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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

Unique visions of dystopia in the digital space

All works in this exhibition both digital editions and their physical counterparts, are registered NFTs…writes Siddhi Jain.

Art has an extraordinary power to communicate with people and their emotions. Terrain. Art, a block chain powered art ecosystem, is presenting an NFT exhibition titled ‘Dreams.exe’ featuring works by emerging digital artists from India. Curated through an open call, this exhibition invited artists to respond with their unique visions of dystopia in the digital space.

According to the platform, it marks a new milestone in its “commitment to developing a Digital Marketplace, as a supportive ecosystem that focuses on art from South Asia, and encourages new vocabularies of digital art”. Terrain.art’s Digital Marketplace is a growing community of artists who are experimenting with and invigorating the digital space, alongside additional programming and educational initiatives.

Dreams.exe brings together artists grappling with a reality that seems to be in constant flux. They formulate visual and conceptual explorations using the digital as a means of interruption and intervention, while challenging existing hierarchies under the new technocratic global order. At a time of grave uncertainty — existential, environmental, social, and political — the artists of this exhibition brace us with a prelude of thousand dystopias to come.

All works in this exhibition both digital editions and their physical counterparts, are registered NFTs. The newly emerging NFT space in India encourages transgression of traditional boundaries in art, reflected in the ways of thinking and making considered by the artists of Dreams.exe.

Aparajita Jain, Director and Founder of Terrain.art says, “We are excited to open up the Terrain.art platform to young, emerging artists who are taking steps into the digital world. The possibilities are exciting, and we look forward to energizing the space with immersive conversations.”

Artists featured in the exhibition include, Aditi Aggarwal, Aiman Verma, Anisha Baid, Annette Jacob, Joe Paul Cyriac, Moksha Kumar, Pranay Dutta, Prerit Jain, Sayak Shome, Subhojyoti Sen Sarma, Sudhir Ambasana, Sultana Zana, and Yasha Shrivastava.

ALSO READ-Traditional art forms on exhibition

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Fashion Lite Blogs

Celebrating and sustaining Indian crafts

JADE’s latest collection is called ‘Shubhra’ and is inspired by heirloom silver. The ensembles carry a soft ethereal silvery sheen that’s equal parts elegant and glamorous, without being too over the top… Monica Shah interacts with Puja Gupta.

Fashion travels beyond cultures or disparities. Designer Monica Shah founded the Chanakya School of Craft to help “empower women from underprivileged backgrounds with the right resources, knowledge, and skills, as well as to help sustain Indian arts and crafts”.

She hopes to pass unique arts and crafts to the future artisans of India, while also helping them sustain it and forge viable livelihoods out of it.

In a conversation with Shah, co-founder of label Jade which recently opened a new store in Los Angeles:

Why did you think of opening a store in LA amid the pandemic?

We have always had an international clientele, mostly from the US. Over the course of the past few years, we realized there was a greater need to bring the JADE experience to these brides, closer to where they are, rather than having it entirely online or them having to fly down to Indian just for their bridal ensembles. It’s one key step towards being a truly global brand. We felt like LA was a great location to start off. And we also found the perfect team in LA to represent our brand.

How do you aim to support Indian craftsmanship?

Celebrating and sustaining Indian crafts and techniques have always been at the heart of all the work we do. We believe that each of us, no matter where in the world we are, are ambassadors of India’s artisanal heritage and custodians of craft.

We make sure our ensembles are crafted using traditional techniques by hand and adapted to the modern perspective, to show that these crafts may be traditional but they’re still very relevant.

Tell us about Chanakya School and the work Jade does.


Two years ago we opened an NGO/a one-of-a-kind school called the Chanakya School of Craft to help empower women from underprivileged backgrounds with the right resources, knowledge, and skills, as well as to help sustain Indian arts and crafts. The school is a very special thing for us. We hope to pass the torch of our country’s unique arts and crafts to the future artisans of India, while also helping them sustain it and forge viable livelihoods out of it.

What’s the theme and thought behind your latest collection?

JADE’s latest collection is called ‘Shubhra’ and is inspired by heirloom silver. The ensembles carry a soft ethereal silvery sheen that’s equal parts elegant and glamorous, without being too over the top. The collection is perfect for the modern bride as it brings together contemporary as well as traditional aesthetics. We’ve used regal yet elegant colours like Blush Pink, Champagne Gold, Pewter, Aegean Blue, and Garnet Red. The inspiration behind the collection is silver and its versatility. We have always been fascinated by silver crafts done by the communities in Kutch and Rajasthan. So much so that it’s become a part of our personal style too. We wanted to celebrate this magical beauty of silver through couture.

Twelve years in the industry, how has your journey been?

It has been an incredible journey. We have learned so much, grown so much, adapted to and thrived through an unprecedented time, and still have a long way to go! We’re very excited to see where this journey leads us!

Any expansion plans?

We have a lot of exciting things in the pipeline. We can’t wait to announce it at the right time!

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

‘Fleeting Footprints of Light’

Mukerjee’s work has been exhibited in all major cities of India as well as in Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Greece, Indonesia and in London, Oxford and Cambridge (UK)…writes Siddhi Jain.

Art never dies and even in the pandemic period, it finds new ways to expose to the world. ‘Fleeting Footprints of Light’, an exhibition of photographs by Kolkata-based artist and photographer Mala Mukerjee presents a mix of colour and abstract compositions – a play with light, exploring the limits of form, colour and texture.

A graduate in Applied Art & Design Studies in Photography from the London Guildhall University, Mukerjee’s work has been exhibited in all major cities of India as well as in Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Greece, Indonesia and in London, Oxford and Cambridge (UK).

Fleeting Footprints of Light’

“My quest has always been to capture the fleeting footprints of light on objects, no matter how ordinary they may be. The works on display on this show are a continuation of that search.

“If I were to look back on my long innings as a photographer, I will admit I am most comfortable when I am in a position to let my imagination ramble free and take me to wherever they will. I enjoy playing with light and exploring the limits of form, colour and texture. The end-product sometimes surprises me, for light is a master painter. Objects get transformed by its magical touch. I try to capture those moments for you.

Fleeting Footprints of Light’ (IANS)

The ongoing exhibition has a mix of colour and abstract compositions, says the artist, “Every work has a special place in my memory, an association of joy and happiness, if you will. It is this joy that I want to share with you.”

The online exhibition is on view from July 26-August 8 on the website of the India International Centre.

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs Woman

Womanhood, an immersive art expo

The 70-year-old artist works with digital and is completely self-taught gives a great perspective to creating fine art through digital means…writes Siddhi Jain.

Women and artistic explorations have a very strong bond from ancient times onward. Mumbai-based gallery Method Kala Ghoda re-opened on July 1 after almost one year with ‘She’s In The Streets, She’s In The Stars’ by septuagenarian artist Santosh Jain. The art is a collection of experiences over seven decades which include the lives of different women and that of the artist herself.

During the lockdown, the gallery has not only been renovated but also added a whole new level for a bigger, better, and more immersive art experience.

The show highlights the prevalent patriarchal system that exists in society based on these experiences. The 70-year-old artist works with digital and is completely self-taught gives a great perspective to creating fine art through digital means.

“Over seven decades, I have borne witness to the lives of many different women, a number of which being myself. The theme of womanhood in all its forms, seen and unseen, has been a constant thread through the career of my artmaking. While the medium has changed, the presence and significance of women has not. Historically speaking, women have rarely been the central character of any story.”

“Rather, they have been pushed into the background, their roles, desires, and existence nothing more than of service to others. Through my art, I’ve explored the many ways in which women are an integral part of society, family, and life itself. These works are a second language that allows me to freely share long-forgotten episodes of my lifetime, my innermost feelings. Sometimes the same woman recurs in multiple artworks, and sometimes her presence is fleeting, though no less important. The women in my artwork are you, they are me. They are in the stars, they are in the streets,” says the senior artist about her show.

Jain’s art career began in 1971 as a young Printmaker in College Of Art, Delhi. Her prints earned her inclusion in prestigious artist associations — Group 8, Shilpi Chakra, Lalit Kala Akademi, Bombay Art Society, and AIFACS.

Her recurring subjects include ‘women’ and ‘the exploited’ which expand into empathy and layered personal narratives. She refers to these works as ‘her second language, which allows her to freely share long-forgotten episodes of her life and her innermost feelings.

The exhibition is open till July 25.

ALSO READ-‘Art Illuminates Life’

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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

‘Art Illuminates Life’

The exhibition has been conceptualized by FAQ Art and curated by Eka Archiving. It is on view till July 31…writes Siddhi Jain.

Art is something that gives light to the dark phases of life. Dhoomimal Art Gallery’s latest exhibition titled, ‘Outliers, Rebels, Disruptors: Delhi Silpi Chakra, 70 Years On’, features works of artists associated with the Silpi Chakra, including Amarnath Sehgal, B.C. Sanyal, J. Swaminathan, K.S Kulkarni, Ram Kumar, Rameshwar Broota, Sailoz Mookherjea, and Satish Gujral, among others.

The exhibition has been conceptualized by FAQ Art and curated by Eka Archiving. It is on view till July 31.

Founded by artists whose lives were ripped apart by the Partition, the Chakra became a haven of free thinkers and new ideas in the stilted cultural milieu of 1940s New Delhi.

These artists gave root to modernism in the capital’s art circles and laid the foundation for the commercial gallery system in India. The Silpi Chakra Gallery founded in 1949, later became the Dhoomimal Gallery.

The Delhi Silpi Chakra was formed in March 1949 as an answer to the woes of artists in Delhi, who felt the need of a platform and association which would be progressive and encourage new ideas. Their slogan, “Art Illuminates Life”, was to further the idea of art in the everyday lives of people and build a space for ideations in the capital of independent India.

Along with the Silpi Chakra, the Dhoomimal Gallery played a crucial role in the development of the modern art movement(s) providing an early platform and much needed patronage for new voices. This exhibition includes artists who actively engaged with the Silpi Chakra as members, founders, office bearers, and associates over the years. More than 7 decades later, presented is a nuanced re-look at these artists, some known and others less so, who came together in post-Independence Delhi and went on to significantly influence the trajectories of art in India in the second half of the 20th century.

The Delhi Silpi Chakra was founded by B.C. Sanyal, Kanwal Krishna, K.S. Kulkarni and Dhan Raj Bhagat — in search of hope and a space for art and artists in the capital city. Given the rupture caused by Partition, and the suffering experienced by many refugee-artists, the creation of the Chakra was essential for culture to emerge again. The Shankar Market space became an “adda”, for artists, musicians, writers, poets, dancers, intellectuals, and art-lovers.

The group played a crucial role in creating the critical mass that created and furthered the cultural and intellectual landscape in Delhi. The Silpi Chakra was vital in building an all encouraging vibrant atmosphere, ideal for intellectual, and artists’ pursuits as a space for not just cultural evolution but revolution. The Delhi Silpi Chakra, unlike the Bengal School or the Bombay Progressives, did not share a stylistic ideology, sharing, rather, a desire to make art accessible to the masses; to create a democratic platform for ideas and culture to flourish.

With an idea to take art to the masses, Delhi Silpi Chakra artworks were sold to lawyers, teachers, writers, poets, musicians, actors etc. Exhibitions were held in “mohallas” of Karol Bagh, Chandni Chowk, Jantar Mantar, and the grounds of the Masonic Hall.

Eventually the Silpi Chakra settled at 19-F Shankar Market. Artists from different parts of the country were invited to take part in events, with the group even coming up with a novel scheme of renting artworks. The group functioned as an art training centre, with regular classes taken by established artists; at the same time, it became a space to promote younger artists. Some of the Silpi Chakra’s art curriculum was designed by J Swaminathan.

At the same time, poets and writers like Nirmal Verma, Prayag Shukla, musicians like the Dagar brothers, art critics and historians like K. B. Goel, Charles Fabri, and Richard Bartholomew frequented the Chakra. Gradually, artists’ lives became busier, the collective gave way to increased individuality and newer avenues presented themselves; the Delhi Silpi Chakra dwindled: all that now remains is the painted sign board at the bottom of the stairs at 19-F Shankar Market.

“The Chakra also sought to create an agency through which the sale of works by its members could be organised on a commercial basis. Thus, the Silpi Chakra Art Gallery, the first of its kind in India, was inaugurated on October 7, 1949 on the mezzanine floor of Dhoomimal Dharamdas in Connaught Place, with the assistance of its proprietor, the late Ram Babu,” says P. N. Mago, Co-founder of Delhi Silpi Chakra.

Dhoomimal Art Gallery has been a landmark in the heart of Connaught Place since 1936. And now, it has undergone a complete transformation, reopening as a two-storey interactive experience.

Established in 1936, the Dhoomimal Art Gallery, one of India’s oldest art galleries emerged from the very needs of the artists of Delhi. Struggling to buy art supplies, they frequented the store of Ram Chand Jain, Dhoomimal’s proprietor, fondly remembered as Ram Babu. He encouraged artists to take the supplies they needed; in exchange they began leaving him with some of their work.

The mezzanine above Dhoomimal Dharamdas began to function as a gallery for artists to show and sell their works. In time, Ram Babu began to showcase the works of the emerging Delhi Silpi Chakra artists becoming an intrinsic part of the Delhi art circle in his own inimitable way. Today, more than eight decades later, Dhoomimal reaches out to a newer generation of artists and art lovers by hosting a Delhi Silpi Chakra retrospective at these historic premises.

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Arts & Culture India News Lite Blogs

Sanskruti Centre organises captivating webinar on Koodiyattam

The webinar raised huge awareness and understanding of Koodiyattam, India’s oldest living theatre tradition, among the UK and European audiences, which UNESCO has recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reports Asian Lite News

As part of the series of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, a unique and captivating webinar on the 2000-year Indian art form of Koodiyattam was organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence. Renowned Guru Painkulam Narayana Chakyar has spoken on the occasion and has joined the virtual platform from Kerala. Dr Ragasudha Vinjamuri has welcomed the audiences and Manju Sunil has introduced the Guru’s eminence in Koodiyattam.

Navarasas shown by Painkulam Narayana Chakyar

Guru Narayana Chakyar has then started his presentation by explaining how Koodiyattam was performed in temples as a ritual tradition, and how it has retained its relevance through ages, and to the current form introduced by King Kulasekhara, as an elaborate performance structure. He said that it is believed that Shakya Muni, one of the disciples of Bharata Muni could have been the originator of the name Chakyar, by who Koodiyattam is performed. Chakyar are assisted by Nambiars and Nangyars. 18 Chakyar families are believed to have spread the art form wider.

Koodiyattam
Dr Ragasudha Vinjamuri hosting the event

The Guru has explained Indian theatre tradition right from Indus Valley Civilisation, even before Bharata Muni and Natya Shastra, and its presence during the Vedic period and to the Buddhist era. He explained about Bhasa’s Sanskrit dramas approximately from about 200 BC-300 AD. With the help of videos and photos, he has explained the enactment of characters such as Jataayu, Brihannala, and Ravana. The video demonstration of Baali was captivating.

Manju Sunil introducing the Guru

As part of Chaturvidhabhinaya, four types of Abhinaya as per Natya Shastra, he has beautifully explained Angikabhinaya, Vachikabhinaya, Sattvikabhinaya, and Aharya. He mesmerizingly demonstrated Navarasas from Srungara to Karuna- the nine different emotions expressed in classical dancing. He has also shown few unique gestures used in Koodiyattam, such as “apostrophe” in Rama’s wife, or the position “in” the land. It was interesting to know the role of Vidushaka, and the grammar being enacted through mudras in dancing. While the Guru spoke in Malayalam, the content was translated to English by Salini RG.

Cllr Sharad Jha during Q and A

The webinar has no doubt raised huge awareness and understanding of Koodiyattam, India’s oldest living theatre tradition, among the UK and European audiences, which UNESCO has recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. During Q and A section, Cllr Sharad Jha, Councillor for Gold Hill Ward, has asked about Sattvika abhinaya. Questions from Ramneek Chandra Dwivedi and Chittaranjan Satpati from India were also answered.

The video of this interesting webinar can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/Sanskruti100/videos/345693196892118

Also Read – Kaustubham Karnatakam by Sanskruti showcases vibrant art forms

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Events Karnataka Lite Blogs

Kaustubham Karnatakam by Sanskruti showcases vibrant art forms

Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with The Bhavan- London organised a virtual event highlighting the vibrant art forms of Karnataka region – a special report by Asian Lite

An interesting virtual event highlighting the vibrant art forms of Karnataka region was hosted on 8th May. Conceived and organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence in association with The Bhavan- London, the program titled Kaustubham Karnatakam lasted for two hours and engaged audiences far and wide.

Dr Mattur Nandakumara, Executive Director of The Bhavan, London gave the opening words on the occasion. Beginning with an excerpt from Bhagavata, Dr. Nanda particularly spoke on Purandara Dasa and the importance of his compositions at a time when the land was under attack and culture was under the danger of losing its foothold.

Sanskruti
Sneha Tayur

He also presented the song Hari Kunida Namma for which he composed tune as part of his thesis at the University of London. As a concluding remark, he has appreciated the organisers for bringing such a variety of arts to the UK audiences.

The event showcased the 500-year-old traditional Indian Theatre art form Yakshagana by Yogindra Maravante, Dollu Kunitha by Anjaneya Kala Dollina Sangha from Shimoga, Karnataka, Kamsale by Harsha Rani, demonstrated by Prateek Deshpande and Sharad Shrinivas, and Veeragase by Veerabhadra Purvantike Janapada Kala Mela from Gadag, Karnataka.

Yakshagana by Yogindra Maravante

Amitha Ravikirana presented an amazing Yellamma Pada, the folklore of Karnataka. The contributions of great lyricists and composers were excellently sung by Sneha Tayur who presented Purandara Dasa composition as an invocation, Pooja Tayur who presented Helavanakatte Giriyamma’s composition, and Sumana Dhruva who presented Gopala Dasa’s composition.

Raghavendra Gama and Basavaraj Harlapur both joined from India and have spoken on Dollu Kunitha and Veeragase respectively. Ganapati Bhat briefly spoke on how important it is to showcase unseen art forms to raise awareness about them and commended all artists and organisers for their efforts.

Yogindra Maravante

Vote of Thanks was rendered by Dr. Ragasudha Vinjamuri, and the program was co-hosted by Radhika Joshi. Shobha Sagar has coordinated with the Veeragase artists in India. The event was shown live on Facebook, while VIVIDLIPI streamed it on YouTube.

https://www.facebook.com/Sanskruti100/videos/868186654045014

Also Read – Dance Day marked by Healing Our Earth

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Arts & Culture Kerala

‘Lokame Tharavadu’ a shot in the arm for artists

The show curated by artist and Kochi Biennale Foundation president Bose Krishnamachari features the works of 267 artists…reports Asian Lite News

Lokame Tharavadu’ a contemporary art show currently on at Alappuzha at multiple heritage venues, has come as a shot in the arm for the artistic community, especially with the raging pandemic which left their artistic talent jaded.

The show curated by artist and Kochi Biennale Foundation president Bose Krishnamachari features the works of 267 artists who trace their roots to Kerala and by scale is considered to be the biggest art event to be held in India.

The individual art works number well over 3000, presenting a unique opportunity for art enthusiasts and connoisseurs to experience the richness and diversity of the art of contemporary Malayali artists.

With the state going through very difficult times on account of the surging Covid cases, extreme caution is being taken at the event which includes registration at the Covid-19 Jagratha portal of the state government and availing passes only after uploading a RT-PCR negative certificate or Covid-19 vaccination proof.


“‘Lokame Tharavadu’ has a staggering number of highly talented and dedicated artists, some of them with out of the box thinking,” says Radha Gomaty, a participating artist in the show.

Many of these artists, she said, are not on the gallery grid and often miss out on any kind of security or standard of life from their art, and have to keep doing other things to make ends meet.

“To learn that they continue in their dedicated pursuit of art despite these odds is something that is amazing. There might be historical, cultural reasons that contributed to this kind of flourishing number of practitioners,” said Gomaty.

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T R Upendranath, another artist, said he was sceptical of the show initially.

“But when I made a visit, my perception changed altogether. The way the works have been displayed and the effort that has gone behind it felt like magic to me. The awareness that so many artists are working in different styles was inspiring and some of the works are enough to invoke a sense of jealousy,” said Upendranath, who is exhibiting a series of drawings in the show.

He feels that anyone from outside the state who visits the show would be stunned by its range and scale.

“I am glad that an attempt has been made to bring as many people as possible under one umbrella. I do hope that this process goes on and helps create a permanent platform that can enable a global appreciation of what Malayali artists have been doing,” said Gomaty and praised the efforts of Bose who has included 56 women artistes.

“I am sure this show will create powerful ripples and set the bar high for the future growth of art in the state. I feel a tinge of sadness that it’s happening when the pandemic situation has again turned worse but the message of the show, The World Is One Family, seems more relevant than ever,” said Manoj Vyloor, a participating artist and principal, Fine Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram.

Also read:Highway robbery triggers political storm in Kerala


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Arts & Culture Lite Blogs

Eudaimonia: Exhibiting the happiness

Co-organised by the Portuguese Embassy Cultural Centre, the solo show titled ‘Eudaimonia’ exhibits works by the 1971-born Romero who has exhibited across European cities…writes Siddhi Jain.

An online exhibition of paintings in oil by Portuguese artist Ana Romero, titled ‘Eudaimonia’, which is a Greek concept for happiness or blessedness, is on view on the website of India International Centre till April 25.

Co-organised by the Portuguese Embassy Cultural Centre, the solo show titled ‘Eudaimonia’ exhibits works by the 1971-born Romero who has exhibited across European cities.

“Every man has a vocation, an inclination, his demon, his personal genius. Eudaimonia — happiness for the Greeks — or the good performance of their demon, is achieved by doing what they are called or evoked for.

“The liberation of our demons, whatever they may be, results largely from what we are: from the fusion between cinema and life, or from Art and life, from music and literature, and also from the contamination of the very small things that daily they bring us “Eudaimonia” and drive away our demons,” writes Romero.

The artist adds: “This permanent and unattainable construction of our happiness is strongly contributed by artists, consecrated or not, who influence us and keep us devotedly in love with this wonderful ‘thing’ which is the creation of images; in a world saturated with them, the ability that some have to attract us is undoubtedly something of extreme beauty; even when they represent the lack of it.”

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Distinctive fusion of contemporary art

The well-curated Week is also being hailed as a much-needed restart to the city’s physical art engagements….writes Siddhi Jain.

Delhi Contemporary Art Week is more special this year, by which brings seven art galleries under one single roof. Turning the spotlight on Indian contemporary art and artists for a whole week in the national capital, the Delhi Contemporary Art Week (DCAW) will open on April 8 with the participation of seven city-based art galleries.

The participating galleries include Blueprint 12, Exhibit 320, Gallery Espace, Latitude 28, Nature Morte, Shrine Empire and Vadehra Art Gallery. Contending that contemporary art in South Asia is more exciting than it has ever been, the seven galleries have come together in this latest edition to showcase a new wave of artists from India and the subcontinent at Bikaner House.

According to the organisers, the Week was initiated as an attempt to generate discourse that befits the shifting lens of the contemporary. This year DCAW is taking place at Bikaner House to add vigour with its grand colonial era architecture and spacious exhibition spaces. There is also an additional exhibition by Reha Sodhi. The galleries will also host exhibitions at their own spaces creating a citywide fervour around contemporary art.

Notably, among the exhibiting artists is Manjunath Kamath who displays a group of drawings that draw on motifs from Indian, Chinese and Persian cultures. Arun Kumar HG’s artistic engagement with the ecology and the disharmonies created by unbridled consumerism find expression in a large sculpture in reclaimed wood that draws on the ‘samudra manthan’ (churning of ocean) myth from the Puranas. Chitra Ganesh presents three small drawings in her customary visual vocabulary interpolating Hindu and Buddhist iconography, surrealism, and popular visual culture forms such as comics, graffiti and street art, to present a culturally layered, feminist narrative.

There are also works that draw inspiration from the pandemic and recent lockdown. Manisha Gera Baswani’s two pin-drawings enact a personal encounter with pain and disease. Puneet Kaushik’s series of works in black and red titled “Sacred marks of a lockdown” trace the fragile and tenuous negotiations of the self with the new realities of the lockdowned world.

Emerging artist Ishita Chakraborty will present post-card sized works that articulate her feelings of homesickness and spatial alienation, living in cold, sparsely populated Switzerland far away from her home in Bengal, and Purvai Rai will present drawings titled ‘People in Prayer’, whose stark geometry evokes the concept of space ordered by culture and religion.

New works by Thukral and Tagra looks at the idea of ‘escape’ more in the light of cyber realities, as seen through the use of emojis and other familiar symbols of play. Reena Saini Kallat traces the borders between countries that are in conflict over the sharing of their common river waters. By rearranging these lines of separation, she carves a new topography with a flowing river forming the landscape.

A group show ‘Cloud Burst’ features a diverse set of expressions around the general human condition and undertakings, articulated either through more intimate mental and bodily experiences. Titled ‘Bachpan’, Vicky Roy’s collection of candid photographs examines the psychology and principles of childhood games as performed specifically by underprivileged children living in major Indian cities, who have limited access to toys and equipment.

The well-curated Week is also being hailed as a much-needed restart to the city’s physical art engagements.

Exhibit 320’s Director Rasika Kajaria holds that Art truly reveals itself only when we connect with it in person. “It’s important to engage with the art and the artist and to celebrate it as a community.”

Latitude 28’s Founder-Director Bhavna Kakar feels that these times call for a new level of creative and collective thinking and this edition of DCAW, “which despite the times we’re going through, will give art connoisseurs an engaging interactive space to experience the best of contemporary art”.

“As we mark our physical return to cultural institutions, we are enthusiastic about celebrating access and spirit through the ingenuity, diversity and sensitivity of our emerging artists and their excellent art practices,” says Roshini Vadehra, Director, Vadehra Art Gallery.

Catch DCAW from April 8-15, 2021 at Bikaner House, New Delhi. Highlights can also be seen online on Instagram at @delhicontemporaryartweek.

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