Art Scene India: Indian Art

Showing posts with label Indian Art. Show all posts

20 Dec 2018

Traditional Mysore Paintings by Shobana Udayasankar

An exhibition of exquisite traditional Mysore paintings by Shobana Udayasankar previews today at Chitrakala Parishath

The symbolism-rich, intricate Mysore style is a traditional art form, which once graced the temples and palaces of the centuries-old Wodeyar empire. Bangalore based artist, Shobana Udayasankar is committed to keeping the tradition of Mysore art alive and works not only on recreating the most unique of traditional designs, but also aims to innovate through the use of cultural influences from Asia and Europe, experimenting even with abstracts.

Traditional Mysore Paintings by Shobana Udayasankar, Gowri Ganesha, Indian Art Scene

Having started out as an amateur enthusiast, spurred by her interest in preserving the art form, her journey has been a long and rewarding one. Shobana is now set to showcase her collection of traditional Mysore paintings in Bengaluru for the first time ever. Sixty artworks, ranging in size from 8 x 10 inches to multiple pieces that are 4 x 6 feet, along with many intermediate sizes, will be part of the show. Mysore paintings are characterised by high level of detail and fine intricate work and Shobana’s works stand out for their extraordinary rendering.

The works are based on tales and events occurring in various scriptural and mythological texts, including the Puranas. The ‘Samudra Manthana’ or Churning of the Ocean – a metaphorical depiction of the creation of the manifested world that features over fifty individual figures – and ‘The Wedding of Girija (Parvathi) and Shiva’ and ‘Kama-Kameswari’ are examples of deeper philosophical ruminations on the structure of the cosmos that have been presented and preserved for generations as art.

Traditional Mysore Paintings by Shobana Udayasankar, Krishna, Indian Art Scene

Also featured are depictions of gods and goddesses, following the symbolisms and descriptions set out in ancient treatises, including the famed Samudrika-Lakshana – the science of anatomical proportions. ‘Devi Chamundeswari’ serves an example of a more traditional representation of the patron Goddess of the Wodeyar kings.

Traditional Mysore Paintings by Shobana Udayasankar, Devi Chamudeshwari, Indian Art Scene

Shobana aims to inculcate interest in the art form beyond the small traditional circles and make more people aware of the art and develop an appreciation of it. Her own interest was sparked as she grew up hearing many mythological tales from my mother, and growing up, developed a strong interest in spirituality - particularly the deeper meanings in scripture and philosophy - which gave her an affinity for various representations of the divine. “This deepened my interest in more traditional art forms, of which I found that Mysore art was not only less well-known, but it was also a delicate and intricate form, the practice of which was almost a spiritual experience in itself - not unlike meditation. Once I had caught a glimpse of this depth, there was no turning back,” she explains.

Comprising many stages of painstaking and intricate work, including the preparation of the hardboard, the initial sketching, the ‘gesso’ work that provides a subtle embossing, to the pasting of the extremely fragile pure gold leaf and the final painting itself, pieces made following the authentic Mysore school of art take many months of diligent and dedicated effort. It can even take years to finish a large, intricate piece of work. Shobana elaborates, “My recent large-scale work "Lalitha Durbar" is about 4.5 feet by 5.5 feet, and it took me nearly two years to finish.”

Traditional Mysore Paintings by Shobana Udayasankar, evite Indian Art Scene

Based on the premise that India’s rich mythological heritage has a wider audience, as evidenced from the spread and survival of popular themes such as the Ramayana in art forms native to other Asian countries, including Indonesia and Thailand, Shobana has attempted to stretch the boundaries of this art by presenting new compositions that remain true to the original techniques and methods of this art form alongside traditional representations. ‘Rama and Sita’ (Thai style) is one such example of the artist’s contemporary vision. It is her way to appeal to purists as well as those seeking a more dynamic approach to heritage and tradition, thus bridging the gap between the ancient and the modern.

Shobana’s expertise and proficiency in the field was recognized jointly by the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society and the Karnataka Lalitakala Akademi and she was conferred the Millennium Artist Award in the year 2000.

The exhibition is on at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath from 21 - 26 December 2018

Images: Courtesy Shobana Udayasankar

You can connect with the artist on FB, Twitter & Instagram
sponsored post (based on the press release and conversation with the artist)
Updated: Dec 21

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31 Jul 2018

Art News: Grazie Infinite by Shraddha Rathi in Bangalore

Grazie Infinite by Shraddha Rathi in Bangalore, Art Scene India

Intersections of Infinite Possibilities

Shraddha Rathi explores the concept of gratitude, an expressive emotion towards an appreciation of life and for tangible and intangible gifts, in her new suite of works. She creates a narrative which is rich in emotional content and universal in its reach. From personal notes to community messages, the expanse of storytelling weaves a rich tapestry of chronicles, patterns and motifs of human sentiments, moments and memories.

Adopting a multi-media approach, Rathi, a practicing artist for more than fifteen years now, presents photographs, installations, paintings and a video projection in this exhibition. With this series, she emerges from the confines of traditional bounds and expands her artistic and conceptual horizons to put forth a body of work that has meaningful associations on a personal front and has implications for a larger context.

In a significant shift this year, she created a gratitude bench with engravings of phrases and personal messages of thankfulness and appreciation. This bench organically evolved into the present suite of works and forms the cornerstone for her current engagement. Coincidentally, earlier this year she sighted the benches in Central Park, New York with their plaques that read out messages of gratitude, love, celebration and nostalgia.

Thus, innumerable stories that are intimate and personal, which celebrate the joy of living and memories of life and loved ones, and that effectively translate this personal form of gratitude into community efforts, have coalesced to materialise in the artworks for Rathi’s exhibition. Photographs of plaques, benches and the surrounding landscape from Central Park form the artwork. In addition, inscribed messages on wooden benches, swings and a see-saw, and a video projection mapping of gratitude notes that projects the text onto various surfaces, including the witness/participant, are on display. Contextualising and integrating the notion of gratitude and its universality to Bangalore’s public spaces, conceptual maps of parks are represented in the paintings. The minimalist mappings offer points of reference to local contexts and create possibilities of artistic interventions.

The theoretical premise behind ‘Grazie Infinite’ is two-fold, to reiterate and acknowledge positivity as an indispensable emotion and to extend this engagement via site specific projects to the public arena. Rathi’s practice with this shift towards conceptual art and a minimalist aesthetics lies at the intersections of infinite possibilities, employing mixed media narratives and interactive experiences, while situating them within and outside the frameworks of conventional art locations.

Nalini S Malaviya
Art Critic
Bangalore, July, 2018

All images are courtesy the artist

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1 Feb 2018

Art News: Ode To Nature By Shirley Mathew

Ode To Nature - A Solo Exhibition By Shirley Mathew

Art News: Ode To Nature - 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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16 Jun 2017

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.

Art News, 5th edition of Jaipur Art Summit (Dec 14-18, 2017), Art Scene India

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)

10 Nov 2016

Art News: Gallery 9 launches in Bangalore with Serenity

Gallery 9 launches in Bangalore with 'Serenity', an art exhibition by renowned artists

Navrathan’s newly renamed art gallery, Gallery 9, is launching with an art exhibition by renowned artists on Friday 11th November, 2016. The title of the exhibition, Serenity, reflects the general theme of the works, highlighting inner strength in the face of the trials and tribulations of daily life. The lead image, of the Indian Feminine, illustrates this with her inner calm retaining exterior beauty; exemplified by the daily toil of village women multitasking in the fields and the domesticity of the home, children, nurturing, keeping body and soul together.

Gallery 9 launches in Bangalore with 'Serenity', Navrathan's new gallery

The 40 works also include abstracts from Bangalore’s newest artistic sensation, Andrew Paul. In a short space of 3 or 4 months of work, Andrew has already received extensive international recognition. His work, `Mighty My Saviour’ has recently been included in the Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Bible and the Arts, along with M. F. Husain’s `Mother Teresa’.

Andrew Paul

The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Bible and the Arts, edited by Timothy Beal, published by Oxford University Press, 2015, page 378, discusses Andrew Paul’s painting `Mighty My Saviour’ in relation to M. F. Husain’s paintings of Mother Teresa. Husain’s paintings of the Mother are mostly faceless, but they are strongly evocative of the Madonna and the Pieta, where the child or the person being held in the lap is perhaps a representation of Christ.

The face in Paul’s painting is also hidden in agony, hair unkempt, blood streaming, eyes straining upwards, mouth agape like an open wound, the spiked crown of thorns, the ominous blue cross in the lower corner and a hand held up to the agonized face as though attempting to shut out something unspeakable. It is reminiscent of Munch’s scream. According to Paul the image appeared to him in a dream-vision following a charismatic retreat at Potta, Kerala.

Clara Joseph’s first book of poetry `The Face of the Other’ is published by the Interactive Press, Brisbane 2016. For the cover she chose another work by Andrew Paul, aptly titled `Redemption’. Richard Cohen’s review of this work strikes a chord and almost describes Paul’s `Saviour’, the awful predicament of a sensitive vulnerability at once broken and yet still hopeful. What comes through these enchanting words is a deep compassion, eyes open, bloodied, yet reaching out.

About the Exhibition ‘Serenity’

The pressures of society in the pursuit of success can often relegate the basic human necessities of introspection and tranquillity to a vague background. We are becoming hard-wired to the impatience of achieving increasingly more of the material world at the expense of essential communing with, and discovering, our soul, our inner self. We need to make time for ourselves and find a refuge within us for meditation and to reflect on our individual spirituality.

The present collection – serenity – suggests this space where the mind can communicate serenely with the soul. The signature image by Sachin Kharat reflects this need to look beyond ones individual desires for material consumption and discover the calm and tranquil which exists within us. His subject of the timeless Indian feminine combines with a palette which expresses the contemplative mysteries of the mind. The result is a soothing effect on the viewer’s senses, even if only for a brief moment in time.

Gallery 9 promises to break new ground with an outstanding programme of exhibitions, highlighting individual collectors and their collections as well as individual and group shows of established and emerging artists.

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4 Jul 2016

Art Investment: The Fine Art of Collecting

This article was published in Tapasya, a publication by the Indira Institute of Management Pune

The Fine Art of Collecting

The last couple of decades have seen a tremendous surge in terms of awareness and interest in art. Suddenly names like Souza, Raza and Husain are familiar, not to just those within the art community but also outside it. Clearly, this change has not taken place overnight. The economic liberalization policies in the early nineties and the subsequent spurt in economic growth resulted in substantial amounts of disposable income that was accessible for splurging and also for financial investments. Simultaneously, the advent of global luxury brands in India introduced the middle and the upper middle class to luxury products, symbols of societal status and high living. For the first time one could purchase a wide range of aspirational products in India. This exposure to luxury brands and hi-end products was instrumental in creating and widening a buyer base that had a penchant for art, artefacts and collectibles.

This was also a period when many art galleries set up operations or expanded their businesses, thereby increasing their reach and creating multiple access points for art connoisseurs. In fact, this was a phase when art was positioned and promoted as a viable asset class that could generate large financial returns. Unfortunately, the subsequent crash in the market led to the economic downturn which also affected the art market immensely. It helped in dispelling the myth that all art could be a financial asset in the short term, or that there were parallels between investing in art and in stocks and shares, real estate or gold. In a way this led to correction of art prices and has eventually helped in stabilizing the art market to an extent. It has also shifted the focus back on art as a medium of creative expression, its aesthetics and its visual content rather than stay confined to names, price brackets and returns.

In this context, collecting art has caused some confusion especially for the first time buyer and collector. It

becomes difficult for them to gauge and assess which art to buy, at what price points to enter the market, which artist to invest in and in general what to expect. Yet, art as an aspirational collectible continues to draw connoisseurs who have an eye for the finer things in life and can afford to indulge in luxurious living. Research and an avid interest in art can aid in developing a keen eye for art and also empower buyers on commercial aspects.

For instance, paintings by old masters or contemporary art in various media are coveted for the artist names which have become synonymous with high end brands; however, apart from artist names, thematic content, concept and execution are paramount in contemporary art. With increasing art awareness, a familiarity with artists’ names, local galleries and prominent auction houses is created which empowers the buyer when buying art. As art events, shows and auction reports are widely publicized in the media it helps in keeping abreast of upcoming artists, trends and sale figures. All of which can be valuable when buying art.

Collecting art

Building an art collection can be a rewarding experience, both aesthetically and as a viable investment option, albeit in the long term. It is important to be clear and identify the motives for collecting art, and a passion for the arts should be the driving force. A visual investment should take precedence over all other aspects.

One should also realize that significant collections are difficult to build overnight, but instead they tend to evolve organically over a period of time. In the initial stages, they are driven by the collector's tastes and preferences, however, later on they may get refined further due to conscious efforts. Sometimes, the choice of the collector is governed by considerations such as budget, available space, and time required for such an activity.

When selecting art, it helps to keep in mind if the collection is a private one or if it might be put on public display at a later date. One can buy representative art from various periods or focus on a specific school, style of painting, era or artist. It is also essential to realize that an art collection, unlike one comprising of smaller collectibles needs a larger space, and special care in terms of lighting and maintenance.

The process of buying art can be an exciting and rewarding one – visiting art shows, interacting with artists, critics and gallerists, reading and researching on art are activities which help immensely in selecting art for the collection. It is possible that there will be times, when one is forced to overlook personal tastes in favour of deliberate choices, which would benefit the entire collection as a whole.

When one is collecting art, irrespective of the initial investment, the overall value of the collection is likely to go up with time. Therefore, it is important to do the necessary research and take the time to build one that will be significant in terms of historical content and also its financial worth. When collecting art, it is essential to periodically review the artworks and see if some of them need to be sold off to either make space for new works or in order to build a more coherent compilation.

The Indian art scene

The current art scene has much to offer to discerning collectors and buyers. The recently held India Art Fair, New Delhi has grown to be a significant event in the region and attracts a large number of international audiences as well. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale has also emerged as a major art event which showcases several exhibitions and organizes art and culture related programmes for its entire duration. A number of other art exhibitions and festivals that are organized in tier II cities ensure that local audiences are engaged and there is a buzz around art.

Art auction major Sotheby's will be opening its first office in the country in Mumbai in March this year. The auction house Christie's has seen its business grow at a faster clip in India since its first sales in December 2013, and its auction figures saw a sharp surge in 2015.

The contemporary art scene is clearly vibrant and should thrive further in the years to come. The online space is a fast evolving and attractive arena which is expected to see more players. Art ecommerce ventures are likely to grow and hopefully offer greater diversity and curated artworks to its buyers. There is a marked interest in Indian modern and contemporary art and an emerging attentiveness towards classical Indian art, which makes it an exciting phase for art connoisseurs.

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25 Nov 2014

Blogerversary: Art Scene India Completes 8 Years

8 Years of my Online Avatar

Blogging for the last eight years has been one of the best decisions of my life. Even though it started out as a random extension of my work in 2006, the blog has organically grown into a niche site on art.

You may remember, in the initial phase, I was essentially sharing most of my print articles in order to reach out to a larger audience on the web. Starting with a basic template on blogger, May to November 2006 was all about figuring out how to upload content and tweaking the template according to my requirements. I remember I had to depend on my husband (an IIT alumni, no less!) to make most of those changes which involved programming skills.

A few years down the line, when I migrated to another template, I was more confident about making the switch on my own, ensuring that all backups were taken care of. The last thing you want is for all the data to disappear during the transition!

Indian Art (2006) to Art Scene India (2014)

And, then finally about a year ago, I opted to move to a sleek, uncluttered look with a white background. I was even able to customize the template to a large extent. I opened up the site to advertisers and for the very first time I talked about my blogging journey and the challenging times that I went through. If you haven’t read it, you can take a look here.

Coming back to this story, so, even though Art Scene India may not be perfect, it is a website that is unique and tries to conform to highest standards of online publishing. Remember, today blogging is not just about creating great content but involves so much more - keywords, SEO, image titles and alt tags, social media and the works. For a non-technical person with zero programming skills it can often be a challenge, as I have often discovered. Fortunately, I have a great community of readers, YOU, who have been amazingly supportive throughout!

Most Read/Favourite Posts

This November, on the blog’s 8th anniversary, it is time to reflect, take stock and plan ahead!
Just to let you know, the first post ever published on this blog was on 2nd November, 2006. It was an article written on Atul Dodiya for Times of India. I talked to Atul close to 2 hours and had recorded the entire conversation – he was a delight to talk to, especially once he opened up. He shared details about his life, his journey and his family – a wonderful conversation, how I wish I had saved the audio!

Raja Ravi Verma’s Lady in Moonlight NGMA Bangalore

A writeup on NGMA, Bangalore has been one of the most visited articles on my website. It was linked from Wikipedia as I found out accidentally, but then I later discovered that it (the link) was deleted.

Another post, a really short one on Mandana Art is a close second on the list of most visited articles on Art Scene India. It definitely needs to be updated because the information is so sketchy that I am sure the readers’ visiting the page must be disappointed. If you know any artist belonging to the Meena community, do let me know. Top 10 Posts of 2013: Time to Wrap Up and More is also one of the most read posts.

Here are a few of my favourite posts and which I wrote exclusively for you. I would love to have you revisit them 10 Tips For Buying Art, 6 Tips on How to Approach an Art Gallery and Find Gallery Representation, How To Write An Artist Statement and How to Create an Online Presence. All of these have been quite popular with readers. Incidentally, most of these topics have evolved into lectures for art students and workshops for practicing artists!

It's All About You

As I look back at the last eight years, I realize it has been a long time and even though there were moments when things were difficult and I was not able to post much, I am happy to be here. With you.

I’m sharing a part of what Jaideep Sen, art writer & amateur artist, sent me by email, “Nalini Malaviya's blog, Art Scene India, has for many years been the definitive archive and resource for art-show attenders & enthusiasts in Bangalore. As an art writer, I have incessantly referenced and borrowed material and info from her blog, Art Scene India... I'm indebted, to say the least, and continue to seek inspiration in her commitment to the arts in Bangalore." Thank you, Jaideep for your generous words!

Lot more is planned and on the anvil. You have to come back and check it out for yourself. And, thank you for being part of this amazing journey.

Finally, a huge thank you to the advertisers and sponsors who have supported Art Scene India!
You may also want to take a look at the updated 'About' and 'Advertise' pages.

I would love to know which have been your favourite posts? What changes do you want to see on this website? What is it that you want to read? Drop a comment here or send me a mail. You know I want to hear from you!

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20 Nov 2014

Art News: ‘ABHISARAN’ Convergence of Artists at Heritage Site

A dialogue in contemporary and performing arts across borders for a new age India at Vijayanagara, Karnataka

A Convergence of 5 Countries, 10 Artists at a World Heritage Site

This November, ten talented artists from across the Indian subcontinent have converged at Vijayanagar Karnataka for ‘Abhisaran’, a 3-week long residency programme hosted by the JSW Foundation to create art that recognises the reality of today and the beauty of a time gone by.

Art News: ‘ABHISARAN’ Convergence of Artists at Heritage Site, Art Scene India

Abhisaran literally translates to ‘convergence’, a residency programme which acts as a focal point where artists, from similar political and cultural history of the Indian sub-continent, interact and create art works inspired by the historicity of Hampi and Vijayanagar. Amit Jain, Curator of the project adds, “Abhisaran is a dialogue in contemporary and performing arts across borders for a new age India.” The Heritage Site of Hampi, the industrial town of Vijayanagar and the arts, crafts and performance practices of Hampi are serving as an inspiration ground for these artists.

Drawing from Richard Sennett’s idea of a ‘craftsman’ being a skilled labour who engages with the questions of ‘how’ (Animal Laborans) and ‘why’ (Homo Faber) in the making of a craft (or art), this workshop hopes to empower the artists with raw material that is age old yet functional questioning both the purpose of their production and its effect on various communities. It provides an opportunity where artists can use their imagination and experience to create art works with medium of their choosing.

The artists are using site-specific material like metal scrap, local pottery, local crafts and material to create works with a variety of mediums that include sculptural installations, dance, video and sound.

The artists taking part in Abhisaran are Baptist Coelho (India), Chinthaka Thenuwara (Sri Lanka), Mahbubur Rahman (Bangladesh), Mrugen Rathod (India), Muzummil Ruheel (Pakistan), Pala Pothupitiya (Sri Lanka), Preksha Tater (India), Seema Nusrat (Pakistan), Sanjeev Mahajan (Nepal) and Sheelasha Rajbhandhari (Nepal).

The residency will end on November 30, 2014.

(Excerpts from press release)

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23 Aug 2013

Framing: Choosing the Right Frame for a Painting

Many readers find framing a challenge and wonder how to best frame a painting. Here are a few points to keep in mind while choosing the frame. It is important to choose a good quality frame which will not only enhance the look of the painting, but will also provide adequate support to it. These days most paintings come with a frame – when you buy one from an artist or a gallery, but these are generally a simple and a basic wooden frame. Very often, people prefer to change the frame according to their interiors. In fact, in some instances it is better to not frame the painting at all, such as when the canvas is mounted on a 2” or more of stretcher frame, or when the painting continues on the sides of the canvas. Adding a frame to the latter will spoil the beauty of the painted sides.

In case of line drawings or black and white works one can go for a simple black frame which will give it a sleek and elegant finish. A plain or a slightly textured wooden frame will suit drawings and sketches the best. The width of the frame can be chosen according to the size of the artwork.

Art on paper is usually displayed behind glass, and if necessary one can double mount them to make them appear larger. And, now that there is an additional distance between the painting and the frame, a slightly ornate option can also be used. However, do ensure that it does not clash with the colours of the painting, nor overwhelms it. The colour of the mount can be derived from the colours in the painting itself, so that new colors are not introduced in the scheme of things. However, the frame can be natural wood, dark wood or black in colour. It is important to choose a frame that will not dominate the painting, for instance, if you add a heavy embellished frame to a brightly coloured work, it may give it a cluttered look.

Oil paintings, for instance, portraits look elegant with ornate frames, but again care must be taken that the center of attention does not shift from the painting to the frame. It is not advised that oil paintings be mounted with a glass front, but they can be varnished when completely dry.
A frame that is darker in colour than the wall shade helps to delineate the space and creates a greater impact. Wide frames, for instance 4” to 6” in width, can be used to make smaller artworks prominent. These will also make them larger and more suited for bigger wall space.

Finally, always go to a good framer, who has experience in dealing with expensive artworks – the gallery or the artist can point you to one. The quality of the hardware used in framing is equally important, and can, in fact, affect the life span of the painting.

(Updated: Published earlier in Bangalore Mirror)

28 Jun 2013

Artfelt Musings

I started this blog Indian Art in 2006 in an effort to reach out to more people. Having been a columnist for Financial Times and Bangalore Mirror, and a contributor to Times of India and many art magazines it seemed logical to republish some of my articles on this blog and to link to those available online. It has been an exhilarating journey since then - with its share of ups and downs.

Most of the time, I have been fairly regular with updating this blog, but there have been phases when postings have been infrequent, especially so in the last year and half. A prior shoulder injury demanded more attention and forced me to take time off not only from this blog but also other work. Incidentally, just to let you know, I have been using a speech recognition software since 2008 for all my writing and it has worked well for me except in instances where short emails are required or when performing actions which require mouse clicks. The reason I’m mentioning this is that it can be a good option for people with any kind of repetitive stress injury.

Well, as clichéd as it sounds, last year has given me time to introspect and to look for alternative, natural modalities of healing. If nothing else, it has definitely provided me with several tools that help in dealing with chronic pain and associated stress. And, that may well become the topic of another blog!

Coming back to Indian Art, I have been fortunate to find support and encouragement from my readers for so many years. Thank you so much! You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

Recently, I decided to redesign and restructure the information on this blog and have been working towards it. You can see a few changes already – the new template and widgets/buttons, and there are some more in the offing. I have retained the title Indian Art, but as you know international artists and exhibitions have been featured in the past and will continue to do so. In fact, I plan to consciously include international news, artists’ profiles, interviews and perhaps even reviews if the logistics can be worked out.

While reorganizing the information, many posts, for instance, about upcoming events, which I believe are redundant now have been deleted and the site has been minimized in size and content. Most of the articles are being extensively categorized and will appear under specific sections. The objective is to make the information easily available and make the entire navigation process smooth and fluid. I will also be adding newer sections which will expand on ‘How to’ on building an art collection, organizing an art exhibition, writing an artist statement and many other topics on investment, décor and so on. Guest blogging will also be introduced shortly and I will be putting up the submission guidelines soon.

One of the challenges in the past has been linked to allocating resources for this blog, and I hope to overcome that by making this site self-reliant. To generate revenue, an ‘Advertiser’ section has been included in the top menu bar offering options for sponsored posts, profiles and reviews. There have been a couple of sponsors already and if you would like to avail of this opportunity please get in touch.

Indian Art was one of the first blogs started by an individual and which covered a range of contemporary themes related to art, and the only reason why we are still here is because of you. During this period of transition, I would love to have feedback and inputs from you and I hope you will ‘share’, ‘like’, ‘tweet’ and ‘subscribe’ to Indian Art. I am relying on you completely to spread the word, so please go ahead and use the power of social media marketing to the hilt! And, don’t forget to drop me a line; I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

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