Art Scene India

23 Jul 2020

Art Scene India presents Convergence

Convergence, a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures by Shanthamani Muddaiah, Shivani Aggarwal and Minal Damani, curated by Nalini S Malaviya starts July 24, 2020

Convergence a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures curated by Nalini S Malaviya Shanthamani Muddaiah | Shivani Aggarwal | Minal Damani

The pandemic has disrupted the ‘regularity’ of our existence, where the new normal is a paradox, unrelated and at variance with memories of the past, disconnected from the present and a distant future. This interruption has necessitated a reconstruct and rethink of strategies, modes of functioning and a revaluation of what constitutes essential. The existing paranoia and other associated anxieties have brought to the fore several pertinent questions regarding factors responsible for calamities, unwarranted human interventions and indiscriminate actions that disregard ecological considerations.

The hiatus, therefore, compounded by disquiet and turmoil, has compelled a deeper introspection of the human-nature coexistence and equilibrium, and of environmental, socio-economic and psychological sustainability issues, under transient and perpetual stress.

Amidst this, artists and art projects have pivoted to realign core practices to adopt meaningful human and community centric approaches. Modalities of engagement with the audience have also undergone perceptible repositioning with near total shift to digital platforms, and a predominance of artists collectives and community based projects.

This curatorial endeavor embraces a collaborative model, an art and media collective, centered on the three artists’ core practices to relocate social and ecological realities on a democratic forum. The artworks and the online digital site, act as a resource, to articulate and respond to shifts in contemporary socio-cultural conditions. Art Scene India, a 14 year old blog, a digital publishing site for art information, in response to collective concerns and in view of the pandemic situation, now accommodates a conceptual and aesthetic shift to incorporate curatorial expression as part of its vision.

The democratic approach builds upon the artists’ practice that is deeply informed by environment and gender sensitivities, and social, political and geographical concerns – arenas that assume great criticality in the contemporary context. Shanthamani Muddaiah, Shivani Aggarwal and Minal Damani locate and realign their preoccupations, and present their recent works, much of which has been produced during the pandemic and is thus layered with current apprehensions, as a subtext to the primary narrative.

Shanthamani views the world around her through a prismatic lens, questioning issues that interplay between the individual and the society, the self and the planet. Her strong concerns about urbanization and its impact on ecology are reflected in her drawings and sculptural installations. Loss of agricultural land, and livelihoods, migration, commodification, and exploitation of human and natural resources, and capitalism as the dominant culture are some of the issues that she analyses and expresses through her large scale depictions. For this exhibition, in view of the online site for display, small format pre-existing sculptures are presented, which paraphrase fresh import in light of current contexts.

Shivani’s introspective stance negotiates the complex interrelationships between the external world and the self. She navigates the intricacies of linkages between the material and intangible elements, expressing the impact and the fragility of these associations. Her works map constructs around ethos, culture, gender and identity, deploying material as a gestural entity. Shivani’s visuals are embedded with symbolism, representing notions of self, while exploring emotional flux and confinements of space in response to the situational crises. Stitching and crochet allude to gender as a subtext, and aesthetics acts as a tool to construct the narrative. The sculptural nature of the works are markedly evident through use of multiple media primarily photography, painting and stitching/crochet.

Minal’s works emanate from a deep autobiographical space, reflecting upon the self, in conjunction with the external world, charting responses, which have an intense personal connect. Through a rigorous mapping device to trace diagrams and graphs of events in real-time and space, the intricate patterns that are generated, appear as macroscopic capsules of land, memories and episodes. Her current series acts as a witness to these times, documenting the volatility of the financial markets as an indication of the prevailing emotional turmoil. The fluctuations allude to hopes and dreams, fears and apprehensions, where the range of emotions reflect life during the pandemic experience.

The exhibition functions as a convergence of material, site and situation to define the contemporaneous of witnessing, experiencing and living through the ongoing pandemic.

Shanthamani Muddaiah

Hands Year: 2019 Medium: Fiberglass on wooden pedestal, artist Shanthamani M, Convergence by Art Scene India

Title: Hands
Year: 2019
Medium: Fiberglass on wooden pedestal Edition: Edition of 3
Note: Artist’s proof of is on display in Bangalore
Note: The artist has done “Hands” in different sizes and materials over several years.
Size:
Each Hand: 20 x 10.5 x 7.5 inches
Pedestal: 22 x 19 x 1 inches
Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Flying Landscape Year: 2016 Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint Edition: Edition of two (larger in scale) with Artist’s Proof (pictured) Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Flying Landscape (detail) Year: 2016 Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint Edition: Artist’s Proof (pictured) Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Flying Landscape (detail) Year: 2016 Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint Artist’s Proof (pictured) Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Flying Landscape
Year: 2016
Medium: Aluminium tubes with steel and Paint
Edition: Artist’s Proof
Note: Larger edition is on display in Paris
Size: 10.5 x 16.5 x 21 inches
Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

Title: Temptation

Medium: Graphite with Charcoal on Paper
Year: 2020
Edition: Artist’s Proof
Note: One edition will be larger in size Size:
Big Apple: 2.5 x 2.5 X 2.5 inches
Small Apple: 0.75 x 1.72 x 1.5 inches
Pedestal: 8.5 x 4 x 1 inch
Artist: Shanthamani Muddaiah

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Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Trap 2

Medium: Acrylics and stitching thread on handmade paper

Year: 2020

Size: 7.5 x 11 inches each, set of 6

Artist: Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Stitch Forms (Drawings)
Medium: Thread stitching on paper
Year: 2020
Size: 4 x 6 inches each, set of 5 works
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Trap
Medium: Acrylics and copper crocheted wire on paper
Year: 2020
Size: 12 x 8 inches each, set of 10 works
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Untitled

Medium: Photography, acrylics and stitching on archival paper

Year: 2020

Size: 12 x 12 inches each, set of 4 works

Artist: Shivani Aggarwal

Title: Dilemma
Medium: Acrylics and copper wire on paper
Year: 2020
Size: 3 x 5 ft wall mounted
Artist: Shivani Aggarwal

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Minal Damani

Title: Rise and Fall 1

Year: 2020

Medium: Archival pen on paper

Size: 12” x 15.5”

Artist: Minal Damani

Title: Rise and Fall 2

Year: 2020
Medium: Archival pen on paper
Size: 12” x 15.5”
Artist: Minal Damani

Title: Rise and Fall 3

Year: 2020

Medium: Archival pen on paper

Size: 12” x 15.5”

Artist: Minal Damani

Title: Rise and Fall 4

Year: 2020

Medium: Archival pen on paper

Size: 12” x 15.5”

Artist: Minal Damani

Title: Rise and Fall 5

Year: 2020

Medium: Archival pen on paper

Size: 12” x 15.5”

Artist: Minal Damani

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16 Jul 2020

Art News: Art Scene India presents Convergence

Art Scene India
presents
an art and media collective

Convergence

a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures

Jul 24 - Aug 23, 2020

Curated by

Nalini S Malaviya

Shanthamani Muddaiah Shivani Aggarwal Minal Damani

Art Scene India presents an art and media collective Convergence a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures Curated by Nalini S Malaviya Shanthamani Muddaiah Shivani Aggarwal Minal Damani

Please share this update 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 May 2020

Review: Mapping Places and the Self

Review: Neha Chandaria

Neha Chandaria’s ongoing series comprises minimalist works on paper with markings and calligraphic text. Furniture and other functional household objects are rendered as a letter/text, filling the motif with the grey of the pencil on notebooks and writing sheets. The intimate drawings on personal writing materials are akin to journaling, perhaps a process of reconciliation with various transitions occurring at multiple levels in her personal life. Her recent relocation to UK from India, with its inherent geographical, social and cultural changes involved in the process, amidst notions of identity and displacement, contribute to the subtext in the journaling. There is an evident mapping of the associated anxieties to locate one self and the landscape in and through the art making. The unoccupied chair in its diverse forms is a repeated motif, deployed symbolically, its spatial display leading to several interpretations.

Chandaria completed her Masters in Fine Arts from Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda and went on to teach at Sir J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai and worked as a product designer before relocating to London. Her early works, while living in Baroda, were oil on canvas, in a large format, depicting architectural elements as sliced off sections in warm tones, experimenting with light as a spatial theme. Symmetrical patterns predominated, with minimal motifs, the layers and textures built up to depict sections of dwellings, and the warmth and sensitivity alluding to human presence. The paintings appear to be anchored in realism; the absence of sentient life palpable in suggestions of another world or existence beyond the walls, doors and niches. The structured enclosures formed a metaphorical ground for stories that lay outside its periphery. Another series from this time period, done with gouache on paper in a small format, layered and textured with the occasional motif, appears to lay the foundation for her later works.

After shifting to Mumbai, a large bustling city known for its tiny living quarters seemed to impact Neha’s art making in numerous ways. She gravitated towards a minimalist palette and small works on paper. There is a visible anxiety apparent in the works, fragmented, ragged edges and short rapid brushstrokes – perhaps a reflection of the pace of the metropolis. On a short trip to Scotland in 2010, the travel to Honister slate mine had an enormous influence on her palette. She found the colour grey of the stone – slate, resonated with her on psychological and philosophical planes. She could relate to the metamorphic layering of the stone, its distinctiveness, the imperfection, the texture and its unique colour. It also appeared to reflect her state of mind, the in-between zone linking physical places and her art practice. The subsequent works created around this concept were exhibited as a solo show titled ‘Grey’, at Gallery Knots, Baroda.

In a marked shift, Neha was then drawn to further strip away unnecessary elements from her works. It became increasingly minimal, characterized by markings with pencil, exploring interplay of lines, geometry and grids. The markings highlighted the essentials and attempted to negotiate the need for compositional space and art materials. These works were sparse and pared to a bare minimum, which she explains as a conscious decision to strip the excessive layering, while evaluating the kind of medium she wanted to work with. She says, “I believe in these set of works, I am celebrating my penchant towards mark making, pencil became my favourite medium, and this minimalism somehow is influenced by my interest in philosophy of Aparigraha (desire for possessions to what is necessary or important).”

Chandaria’s works are at an interesting juncture, an additional distancing from motifs and visual associations could imply a prominent shift towards minimalism, whereas retaining pictorial metaphors will augment the personal narrative.

Chandaria is currently working as a community art practitioner and a freelance artist in London.

All images courtesy the artist

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11 Mar 2020

Interview: Indian Art Market Has Potential

"Many important artists have long been overlooked, and are waiting to be properly recognised for their contribution to art history. We need to continue to further the global conversation around Indian art, ensuring that their work is measured and considered against the work of international artists, not only in a South Asian context," elaborates Manjari Sihare-Sutin, Head of Sale, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, New York in an exclusive e-mail interaction with Art Scene India

Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, Untitled

Sotheby's upcoming annual auction on 16th March in New York, commemorates the 25th anniversary of Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art sales at Sotheby's. It will feature a selection of rare, never-before-seen works, with 95% of works emerging from private collections.

Led by two 1960s paintings by pioneer Indian abstractionists Nasreen Mohamedi and Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, the auction also features an important work by Indian National Treasure artist Raja Ravi Varma; a selection of sculptures led by modernist works by Amarnath Sehgal and Adi Davierwalla; a curated selection on Neo-Tantra. including works by Biren De, G. R. Santosh and more; and a diverse selection of works from the Bengal School of Art as well as Modern and Contemporary art from Pakistan.

NM: How has last year been for Sotheby's in terms of modern and contemporary Indian art sales?

MSS: We are feeling optimistic. We are adding new clients into our fold, coming from India, the US, China, and more. We are also witnessing new artist records set in each sale.

Look closely at the results of our recent sale in Mumbai, and you’ll see that the sell-through rate was strong (and even a little higher than in our inaugural sale in 2018), and we saw a real depth of bidding; almost 60% of lots sold for prices over their high estimates.

Our sales in the summer in London last year saw particularly pleasing results of over £7.5 million - the highest sale total achieved for a sale of Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art at Sotheby’s London in a decade. The auction was led by Bhupen Khakhar’s landmark Two Men in Benares (1982) which established a new record for the artist at £2.54 million / $3.2 million (£450,000-600,000), more than doubling the previous auction record. There’s continued vitality in the market, and a promising future.

Sayed Haider Raza, Prairie,

NM: Given the economic conditions, what are your strategies to strengthen sales? And your future plans in India?

MSS: The Indian diaspora comprises one of the largest and geographically diverse populations, because of this geographical spread, there is an inherent stability in the Indian market which metaphorically we liken to a four legged stool with one leg in India and others in North America, Europe and Asia. It means that the market is not beholden to the economies or politics of one particular region in order to thrive.

When we are building our auctions, we look to source fresh to the market works which will to appeal to a wide range of collectors at all price points. For instance, our next sale in New York features a spectacular array of works with storied provenances - most fresh to the market or unseen for at least a generation. 95% of the sale is sourced from private collections. This is an opportunity for collectors to discover hidden gems - artworks which have never exhibited anywhere before but are being unveiled by Sotheby’s for the first time. The array of works have been selected to appeal to collectors of every stripe, with each work carefully chosen from the diverse corpus of South Asian Art created in the Twentieth Century. Estimates range from just $500 to $1,000,000.

Sotheby’s holds three dedicated sales of South Asian Art across the world each year, and special one-off auctions for exceptional single-owner collections, such as The Guy and Helen Barbier Family Collection which we offered in London in June and online sales such as the one in September last year.

Raja Ravi Varma, Untitled (Swami Vishwamitra in Meditation)

NM: Could you comment on the huge disparity in art prices of Indian and Western artists, what could be or needs to be done to narrow the gap?

MSS: There is still so much potential for the Indian art market. It is a relatively new Market - just 25 years old. Many important artists have long been overlooked, and are waiting to be properly recognised for their contribution to art history. We need to continue to further the global conversation around Indian art, ensuring that their work is measured and considered against the work of international artists, not only in a South Asian context.

All images courtesy Sotheby's

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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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23 Jul 2020

Convergence, a collection of drawings, mixed media works & sculptures by Shanthamani Muddaiah, Shivani Aggarwal and Minal Damani, curated by Nalini S Malaviya starts July 24, 2020

Minal Damani

16 Jul 2020

21 May 2020

Review: Neha Chandaria

11 Mar 2020

18 Feb 2020

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