[en]counters 2014: Is there love in this air?

The 5th edition of ArtOxygen’s annual public art project [en]counters 2014: is there love in this air? began in Mumbai on 20 Feb, where Mumbai’s Carter Road Promenade, Juhu Beach and other spots in the city have become the sites of interventions!

Every year ArtOxygen produces and curates art projects around contemporary issues, where ‘the festival provides a platform where Indian and international artists establish a dialogue with urban spaces and explore how contemporary art practice can become a catalyst to inquire Mumbai’s everyday life and activate its few open spaces’. ArtO2 is an India-based independent art organization that aims to increase awareness of contemporary art practices.

Taking inspiration from a popular song of the ‘80s, this year’s festival revolves around the notion of air at the same time a physical and mental breathing space and an immaterial element connecting people. Ten artists from India, Hong Kong and Singapore are participating in the project.

This year’s project revolving around the notion of air has site specific works which have evolved in response to the site. Interactions with viewers (walker, joggers and others) who are part of the landscape on that particular site act as catalysts in a sense and activate the artworks through their participation. Introducing an element of the unexpected the public art project attempts to initiate a dialogue that explores the dynamics of the encounter between the art and the viewer.

According to Leandre D’Souza from ArtO2, “Through site-specific ephemeral installations, situational performances, time-based street actions, community workshops, they will create new creative trajectories in spaces uncommon for the arts.” With an interesting line up of artists, the project promises to create interesting interventions in Mumbai’s Carter Road Promenade, Juhu Beach and other spots in the city.


According to the press release from ArtO2, the artworks include ‘a miniature piece inviting viewers to quench their spiritual hunger as they discover a trail of rice grains inscribed with text by writers and philosophers by Hema Upadhyay. Pradeep L Mishra’s work looks at the human cycle of life-death-afterlife as he creates a sea of agarbatti sticks exuding, when lit, a natural and delicate fragrance as a way to counteract the harsh odours and chemical toxins filling the city’s air. Reena Saini Kallat presents a personal piece along the shores of the beach as she shares with us a letter by a mother to her child. As she writes the letter using salt, the work repeatedly gets washed away and highlights the fragility of our existence and the instability of our natural environment. Vibha Galhotra’s Orbis Unum II tries to create a world without borders, orders or differences communicated through words and symbols inspired from the eight testimonies of Buddhism, revisited and transferred onto a series of flags.

A musical box by Mee Ping Leung, whose tune raises issues of imprisonment, freedom, loss and bonding and SoundPocket will present soundscapes of HK that will be juxtaposed in locations across the city and Lo Chi Kit will collect stories of Indian migrants in HK that he will translate on to transparent adhesives. Upon installation, the work will be invisible but as dust collects and sticks on to the adhesive, the stories will magically appear’*.

Art interventions will be held at multiple sites in Mumbai until 2nd March, 2014.
 
*Excerpts from press release sent by ArtO2
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Tips on How to Title an Artwork

What is the purpose of the title of an art work?

An appropriate title can add value to the artwork and complement it, whereas a pretentious or incongruous title can sometimes be a distraction. An interesting title can even spark an interest in the artwork and engage the viewer instantly. Assigning a title to an artwork requires a certain amount of skill which can be easily developed over the years and therefore becomes easier with experience. 

I am sure everyone has grappled with naming an artwork, trying to find the perfect title which describes the work of art to perfection and is an apt representation of the artist’s intention. It can be a challenge because it does require an articulation of the visual imagery.  

The title of an artwork is an introduction and provides a context to the viewer and allows him/her to approach it with a sense of anticipation.  I find short titles which are descriptive and aligned with the visuals work best.  Very long and ostentatious titles sound just that, exaggerated and even absurd.   

Also, I’m not particularly fond of ‘Untitled’, except in rare cases where an artwork truly does not require any descriptive effort.  There are some instances where an artwork is simply eloquent and speaks for itself; here a title would be an encumbrance. In most untitled works, the general impression is that a suitable title could not be found or sufficient effort was not put into it.

I’ve noticed there is a strong inclination to title abstracts as ‘Untitled’, but I find that an unusual and creative title adds so much value to the artwork.  It makes it easier to relate to the artist and the art. Unique names are easier to track and remember and naming artworks is useful for documentation purposes as well.

Coming up with the perfect title

Finding the right title can be an interesting process, since titles can be simple and straightforward, descriptive, numbered after the series, imaginative and even philosophical.  The names can be based on colours, emotions, events, elements, objects, location, literary text, popular fiction and concept, depending on the content and theme of the artwork.  For instance, while naming a landscape, instead of calling it Landscape-1, II, III, or Seasons or Nature, describing the mood and colours in the artwork may be more effective.

Remember that the title also gives an indication of the depth of your artwork and whether it is meant to be literal or figurative.  It gives a clue whether it must be read at the surface level or should one go deeper and look for the philosophical intent.  Similarly, if your work is inspired by another artist’s series or a writer’s book, then the title could give an indication about the original work, yet emphasize that it is your interpretation of it.

Steps

• Begin by jotting down the thoughts and ideas behind your artwork.  Ideally this should be done when you are at the conceptual stage of the artwork.  Still it’s never too late and in any case you have to do this for your artist statement!
• Write down phrases which express your intent and views, then choose the ones which work best and correlate with the artwork.
• See if you can simplify them further, yet make them sound better. A thesaurus can be a very useful tool in looking for similar and better sounding words, but do make sure that the meaning remains unchanged.
• Excerpts or short phrases from literary prose and poetry which are adapted to suit the artwork can certainly add interest.  However, this doesn’t always work. The reverse works much better, i.e. if your art is based or inspired by a particular literary text then naming it accordingly highlights the connection.
• Although, not all titles may appear on Google, it may help to cross check to ensure that your title is original.  If not you can introduce minor variations.

Regional language

In India we have many artists who are comfortable and prefer to title their works in a regional language.  Every language has an inherent charm and beauty and therefore for regional exhibitions, use of local language is an excellent idea and helps to form a bond between the viewer and the artwork.  However, if the exhibition is a travelling one or there is a chance that it may be shown abroad, it might be a good idea to have a transliteration of the text in English.

Let me know how you go about naming your artworks and if you have any tips for others.  As a viewer have you come across any interesting titles that you would like to share, please comment below.

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Related posts,

Guide: How to Write an Artist Statement 

How to Organize an Art Exhibition

Guide: Exhibiting your Artworks

Artist Profile: Shruti Vij

This week we profile artist Shruti Vij, who has an ongoing exhibition at Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi until 21st Feb, 2014.

Shruti Vij’s artworks create a visual rhapsody of colour and strokes that come to life on canvas. Her palate includes a variety of reds, blues and greens that enthrall the viewer and are a visual treat. Her uplifting patterns enhance the artworks creating a multi-dimensional effect.

Shruti’s distinctive style has won her a strong fan following not only in India but also abroad. Recently, she held an exhibition in Dubai that saw art aficianados appreciate her work. Her artworks have been selected for India-wide exhibitions and have been appreciated at Delhi International Film Festival 2013, held in New Delhi. Some of her exhibitions include Indo- Korean Art Festival, at AIFACS, New Delhi and an exhibition at The Hungarian Information And Cultural Centre, New Delhi.

FOUR SEASONS

20"x20"

Mixed Media on paper

The painting depicts four different seasons through the use of various textures and colours.

WHIRLING   DERVISH

24"x36"

Acrylics on canvas

The painting is an ode to the Turkish Sufi Saints whose mesmerising dance provides spiritual healing to the audience.

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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FILM FESTIVAL: 'Great Artists Biography' at NGMA, Bangalore

NGMA Bengaluru announces the 3rd series of its FILM FESTIVAL 'Great Artists Biography' on El Greco, Giotto Di Bondone, Turner and Vincent Van Gogh at NGMA auditorium on Saturday, 15th February 2014 at 3.00 pm and Sunday, 16th February 2014 at 11.00 a.m.

Admission is free on first come first serve basis.

All are welcome.

'Journey Thus Far' by Shibu Arakkal

'Journey Thus Far' by Shibu Arakkal, special viewing of Florence Biennale 2013 Gold Prize winning work along with a special curation of works from his last seven series

Related post,
Guest Post: Photohappiness by Shibu Arakkal