Art Scene India

Artist Profile: Promod Gaikwad
Artist Profile: Shruti Vij

Artist Profile: Manisha Vedpathak

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3 May 2014

Call for children to participate in Art1st's Artist Mentor Program

This programme from IFA looks interesting, you may want to check it out,

"Every child is an artist.
The challenge is how to remain an artist once we grow up”
Pablo Picasso

Here’s an opportunity for young artists from Bangalore to be part of an immersive programme which will take them through the world of contemporary art with artists who will mentor them and help bring their ideas to life.
India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) presents Art1st Partner a Master: Artist Mentor Program, an initiative that seeks to bridge the gap in arts education in secondary schools.
Starting from July 2014, master artists like Suresh Jayaram, Ravikumar Kashi, Surekha, C F John, Biju Jose, George Mathen and Suresh Kumar G will engage with students in their studios every week. They will work alongside them on projects, construct personal knowledge, share perspectives and experiences. At the end of the programme, an art exhibition will be organised, inviting students to display the finished pieces of art.

Art1st Partner a Master invites students of ages 13-17 to be a part of this workshop.
For more details, contact Shalini at +91 97399 91645.

2 May 2014

Musings: Art, Books and Summer

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald

It has been a while since I posted here and one of the reasons is that the microphone that I use for all my ‘speech to text’ articles got damaged and had to be replaced. The online vendor took a long time to deliver, and it’s only now that everything is configured and functional. I sometimes wish that I could type again with ease, but well!

Also, you might be aware that schools in Bangalore are closed in April and May, which essentially means that a lot of time and effort must go in keeping children entertained and occupied! Not an easy feat by any means!

Painting by Amrita Sher-Gil: The Passionate Quest" curated by Yashodhara Dalmia at NGMA, Bangalore

Anyways, for this particular post, I thought of keeping it light and ‘summery’, while updating you on some of the things that I have been doing lately. For instance, I gave a talk on ‘Essential Tools to Promote and Support Your Art Practice’ to students of a newly established art college (I did post about it on FB). And, judging from the response, I felt it was received well. Then, I attended the inauguration of the art exhibition titled "Amrita Sher-Gil: The Passionate Quest" curated by Yashodhara Dalmia at NGMA, Bangalore. It’s an exhibition worth catching and has a good selection of paintings and also some letters written by the artist.

As you probably know I enjoy reading and we have amassed quite a large collection of books, well, it seems that way given the amount of space we constantly need to create for it! Some of the books that I’ve just finished reading and a few others that are on my side table – ‘I Am Malala’, couple of books from the Chicken Soup series (for writers and entrepreneurs’), and ‘Waswo X. Waswo Writings’ (which Waswo has sent for review). ‘Catch 22’ by Joseph Heller is another book which is lying unfinished and I hope I can complete it soon.

Let’s talk a little more about ‘I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the

Buy I Am Malala : The Girl who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban: Book

Taliban’- it is a memoir of Malala Yousafzai and is a fascinating autobiographical tale about the protagonist’s crusade on education, especially for girls in a land which is torn with violence and terrorism. The book is aptly described as a ‘remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons’. The book is definitely inspirational but the journalistic tone of the book, (Christina Lamb, a British journalist has co-authored it) and the over emphasis of precision in the narrative, unfortunately makes the story impersonal.

I don’t know about you but some of the Chickens Soup books can be quite overwhelming with their syrupy sweetness, but the Writers' Soul was actually quite interesting with a lot of insights and interesting anecdotes by well-known writers. I quite enjoyed it.

Summer is a great time to read books and spend time with your family, and to enjoy ice creams and iced tea and to go for walks in the evening! Bliss!!!

Let me know if you enjoyed reading this post and I would love to know how you are spending your time and what books you are reading now.

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Book Review: Between the Lines: Identity, Place, and Power

21 Apr 2014

Displaying Art in Home Interiors

Displaying art requires some creative effort and skill to spotlight the art and alter the dynamics of the space, writes art consultant Nalini Malaviya

Imagine having a large painting hung in the corner of a room, which is dark and dingy and one has to scan the entire space to find it, in such a situation is there any point in putting up an artwork? For all practical purposes the painting is invisible and serves no point. The intention of an artwork is to alter the dynamics of the space by introducing form, colour and a focal concept, while adding a new visual dimension. Hence, displaying art in a particular space requires some creative effort and skill to ensure that not only the art is highlighted but the entire space benefits.

Royale Play Metallic for Staircase Interior by Asian Paints, Image courtesy Asian Paints

Framing

Framing a traditional work of art such as a painting or drawing is one of the ways to demarcate the artwork and to highlight it. Black minimal frames, ornate and gilt frames, wide frame borders and mats are just some of the options in various materials which can be used for framing. Depending on the size, medium and colours in the painting the frame must be chosen accordingly. It is important to select a frame that visually complements the artwork, is made of good quality material and does not appear cheap.

Using colour as a means to highlight the artwork is another trendy option, where either the entire wall or a square/ rectangular frame behind the artwork serves to draw attention to the art and integrate the space in its entirety. This can actually have a vivid effect, especially if colours are chosen appropriately to be in harmony with the painting.

Paints for Bedroom Interiors by Asian Paints, Image courtesy Asian Paints

Lighting

If there is insufficient lighting, the nuances in the artwork are lost and tend to recede to the background. Therefore spotlights on the artwork can make a huge difference in highlighting the work. This is true for all kinds of artworks whether they are paintings, sculptures, murals or even installations. Direct lighting which can heat the artwork should be avoided as it can be damaging, especially in the long term.

This article was published in The Times of India-The Address recently.
Images are sourced from the Internet.

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7 Apr 2014

Artist Profile: Kalabhakesari

This week we profile artist Kalabhakesari, who holds a National Diploma in Fine Arts from Government Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Kerala. His art reflects on contemporary issues arising out of urbanization and the pace of transformation in society, which is often in a detrimental direction.

As Kalabhakesari explains, "I am inspired by contemporary society. My paintings are about human emotions, inquiries and the anxieties of everyday life and my concerns about rapidly growing urban spaces, the aggressive invasion of rural spaces and thereby reflections of life." His art conveys the psychological and changing aspects of everyday life, the aspirations, desires and raw human emotions which accompany it. It is a comment on technology and the environment, and above all the struggle to find an identity in the urban cacophony.

Kalabhakesari won the State Award in Painting, Kerala Lalithakala Academy in 2011. He currently lives and works in Bangalore.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the UPDATED guidelines listed under Submit.

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3 Apr 2014

Art Buzz: Finding Utopia, Mumbai

The Art Loft and Shoeb Mashadi present Finding Utopia (opening on 11th April 2014 at The Art Loft), a monochromatic noir journey into human emotions featuring supermodel Tamara Moss as the protagonist.

'A journal of everyday chaos and mundane chores - but you lift the veil, dig deeper and there are fragments of what lies inside each of us - the millions of questions about the uncertainty of life, a sense of loneliness and longing to belong to something or someone, or a longing to break free and wander to a road that draws us. To escape the neurosis of the mind and find comfort and security in dreams, dreaming on and on and never coming back - to escape from unrequited love.

This journal is a metaphor of the emotions, feelings and thoughts that are a part of personal experiences. In a candid, non linear narrative, the protagonist represents the morbid that lies in us all - deep within our subconscious. A realm of memories and a scar for life'.

Photograph by Shoeb Mashadi, Fine Art Photography, Image courtesy artist

Shoeb Mashadi, a fashion and portrait photographer based in Mumbai is noted for his strong individualistic style which is an eclectic mix of fine art and commercial portraiture and has photographed a number of celebrities and supermodels as well as shot for leading fashion designers, cult movie directors, prime television channels and internationally acclaimed restaurants. Last year, Shoeb Mashadi represented the country as one amongst ten photographers in the world who were selected to be a part of the TEDx photo chain, a part of the TEDx annual event held in Amsterdam, where his work was exhibited.

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31 Mar 2014

Artist Profile: Manisha Vedpathak

This week we profile Manisha Vedpathak,a contemporary Indian artist, who currently lives in Ghana, West Africa. Being a self taught artist, her images have evolved over the years from realism to abstraction. Her background in Engineering helps her with composition and shapes. Manisha reveals,“My paintings create positive vibes and bring the viewer the sense of joy I feel when painting them. It is a shared feeling and I am glad when my paintings become doors through which my audiences can visit worlds of fantasy and reverie”.

Verve...The Energy

The earthy colors used in Manisha's paintings not only connect her emotionally to her Indian origins but also depict the warmness of the African continent where she now lives. Having lived in Ghana for over a decade, the influence of Ghanaian culture and art will be seen in her art.

Manisha participated in the Art fair held in Accra and she has also featured in the November 2013 issue of the magazine “Women in Art278”, which is dedicated to showcase Women artists from around the globe and in the Janaury 2014 issue of the“Indian Talent Magazine”, an online magazine showcasing Indian artists.

Threshold

Kaleidoscopic

You can view more of her works here.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the UPDATED guidelines listed under Submit.

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28 Mar 2014

Art Buzz: Exhibition "Amrita Sher-Gil" at NGMA Bangalore

NGMA Bengaluru is happy to announce the inauguration of a prestigious Exhibition titled "Amrita Sher-Gil: The Passionate Quest" Curated by Yashodhara Dalmia, on Sunday, 30th March 2014 at 5.00 pm. The exhibition will be on view till 30th April 2014.

In conjunction with the above exhibition, NGMA has also organised a curatorial talk titled "Amrita Sher-Gil: Life in Art" by Yashodhara Dalmia, Curator of the exhibition, on Tuesday, 1st April 2014 at 6.00 pm. (Text and images courtesy NGMA Bangalore)

Exhibition "Amrita Sher-Gil" at NGMA Bangalore, image courtesy NGMA Bangalore

24 Mar 2014

Artist Profile: Spoorthy Murali

Today, we profile Spoorthy Murali, an Engineer turned artist. She has renounced her IT career to pursue her life’s calling – fine arts. The translucency and fluidity of watercolors have always allured her and inspired her to experiment on different subjects in this medium.

Spoorthy's rustic Hampi series paintings, rusty Vintage Automobile series, paintings of busy Bengaluru’s lost sparrows, paintings of languid elephants of the wild, and effervescent people portrayal have all been very well received at various forums. She has brought out a vibrant series of watercolor paintings which celebrate the colors in daily life of common man in India (aam aadmi), which she dotingly calls ‘Colors of the Mango people’. She believes in soaking in the subtleties of daily life, may it be the trellis of light and shadow that trees create on roads, the drama in the shadow play while kids play in the sun, the beauty in the sunlit dancing golden waves of a sea and so on. She loves to paint every beautiful sight and hopes to see more colors in this transient world!

Spoorthy is a self taught artist and has worked with watercolors, acrylic and charcoal media. She has participated in various group shows in Bengaluru, Mysore, Cochin and Mumbai; and her paintings have found homes across India, USA, UK and Canada.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the UPDATED guidelines listed under Submit.

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19 Mar 2014

Social Cause: Empowering Artists from Raghurajpur

Empowering artists to create a sustainable model for livelihood and helping them conserve local folk art traditions.

It is a travesty that folk artists and craftsmen who work laboriously for hours have to struggle to make a living out of it. Ironically, in the process they contribute enormously in keeping local folk art and traditions alive. Folk and tribal arts and crafts are hugely popular with foreign tourists and the urban population, and yet despite their popularity these artisans receive only a small percentage of the sale amount. Commissions by middlemen and prices involved in handling the logistics make a huge dent in the amount which is received by the artists.

The vibrant colors on the betel nuts depicting the Lord Jagannatha and his siblings, Image:Revanthv552, Wikipedia

This is a story intrinsic to every region and most vernacular art forms. There are only a few folk art forms which are lucrative for the artists and their families, for instance Gond and Madhubani art forms have entered mainstream galleries and with their contemporization, these have become popular as well as acceptable in higher price brackets. However, not all artists benefit even in these cases.

A social initiative #DoRight draws attention to artists from Raghurajpur – ‘a heritage arts & crafts village where every villager is an artist, and every home is an artist’s studio’. The village is famous for its master Pattachitra painters, an art form which dates back to 5the century BC. In fact, the families in this village practice various forms of traditional Odisha art, such as Pattachitra, tal chitra, silk painting, stone carving, coconut painting, betel nut painting, papier mache & masks, cowdung toys and ganjappa playing cards. Their artworks draw inspiration from mythology, religion and folklore.

Patta Chitra Painting, showing Ganesha and Shiva, Source: Shakti, Wikipedia

Following an intensive process, these artists prepare the ‘patta’ – material which is made to look like leaves and natural colours; they then outline the design and fill it with vibrant colours. Each artwork can take anywhere from 5 to 15 days and sometimes even longer, maybe even months. Based on the level of detail, intricacy, finesse and the size of the paintings the prices vary anywhere from Rs 500 to 2 lakhs.

As this village enjoys a heritage status (in the year 2000 by INTACH) it does bring in many domestic and international tourists who buy paintings directly from them which benefits them immediately. However as this does not happen on a continuous basis and there are often middlemen involved, there is a huge disparity in the amount which the artists receive through the year.

In an effort to empower themselves the artists plan to sell the artworks directly to the customer through a dedicated website, which they hope to set up as soon as they can raise enough funds with our help. The #DoRight initiative has the potential to have a ripple effect and inspire other communities of folk artists also, so they can aim for self-sufficiency and not depend on middlemen for their income.

So, here’s hoping that they soon succeed in their endeavors and are able to create a successful model which can sustain the artists' existence and also their art!

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18 Mar 2014

Documenting the Bangalore Art Scene with Perfumes!

Suresh Kumar, an artist and self-appointed documentarian has documented several years of the Bangalore art scene, when collective groups and spaces were at a nascent stage.

Suresh Kumar of Samuha fame, who most people in Bangalore will recall had initiated a collective project run in 2009 in Bangalore, where over a period of one year a number of artists had slots for exhibitions in a space that was collectively rented. The project was widely appreciated and Suresh went on to present his ideas and vision about Samuha on various fora. Then, Suresh went on to video record events in Bar1, Chitrakala Parishad and Ananya Drushya (you can read more about this initiative here).

Perfumed Arts all over Bangalore

Calling it the Perfumes project, Suresh explains, “I was trying to present Bangalore artists and the scene online in a more organized way. The name Perfumes is a combination maybe of Performance and an idea of a bouquet…”

Suresh writes a detailed introduction on how he took up the role of a documentarian and how he views the current art scene, especially in Bangalore. He laments about the current state of art matters, how art students are going back to their native towns after graduation and how Suresh had to step up and adopt the role of a ‘recordist’.

He has recorded events at Samuha, Jaaga, 1Shanthi Road and the government-owned Venkatappa Art Gallery. You can read about his experience here and then follow the link to view the videos here.

15 Mar 2014

Artist Profile: Barbara Ash

This week we profile Barbara Ash, an artist based in Bangalore and Bristol, U.K. I saw her works for the first time at Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore as part of a show and found her 'Doll' sculptures refreshingly different. These explore notions of identity and power relating to individual and media created perceptions of femininity.

"Soft Power" by Barabara Ash profiled in Art Scene India

"Soft Power" by Barabara Ash, Image courtesy Artist

According to Barbara, she creates installations, sculptures and drawings that explore the world of feelings and expression, through large-scale toy and doll imagery. She trained at the Royal College of Art, London, and has been working in India since 2006; she fell in love with Bangalore and has been based there since 2010.

Barbara's idiosyncratic work celebrates colour and curves, and works on different levels, from sardonic humour and gentle critique to simple objects of visual pleasure and exuberance. She is currently developing a large body of fibre-glass pastel-painted sculptures for an otherworldly installation "Soft Power" playing with ideas of femininity and individuality.

You can view more of her works here.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the guidelines listed under Submit.

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TIPS: Guide To Exhibiting Your Artworks

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12 Mar 2014

6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation

For new and upcoming artists it may be difficult to approach an art gallery and find gallery representation. Here are a few points to help you get started.

It may often be difficult for an artist to find that first foothold in an art gallery. Art schools cover every aspect of art history, artists, techniques and skills but rarely cover the practicalities of establishing yourself as an artist. Many new and upcoming artists struggle for gallery representation and for inclusion in group exhibitions. In such a situation, having a solo exhibition with the support of an art gallery becomes even more elusive.

Therefore, those who pass out of art schools or have been learning painting informally need to know how to approach a gallery. Remember, galleries receive so many portfolios, images and requests from artists that most of the time it is physically impossible for them to go through each of these and get back to the artist.

Have A Systematic Approach

1. Annual art exhibitions: These are organized by art schools annually and it is one of the ways to get noticed by gallery managers and representatives: These events are popular with gallerists, curators and art connoisseurs as they scout around for emerging talent, to buy art at affordable prices and to look for potential participants for future exhibitions. However, in the current weak economy, this trend is greatly reduced. Certain art school events become synonymous with quality artworks and I know a few people who make it a point to visit the annual event at MS University, Baroda, Shantiniketan and Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore.

It therefore makes sense that even students rise to the occasion and put in effort to create artworks which stand out. If this works well and a gallery signs you up for a future show, then you are amongst the fortunate ones and all you will need to worry about is living up to the expectations of the gallery.

2. Reference point: One of the best ways to get a gallery to review your portfolio and to agree to meet you is by ‘reference’. If an artist or a curator who is either working with the gallery or is involved with them in any way, refers you and your artwork, there is a very good chance that the gallery will be at least willing to look at the images of your works.

3. Shortlist: Zero in on the galleries that you would like to approach. It doesn’t make sense to send your artworks to all the galleries possible, because your art may not be suitable for many of them. For instance, a gallery specializing in photography will not be interested in your paintings or videos. Therefore look for a match, and it need not be in the same city.

4. Contact the Gallery:

Create a portfolio: Make an artist portfolio with your best images, an excerpt from your artist statement, resume and selected exhibitions. Ensure it looks professionally done.
Contact: Send an e-mail to the gallery - write a polite covering letter and send your portfolio to the gallery. Make sure it includes your contact details and has a link to your website/ blog. I feel a soft copy is so much better than an envelope with copies of photographs or a CD, which can sometimes remain unopened.
Follow up: You can follow up with the gallery after a reasonable amount of time, say about two to three weeks and request for an appointment.

5. Be visible: You can also participate in juried exhibitions and apply for art grants, which may give you visibility.

6. Network: Networking with the right people can really get you places. Visiting art shows and events and being active online will allow you to grow your network of like-minded people, which will help you in getting advice and references for galleries to approach and also about participation in possible group shows.

Final Tips

Keep the content limited; nobody has time to go through hundreds of images and pages and pages of written material.
Allow sufficient time to pass before you follow up with a gallerist/curator.
Always make an appointment before you show up at the gallery.

There is no quick fix solution, but as an artist who is talented you will find the right gallery for you. Be patient and persevere.

I hope this helps you and if you have any other tips for upcoming artists, then I would love to hear from you. It would be great to learn from your experience and I’m sure new artists will appreciate it. Share with us in the comments section below or you can even send me an email.

If you enjoyed reading this article and you think it could help others as well, please share it using the social media widgets at the top.

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10 Mar 2014

Artist Profile: Asha Sudhaker Shenoy

This week we profile artist, Asha Sudhaker Shenoy, a self-taught artist who took to art after retirement.

Asha paints mainly in oil, while also doing watercolor sketches. She loves Indian dance and her recent series on Kathak dancers was exhibited in a Group Show in October 2013. She loves to do portraits and figurative paintings. She continues to learn the intricacies of painting from the Internet, which she feels, is a boon for anyone who wants to acquire knowledge in any field. She is happy that she has made art her profession post retirement and is enjoying it.

You can view more of her works here.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the guidelines listed under Submit.

Related posts,

Artist Profile: Promod Gaikwad

Artist Profile: Shruti Vij