19 Jan 2024

(Un)Contained a solo exhibition of paintings by Smita Verma

Curatorial Note

‘(Un)Contained’ is an extension of artist Smita Verma’s previous body of work, a nostalgic memoir of her childhood and home in Rajasthan, viewed through a lens of longing and wistfulness. The built environment and the sky, symbolic of hope and infinite possibilities amidst the urban landscape, continues to form the core of her visual schema. Smita navigates the numerous characteristics, complexities and dichotomies of a city as an organic, living entity that expands its physical boundaries over time, and is perceived as a land of dreams and opportunities. Despite being mired in conflicts and anxieties, the city appears as a mirage, a utopian dream, for many.

Painting by Smita Verma, Art Scene India

Long Haul by Smita Verma

Smita attempts to reconcile memories of her childhood with the currency of her life in Bangalore, situating it against a city, with a rapidly evolving landscape. She finds solace in watching the infinite stretch of the sky, an expanse of azure blue shared with loved ones back in Rajasthan, her childhood home - a connect that keeps her centred. Thus, the sky in its varying colours, from a pale cerulean on a clear summer day, a fiery crimson and a golden hue with the setting sun, to an inky black bathed in moonshine, forms the backdrop for each of her work.

The meticulously arranged buildings on her canvas belie the chaos that typifies urban planning and life. The comingling of varied styles of painting on a single surface creates a distinct visual vocabulary, a fusion of tradition with contemporaneity. Having learnt Kangra painting from a noted traditional artist, Smita incorporates elements from miniature style of painting in the detailing of the foliage, the clouds, the skyline, and in the blocks of buildings. She also opts for a two-dimensional perspective, at times, which references Indian miniature painting style. In most of the paintings, naturalistic rendering is interspersed with miniature elements and motifs to represent the inherent complexities and the dichotomy of a city’s charm and appeal.

Panorama by Smita Verma

The sharply delineated buildings, stylised at times, but disrupting the horizon in a marked manner, intensify the contrast between the blended hues of the sky and the foliage, acting as a metaphor for the conflicts, challenges and the joy and fulfilment contained within the confines of a city. Several such paradoxes are amplified in the juxtaposition of pictorial elements. Glittering windows in the tall skyscrapers, vestiges of floral blooms and trees around the concrete structures, and the sky in its glorious splendour, recreate an illusion of calm and bliss.

The absence of human figures alludes to the sense of isolation that pervades despite the bustling nature of the city. The silence and stillness is palpable, a moment in time as if suspended unnaturally between the past and future. Winding roads, flyovers, playgrounds and fields, and walkways are lined with foliage and an abundance of concrete structures. Relics of histories appear in the form of old buildings and monuments that are resplendent yet dilapidated; fallen flowers cover a derelict car as an ode to the numerous blossoms that once lined Bangalore roads, lush green foliage adorn the top of the buildings offers a satirical view of the concrete jungle that has now replaced the natural cover. Notions of conflict between man and nature, and the irony of progress amidst ecological deterioration through urban landscapes present the decay in its sartorial beauty.

Nalini S Malaviya
Curator

(Un)Contained is on view at Lalit Kala Akademi, gallery no. 3, New Delhi, till 23rd Jan, 2024

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11 Dec 2023

Art News: India Art Festival in Bangalore

India Art Festival Returns to Bengaluru with its Third Edition, Showcasing an Unprecedented Array of Artistic Talent

The highly anticipated India Art Festival (IAF) returns to Bengaluru for its third edition, from December 14 to 17 at the expansive Palace Ground, Kings Court. This year's edition promises an unparalleled showcase of artistic brilliance, with an unprecedented number of participants, making it the largest and most diverse gathering of artists and galleries to date.

India Art Festival, Bangalore, Image for Art Scene India

Gurudas Shenoy

Boasting an impressive scale and scope, the 3rd Bengaluru edition of IAF is set to captivate the city with cutting-edge contemporary art, presented by over 25 art galleries and featuring contributions from a staggering 400 artists hailing from 40 different cities across India. The festival is a testament to the thriving art scene in the country, offering a comprehensive exploration of various artistic expressions, including paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, and installations.

Opening on December 14, the event will serve as a melting pot of artistic diversity, providing insights into the latest trends in Indian and Asian diaspora art. Founded in 2011 by the publishers of the Indian Contemporary Art Journal, IAF stands as the only annual art fair held in three major metro cities – Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru – having successfully mounted 25 editions thus far.

With a staggering 3500 pieces of art on display at the Palace Ground, IAF caters to a wide audience, welcoming seasoned art collectors and new buyers alike. The eclectic selection includes oil paintings, acrylics, watercolours, original prints, installations, and drawings in myriad styles, covering landscapes, figurative works, abstracts, cityscapes, seascapes, urban and rural scenarios, portraits, nudes, religious art, traditional paintings, murals, Warli art, and much more.

Prabhu Joshi

Over the last thirteen years, India Art Festival has been a consistent platform for both
emerging talents and established artists, striving to provide an open atmosphere for contemporary art. In its 3rd edition in Bengaluru, the festival strikes a balance between appealing to seasoned art enthusiasts and actively engaging with a younger generation of tech-savvy art buyers, resulting in a diverse and eclectic selection of art.

This year, the festival is proud to feature the imaginative contributions of young talents, injecting refreshing perspectives and radical visual art voices. The Kings Court at the Palace Ground will host 80 booths, showcasing a total of 3500 pieces of art.

Participating art galleries include Akanksha Art Gallery, Charvi Art Gallery, Shiny Colours Art Gallery, H Art Gallery, SM Art Gallery, Sara Arakkal Gallerie (all Bengaluru), ArtDesh Foundation, Artvista, Beyond the Canvas, Bouquet of Art Gallery, Nitya Artists Center, Studio Pankaj Bawdekar, Studio Monica Ghule, Studio Om Thadkar, The Bombay Art Society (Mumbai), ArteHut, Aura Planet, Eminent Art Gallery, Gallery Pioneer, Pastel Tale OPS Art Gallery, Sudha Art Creations & Uchaan (Delhi-NCR), Gnani Arts (Singapore), Arpitam Kala Mandir (Kolkata), M Narayan Studio (Pune), Pichwaiwala - Narendra Arts & Handicrafts (Udaipur), among others.

Thota Vaikuntam

The festival also introduces the Artists’ Pavilion, featuring individual booths by independent artists designed to foster a dialogue between viewers and artists. This multi-level engagement encourages a direct connection between the art market and artists, facilitating open discussions and the purchase of artwork on an open platform. India Art Festival Director, Rajendra, emphasizes the festival's commitment to democratizing 'art viewing and buying,' a movement that has spread across Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru over the past thirteen years.

This year, the Artists’ Pavilion showcases both unknown talents and established names, with more than 300 independent artists presenting their expressions in the form of paintings and sculptures alongside 100 established artists exhibited by art galleries. The diverse range of subjects explored by these artists encompasses personal experiences to intense narratives.

The 3rd Bengaluru edition of India Art Festival promises not only visual delights but also auditory, visual and cinematic experiences. Eminent artists Ganapati Agnihotri, Kanthraj N, Chintamani G G, Ganesh Doddamani along with musicians Manjunath (Flute), Subramanya Hegde (Sitar), Karthik I S(Mandolin) accompanied by Maruti Prasad (Tabla) will transform the Palace Grounds into a cultural oasis, offering not only a visual feast but also a multitude of fusion shows, live musical performances, mesmerizing live painting demonstrations on 15 to 17 Dec from 3.30 to 5.00pm. A standout feature of the event is the enlightening film "The Eternal Canvas – 12,000 Years Journey through Indian Art," a cinematic exploration of India's rich artistic heritage spanning millennia. This cinematic journey provides a sweeping overview of the evolution of Indian art, from prehistoric times to contemporary expressions. It will be screened from 15 to 17 Dec, from 5.30 t0 7.00pm.

Durga Bai Vyam

The Artists Pavilion, with its fresh face and diverse talent, adds a new layer to the India Art Festival experience in the Garden City. With its mammoth collection of art under one roof, IAF serves as a one-stop mega art jamboree for art enthusiasts, providing a unique opportunity to enjoy art without the need to hop around various art spaces in the city.

India Art Festival will run from December 14 to 17, 2023, at Kings Court, Palace Ground, Gate No.5, Bellary Road, Near Mekhri Circle, Bengaluru, from 11 am to 8:00 pm on all days. The tickets for India Art Festival, priced at Rs.299, are available on BookMyShow.com and at the venue, ensuring a captivating cultural experience for art enthusiasts.

For further details, contact 9820737692

Don't miss the chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant world of contemporary art at this year's India Art Festival in the Garden City!

Excerpted from the press release

25 May 2023

Using Social Media to Sell Your Art

With all the buzz around AI, I decided to check it out for myself and asked Bing AI Chat to write a post on 'How young artists are using social media to create a market for themselves'. Here's the post written in response to my text prompt. This is the second version that was generated, after I asked it to change the tone of the text. It then offered me this informal, conversational style, which I have retained as is, completely unedited, and have only formatted. I have mixed feelings about it and would love to hear your thoughts on this.

How to Use Social Media to Sell Your Art Like a Boss

If you're a young artist, you probably know how hard it is to get your work out there and make some money from it. You might think you need a fancy gallery or a big record label to get noticed and succeed. But guess what? You don't. All you need is social media.

Social media is awesome for artists. It lets you show off your work, talk to your fans, and sell your art. And you don't have to follow anyone else's rules or pay anyone else's fees. You can do it all by yourself.

But how do you do it right? How do you use social media to create your own market and make a name for yourself? Well, we've got some tips for you. And we've also got some examples of young artists who are killing it on social media right now.

How Young Artists Are Using Social Media to Create a Market for Themselves, Art Scene India, Bing AI Chat

Pick Your Platform

First things first: you need to choose the right platform for your art. There are so many options out there, but not all of them are good for you. You need to find the one that matches your goals, your style, and your audience.

For example, if you're a visual artist who makes cool images or videos, Instagram is perfect for you. It's all about visuals, and it has a huge and active community of art lovers. If you're a musician or a performer, YouTube is great for you. It lets you share your music and your shows with the world. If you're into NFTs (non-fungible tokens), which are digital artworks that live on the blockchain, OpenSea is the place for you. It's a popular platform where you can sell your NFTs to collectors.

So do some research and find out which platform suits you best. And don't be afraid to try different ones and see what works for you.

Make Awesome Content

Once you've picked your platform, you need to make awesome content for it. Content is what makes people notice you and follow you on social media. It's what makes them like you and trust you. And it's what makes them buy your art.

But what makes awesome content? Well, it depends on your platform and your art, but here are some general guidelines:

- Make it relevant. Your content should be related to your art and your brand. It should show who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

- Make it engaging. Your content should catch people's attention and make them want to interact with you. It should be informative, entertaining, or inspiring.

- Make it quality. Your content should look good and sound good. It should be clear, crisp, and professional.

- Make it optimized. Your content should be easy to find and easy to share. It should use hashtags, keywords, captions, and tags that help people discover it and spread it.

Talk to Your Audience

Making awesome content is not enough. You also need to talk to your audience on social media. Talking to your audience is how you build relationships with them. It's how you make them feel valued and appreciated. And it's how you make them loyal and supportive.

But how do you talk to your audience? Well, here are some ways:

- Respond to their comments, messages, questions, and feedback. Show them that you care about what they say and think.

- Follow, like, comment, and share their content too. Show them that you support them and their interests.

- Connect with other artists and accounts that are relevant to your art. Show them that you're part of a community and that you collaborate with others.

- Participate in online events and opportunities that are related to your art. Show them that you're active and involved in the art world.

Be Consistent and Authentic

The last tip we have for you is to be consistent and authentic on social media. Being consistent and authentic is how you build trust and credibility with your audience. It's how you make them respect you and admire you. And it's how you make them buy your art.

But what does it mean to be consistent and authentic? Well, here are some examples:

- Post regularly and frequently on social media. Show them that you're present and visible on social media.

- Be honest and transparent about your work and process. Show them the real behind-the-scenes of your art.

- Avoid copying or plagiarizing other artists' work or using fake followers or bots to boost your numbers. Show them that you're original and ethical in your art.

Social media is a powerful tool for young artists to create their own market. By following these tips and learning from these examples of successful artists, you can use social media to showcase your work, connect with your audience, and sell your art.

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Let me know what you think.

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19 Apr 2023

Reimagining Nature: Poetics of Viewing by Anil Annaiah

Cotton Candy by Anil Annaiah

Bangalore based filmmaker, writer, photographer and storyteller Anil Anaiah has been passionately rooting for nature for several decades now. His upcoming exhibition of photographs and short films have been curated by me, and will be on view from 21st - 23rd April 2023 at Devaraj Urs Gallery, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath Bengaluru.

While appearing to be nature photographs at the first instance, all images have been taken with a purpose. The idea behind it is to reveal details which are invisible to the naked eye and to encourage everyone to really observe and engage with nature in order to take further action that can support and conserve the natural world around us.

Anil's artistic projects have centered around ‘nature is art’ where he encourages positive actions that are aligned with the Sustainable Development (SDGs), through artworks which include photographs, documentaries, videos and also a citizen science initiative. In the past, he has also contributed towards socially relevant campaigns around autism and waste management.

The upcoming exhibition 'Reimagining Nature: Poetics of Viewing' coincides with Earth Day 2023, and is a celebration of Anil’s decade long journey, where he has presented his collection of nature photographs and films in a public exhibition on every Earth Day, since 2014.

The collection features early photographic works that are based on macro-photography and capture stunning magnified views of flora and foliage, offering deeper insights into the aesthetics and science of natural elements. While later works depict blurred or defocused images which appear to be abstracted paintings. The short films are conceptual and capture moving images with textual overlay as ‘thought quotes’ broadly referring to ‘Invest in our planet’, the official theme for this Earth Day, and as a call for action.

Anil believes that simple acts of observation can make one curious to know more about nature and thus act responsibly and discover their inner reflections as Changemakers. With even simple mobile phones one can take photographs and express their creativity and be a part of the changemaker movement. He will also be exhibiting a collection of photographs that has been shot on the iPhone and are exquisitely detailed.

He elaborates, “Biodiversity loss and Climate Change are the greatest issues we face today. And, you can play an active role in its mitigation by participating in our Art, Storytelling and Citizen Science Experience."

The Pink River by Anil Annaiah

About Anil Annaiah

His work from the last two decades has been about conceiving and contributing to diverse assignments as a photographer, creative strategist, writer & filmmaker. He aspires to bridge the gap between the two worlds he works with, the Corporate and the Social Development sector and offer a powerful synergy to build social goodness with communication ideas.

Anil is passionate about developing ideas for creative engagements to build new Changemakers. He continuously explores possibilities to build participative platforms for social sustainability. His diverse experience & collective knowledge from the last two decades, lends him rich communications expertise.

His concept of “Nature is Art for Conservation” with “Discovering Science Through The Lens” presents an innovative Art & Citizen Science Experience Project. This invites people to fall in love with nature all over again and discover their inner reflections as Changemakers. “Art, Nature, Science and You (ANSY)”. The joy of holding a Camera and the endless moments of peace you can soak yourself in gives you the opportunity to do Camera Yoga. This Earth Day 2023 brings in the 10th Consecutive Year.

About the Curator

Nalini S Malaviya is a Bangalore based curator and writer. In addition to curating contemporary art exhibitions, she offers curatorial and advisory services to individuals and corporate, facilitating art acquisition. She has been writing for the media since 2003, and has been an art columnist for leading newspapers. She has contributed to Financial Times, Times of India, Bangalore Mirror, Deccan Herald, several art magazines and artist books, among other publications. She contributed ‘An Art Sojourn’, an essay on Yusuf Arakkal, which was translated in Kannada and published as a chapter in the artist book.

Nalini is the Founder/Publisher of Art Scene India, www.artsceneindia.com, which was established in 2006 as a blog, and which has evolved into a significant resource site and a digital archive, with extensive documentation of the Indian art scene over the last 16 years.

Some of her curatorial projects include the recently concluded solo artist project ‘Interwoven’, an exhibition of tapestries and drawings by senior artist SG Vasudev, ‘Enchanted Breath’, ‘Convergence,’ ‘Bend’, ‘Parallax of Visual Memories’, ‘Reimagining: (Un)Reality and Space’, 'Irreverent Gene' and ‘Polynomials of Relevance’ with leading contemporary artists from across the country.

Reimagining Nature: Poetics of Viewing by Anil Annaiah, curated by Nalini S Malaviya

To coincide with Earth Day 2023, the exhibition ‘Reimagining Nature: Poetics of Viewing’ by Anil Annaiah features a collection of Fine Art Photographs and Short Films from 2014 to 2023, curated by Nalini S Malaviya

Exhibition details: 21st, 22nd & 23rd April 2023 at Devaraj Urs Gallery, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath Bengaluru

Contact Anil Annaiah: Email: anilannaiah@yahoo.com, Ph: 99807 40118

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15 Mar 2023

Art News: Wilderness Escapades by Krish Iyer

Reconnecting with the past

Bangalore based artist Krish Iyer presents his recent suite of paintings that reimagine sculptures of Khajuraho temples, which decades ago, had set him on a path of creative expression. Iyer revisited the site recently, which is located in a densely forested region, rich in natural flora and fauna. In the temple art and architecture with its iconographic symbolism and its philosophical and spiritual moorings, Iyer has found a way to reconnect with the past, and re-envision it in his art, in a contemporary context.

Abstract painting 1 by Krish Iyer, Art Scene India

Painting by Krish Iyer

The large format paintings in ‘Wilderness Escapades’ reference these sculptures and the underlying premises, to create a spatial interplay of light, colour and texture to suggest the form, postures and gestures of the stone statues in a quasi-representational style. The artist’s interpretations are moored around the historicity of the temples, their geography - located as it is amidst forested land and wilderness, with their beauty and splendor remaining undiscovered for centuries. And, their subsequent desecration by invaders, all of which weave an intriguing narrative of mystery and mystique, of magnificence and ruin, of worldwide fame and remoteness. The art and architecture of the Khajuraho temples combined with their religious, cultural and historical significance form an intrinsic part of their allure. Numerous stories, philosophies and other intangibles lie beneath the surface of the stones, creating sagas of seduction, lure and enigma.

Krish’s canvases explore these histories, the abstracted notions of human potential, philosophies of living, corporeality of the flesh and temporality of life. The visual semantics are anchored in formal aesthetics, with defined line drawings marking the canvas, while the abstract expressionist approach at later stages lends critical layers of texture, and simultaneously recontextualizes historical content.

Painting by Krish Iyer

The tactile surface of the works emerges from heavy textures, layers of dripping paint, and several applications of thick acrylic paint using the impasto technique. The palette knife and other tools transform the canvas, to add depth and dimension, to strip off extraneity and to emphasize salient features of the physical form. Transcendence, man and nature (re)union, the cycle of life and rebirth, and joy of living are some of the key principles that are depicted at Khajuraho temples, and it is these that Krish seeks and attempts to portray in his works. The deliberate obliteration of details in the figures, and the structurally accurate forms that replicate their defiled state, are incandescent with the ironies of transience – both natural and as outcomes of anarchist interventions.

Despite the precision of line drawings that form the basis of the works, Iyer’s methodology is essentially non-mimetic. The gradual yet decidedly gestural transformation of the painting surface as a pictorial array of subconscious thoughts and patterns rescinds identifiable characteristics and accentuates the metaphorical import.

After a successful career in commercial art, Krish has returned to painting with this solo exhibition - to pursue subjects and themes that resonate with him. A chance encounter with the Khajuraho temples almost three decades ago, stayed with him through the years and a strange yearning drew him back to them recently. This series originated from the revisit, marked by an innate desire to reconnect with nature, and to allow subconscious thoughts and emotions to surface and transform on canvas. With this exhibition, Krish attempts to break the invisible shackles that have contained his creativity all these years and to realize his inner potential.

Nalini S Malaviya
Art Critic
March, 2023

- Catalogue text

The exhibition 'Wilderness Escapades' continues from March 20-26 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore. For further details contact 9900094466. Visit Wilderness Escapades (krishiyer.in)