student artists’ efforts, ensuring we give them credit on display panels positioned next to each artwork."

The inauguration of the festival was followed by a walkthrough of the art around the mall, and a fireside conversation between Bose Krishnamachari and Sumi Gupta, which brought up several relevant and interesting aspects related to public art, the Kochi biennale and the associated challenges. Bose reiterated how important it was to create spaces for conversation around art, and how informal spaces too contribute towards incubation of ideas and innovation. Incidentally, Bose’s solo exhibition The Mirror Sees Best in the Dark is going on in Kolkata till March 10.

Indian Peacock by Nithin Sadhu and Rahul KP

During the art tour one saw, ‘Preserve the Pride’ an installation made of corrugated fibreboard by Bandana Jain, which derives inspiration from the doorway of a Buddhist shrine at Ajanta Cave. It is fashioned out of 10,000 cut-outs of recycled corrugated fibreboard and alludes to the challenges in imagining our countries, cities and landscapes without the familiar remnants of our past. According to the artist, “I don’t want to protect the environment. I want to create a world where the environment doesn’t need protection.”

Humpbacked Mahseer by Nithin Sadhu and Rahul KP

Rahul KP and Nithin Sadhu of the Bangalore Creative Circus have created Namma ‘Tiger of the Cauvery’ out of metal scrap. The Humpback Mahseer often referred to as the “Tiger of the Cauvery river” is on the brink of extinction and the large installation lets you enter through the mouth and know more about the fish’s ecology and habitat through the process. Highlighting the issue of sustainability and the effects of climate change, the artist duo wonder, “does our development plan for the future accommodate such unique and rare species”? This installation has been created with scrap collected from trash collection drives along the Cauvery river and across Bangalore, and the project was commissioned by The Wildlife Association of South India (WASI) to draw attention to its conservation effort.

The Digital Wave By Romicon Revola, AR embedded Digital Print

'The Digital Wave’ by Romi Revola

The augmented reality installation ‘The Digital Wave’ by Romi Revola speaks of the times we live in. Even with technological advancements in the 21st century, women are still fighting for equality at various levels. The digital layer that makes the work of art come alive represents the rising fourth-wave feminism (with the use of internet tools). The art installations and activities have been curated by Artflute.

The inaugural evening also saw a spectacular fashion show by students from JD Institute of Fashion Technology, which showcased ‘Wearable Art’ designed around the theme of sustainability, with garments created out of biopolymers, recycled materials, seeds embedded in the fabric and so on.

Head over to VR Bengaluru, Whitefield and check out the art on display, in addition there are several activities to engage all age groups. The festival continues till March 7th.

Schedule of activities

Re-Imagine Bengaluru: 22nd – 23rd February

UnGallery-Spaces Beyond:22nd February

Art Cinema: 23rd February

Art Bazaar: 29th February to 1st March

Basement Art Project: 1st to 5th March

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7 Feb 2020

Art News: Fifth Annual Whitefield Art Collective 2020

The festival will run from 7th February 2020 to 7th March 2020 at VR Bengaluru, Whitefield Main Road.

This year's theme is Sustainability

Launches today: Whitefield Art Collective (WAC), the award-winning public art initiative, announced the inauguration of its month long fifth edition. WAC2020 will encourage creative explorations around the theme of “sustainability”, through partnerships with leading institutions and notable individuals from the artistic community.

This year, the collaborators include Shristi Institute of Art, Design & Technology, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore Creative Circus, Indian Garbage Collective, The Broke Artist Collective, Aravani Arts Project, and Synaesthesia Collective & Art Flute.

Ajanta Caves: Preserve the Pride by Artist Bandhana Jain

WAC 2020 is supported by YujKutumb, The Yog Foundation. As for previous editions, VR Bengaluru as part of its Connecting Communities© initiative that aims to encourage civic pride, strengthen the local economy and enhance the city’s national and international image, will be the primary venue partner. WAC 2020 is also supported by The Waverly Hotel & Residences, Gravity Events, Burger King and Grover Wines.

Bose Krishnamachari, President, Kochi Biennale Foundation will inaugurate the festival by unveiling the annual VR Art Car, painted this year by the Bengaluru based women and trans-women art collective-Aravani Art Project. The unveiling will be followed by a fireside chat between Bose and WAC Curator Sumi Gupta, at the Living Room of The Waverly. The inaugural event will culminate with “Wearable Art” - a show by JD Institute of Fashion Technology at Skydeck.

Work by Student of JD Institute of Fashion Technology

Speaking on the occasion, Sumi Gupta, Curator of the festival said, “I am thrilled to steer this fantastic public initiative in its fifth year. This edition of WAC has incredible collaborations with institutions and student artists from across Bengaluru, creating a vibrant platform for large-scale installations & sculptures. Over the next month, WAC 2020 will bring together a community of connoisseurs, art students, patrons, and the citizens of Bengaluru in a celebration of the city’s art and culture.”

The month thereafter will see the show widen its scope and scale. Lined up are an Art Dessert Festival, Art Cinema Screening, Art Bazaar, a Children’s Art Competition with more than 500 kids from the city’s premier International Schools geared up to participate.

Reincarnation by Artist Sangeeta Abhay

‘Women in Art,’ a panel discussion moderated by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu will take the stage on Day Two of WAC 2020. With panelists Sumi Gupta, Curator; Shonali Bose, Director, Writer, Producer and Seema Kohli - Contemporary Artist; the discussion promises to be engaging. For the record, this will be the first episode of Season 2, part of the ongoing Salon with Shree series held in association with the Whitefield Literary Society to be held on February 8th.

Humpbacked Mahseer by Nithin Sadhu and Rahul KP

WAC 2020 is all about celebrating art. VR Bengaluru will morph into a hub of artistic innovation, blending aesthetics with creativity. WAC 2020 promotes regional art and artists by featuring a unique mix of programming and commissioned works, in partnership with regional institutions; all interwoven within the theme of sustainability.

Schedule of events:

Fine Art I Sculptures I Installations: 7^th February to 7^th March

Salon with Shree- Women in Art:            8^th February

Art Dessert bazaar with LBB: 8^th-9^th February

Children’s Art Competition:    14^th -15^th February

The Art Yard:    14^th -15^th February

Re-Imagine Bengaluru:    22^nd – 23^rd February

UnGallery-Spaces Beyond:    22^nd February

Art Cinema: 23^rd February

Art Bazaar:    29^th February to 1^st March

Basement Art Project:    1^st to 5^th March

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For interviews, profiles, sponsored posts and to contribute articles, contact artsceneinfo@gmail.com

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4 Feb 2020

Interplay of Visual Contrasts

Juxtaposed by Vaman Pai and Gomathi Suresh at Gallery Manora

Painting by Vaman Pai

The ongoing exhibition of paintings by Vaman Pai and ceramics by Gomathi Suresh at Gallery Manora, explore abstract imagery through two diverse visual mediums. The show is curated by Giridhar Khasnis, who writes, “Involved in different mediums, they create works that are not fixed on any particular notion or theme but imagery that is free and open to interpretation. Silent yet evocative, their abstract constructs and formations are coloured with introspective tones and designs.”

Vaman is a Bangalore-based painter and sculptor, who is essentially self-taught. G S Shenoy, the late senior artist known for his abstracted landscapes had a large influence on his artistic vocabulary. Vaman has been painting landscapes for several years and in this series, his works display a natural fluidity and eloquence. There is an evident spontaneity in the rendering and an inclination to capture subtle atmospheric nuances. Inspired by nature, and the colour and vastness of the sky, he has employed a predominantly blue and white palette, experimenting adroitly with gentle patterns and textures.

Ceramic by Gomathi Suresh

Gomathi Suresh is a Sydney-based ceramist and art promoter, who has exhibited her works in several group shows and at the Ceramic Art School, Tafe Sydney where she completed her 2-year diploma in ceramic art. She is currently pursuing a 2-year advanced diploma in ceramic art.

In this series, which has been produced in response to Vaman’s paintings, her concern for environment, climate change and ecological sustainability form the underlying subtext. She explains, “My body of work for this exhibition is an immediate and gestural response to the painterly abstraction of Vaman Pai's works whilst maintaining the unique nature of my own making, use of surface treatment and three dimensionalities.” Her works often reference land forms and memories of landscapes from her travels around the world.

Gallery view of Juxtaposed by Vaman Pai and Gomathi Suresh at Gallery Manora

Adopting multiple techniques, ranging from the traditional to the more experimental, Gomathi has played with glazes and firing processes to achieve textures, patterns and compelling visual effects that emphasize colours and surface expanses. She says, “l have ﬁred my works several times to achieve painterly, layered atmospheric depths, closely akin to watercolor effects on textured paper; deliberately exposing the marks of my making, just as a painter would with his brush strokes, creating abstract surfaces evoking perhaps the warmth of a sunrise, the mystery of a dark starry night, the glow of sunsets and or an icy bare landscape.”

The commonalities and contrasts explored in the exhibition form an interesting interplay of visual coherence through pluralities of materials and mediums, and artistic viewpoints.

The exhibition continues till Feb 20, 2020 at Gallery Manora

Gallery Manora

55,100 Ft Road Off,9th A Main, Indiranagar-1st Stage, Bengaluru 560038, INDIA.
www.gallerymanora.com

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All images are courtesy the gallery

Please share this article using the social media widgets at the bottom and do subscribe to receive regular updates from Art Scene India.

For interviews, profiles, sponsored posts and to contribute articles, contact artsceneinfo@gmail.com

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21 Jan 2020

Art News: Juxtaposed by Vaman Pai and Gomathi Suresh

G A L L E R Y M A N O R A

J u x t a p o s e d

V A M A N P A I / G O M A T H I S U R E S H

C U R A T E D B Y G I R I D H A R K H A S N I S

January 23 to February 20, 2020

GALLERY MANORA presents Juxtaposed, a two-person exhibition featuring a series of new paintings by Vaman Pai and recent ceramics by Gomathi Suresh. The show opens on Jan 23 (Thursday) and runs through Feb 20.

Juxtaposed by Gomathi Suresh at Gallery Manora, Art Scene India

For both Vaman and Gomathi, creation of art is intrinsically linked with intuition, imagination as well as life experiences. Involved in different mediums, they create works that are not fixed on any particular notion or theme but imagery that is free and open to interpretation. Silent yet evocative, their abstract constructs and formations are coloured with introspective tones and designs. Their common interest in grasping contrasting and complementary views of nature and human feelings manifest in their work. At a particular level, their works seem like mindscapes searching for an unknown idiom and ineffable beauty.

Vaman’s dynamic work with free flowing forms and multi-coloured smatterings exposes his creative energy, fertile imagination and fearless approach to art making. Connecting the tangible with the abstract, his paintings seem to find life both in the fluctuating moods of vibrant spaces as well as the mysterious layers of darkness.

Gomathi’s ceramics with meandering shapes and gentle curves reveal a slow and studied process along with a personal and poetic handling of the delicate material. For this body of work, she has used organic hand-built and thrown forms in heavily grogged stoneware clay. One can see how by treating the surface of layered underglazes using multiple firing techniques, she has brought in both depth and texture to her intriguing works.

What appears central to both the artists is the natural response to the chosen mediums. There is also a craving to be part of the ‘give-and-take’ interplay of forms, ideas and actions. Most of all, it is interesting to see how the artists have inspired each other even while keeping their practices independent and non-intrusive on each other.

Juxtaposed opens on Jan 23 and runs through Feb 20, 2020 at Gallery Manora