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Traditional art forms on exhibition

Shoba Jolly’s work in documenting the regions where this art form is created is indeed path breaking. The exhibition will also bring forward the Hotel’s glorious history and its contemporary vibe…writes Siddhi Jain.

Celebrating India’s rich art heritage, Gallery Ragini, will showcase ‘Colloquial’ – an exhibition of India’s traditional art forms curated by Nidhi Jain at Ambassador, New Delhi – IHCL Selection’s. Opened on March 21, the exhibition has the story of Ramayana painted onto a mammoth 16-feet scroll as a show highlight.

Translating the epic Ramayana on a 16-feet scroll, this artful rendition by artist A Kumar Jha commences with the birth of Lord Ram and ends at the birth of his sons Love and Kush. The detailed line drawing of this artwork derives from the Mithila style of Madhubani painting. The vivid colours in the painting add a stark contrast to the naturally treated base creating a striking visual impact.

Kumar Jha has been working on the theme of the lost heritage of Ganga. The Madhubani artist translates his grief through his expression in the paintings. He follows the line drawing tradition of Madhubani with the customary zeal.

The exhibition will be on view through April and May at Ambassador at and simultaneously at the online art luxury platform www.artisera.com. The occasion also celebrates the glory of Lutyens’ Delhi, raising a toast to the legacy and heritage of the iconic hotel nestled in Sujan Singh Park.

‘Colloquial’ brings together five traditional art forms – Gond, Pichwai, Kalamkari, Pattachitra and Madhubani – through the works of seven revered artists. Dhavat Singh, the Gond artist, regales us with folk-lore, tribal myths and views on contemporary issues in his narrative. Dhavat belongs to the Jangarh family, a celebrated name in Gond artistry; he takes forward this tradition and makes it more relevant in contemporary times.

K.M. Singh is driven by his love for his hometown, Nathdwara. He endeavors to uphold his family tradition of painting Pichwai’s for the ancient Shreenath Temple. He paints traditional subjects of the region. Anil Khakhoriya practices the traditional method of embroidery on fabric to create an eclectic texture on the Pichwai.

S. Vishwanathan is committed to save the ancient art form of Kalamkari set in the beauteous temple town Srikalahasti. The artist paints with natural dyes on hand spun cotton fabric, a tradition passed on over centuries. Motifs drawn in Kalamkari spans from flowers, peacock, and paisleys to divine characters of Hindu epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Prakash Chandra hails from the artist village of Raghurampur in Orissa. His detailed pen work and his beautiful paintings derive from the traditional Rath Yatra at the Jagannath temple. His work also reflects the prevalent contemporary culture around him.

Shoba Jolly’s work in documenting the regions where this art form is created is indeed path breaking. The exhibition will also bring forward the Hotel’s glorious history and its contemporary vibe.

“The show exhibits my bond with my heritage. All these years of working with the traditional art and weaves has enhanced my desire to carry on with my research of this vast world of indigenous art. My heritage is my gravity and inspiration. Each work from the show is a result of direct interaction with the artists’ and the result ever so satisfying. It is also the time that we focus more & more on traditional Indian arts so that its fading glory gets revived,” said Nidhi Jain, Curator and Founder, Gallery Ragini.

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Dambo’s signature troll sculptures

Each folklore-inspired sculpture is imbued with expression and character and is built entirely from scrap materials like wooden pallets, fallen branches, and twigs sourced from the location of the installation…writes Siddhi Jain.

Every objects become more precious when it is being used or enjoyed by someone. Denmark-based recycle artist Thomas Dambo, in association with a global travelling entertainment and immersive experiences company, will develop a new touring exhibition featuring Dambo’s signature troll sculptures built from reclaimed materials.

The outdoor exhibition by Imagine Exhibitions, Inc will build upon the tales surrounding the more than 75 giant trolls that Dambo has already created, while also telling an original story in and of itself. The experience will fuse fairytales, whimsy, and incredible art installations to inspire visitors to explore the importance of nature, climate change and other complex issues related to our relationship with the planet, nature, and animals.

Dambo is an artist and recycle activist based in Denmark who carries the title of the world’s most prominent “recycle artist”. He is best known for his colossal troll sculptures that range in height from 16 to 50 feet and ‘live’ as semi-permanent installations in parks, greenspaces, industrial parks, and in other site-specific locations around the world.

Each folklore-inspired sculpture is imbued with expression and character and is built entirely from scrap materials like wooden pallets, fallen branches, and twigs sourced from the location of the installation.

Driven by a mission to inspire people to explore our relationship with the planet, many of Dambo’s works have an associated folk tale written by Dambo himself that addresses a complex problem of our world in an approachable, fun way and which ties in with the overarching story of all Dambo’s trolls.

Dambo says: “I’m constantly working with — so to speak — stretching the materials as far as possible, elevating the life and value of recycled materials through art. Doing a travelling exhibition makes so much sense. It is a brilliant way to spread the message about recycling further and to have shorter exhibitions without turning the sculptures into trash again.”

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Statue of immunity : A cultural addition to Covid fight

According to the doctor, this monument depicts the strength of the human body, the human resolve against any form of unwanted foreign invasion…writes Siddhi Jain.

People around the world is fighting against Covid 19 in different ways. In a cultural addition to the ongoing fight against Covid-19, noted radiologist and founder of MedscapeIndia, Dr Sunita Dube has announced the creation of ‘the statue of immunity’ and research centre, as a symbol of human resolve against the pandemic.

According to the doctor, this monument depicts the strength of the human body, the human resolve against any form of unwanted foreign invasion, whether it is the perilous virus Covid-19 which shook the entire world, or intangible negative thoughts.

The monument, the brainchild of Dr Dube, aims to become the new symbol of good health, which will inspire humanity to continuously resist the unknown threats and develop inner strength. It depicts the immunity within ourselves that fights and defeats any unwanted ingress in the health system, she said in a statement.

“Being a Covid-19 warrior, I really understand that the wellbeing of human is of grave concern and how we empower people with good health, strong immunity and healthy body and mind. We Indians and the entire world are fighting against Covid-19, and the war is still on but the winners are the ones who have good immunity. Immunity is what keeps us healthy and alive and that’s what this monument will depict. It will be like an epitome of human kind winning over the death and future generations to remember and prepare for any future pandemics.”

“I welcome all national, international, private and public government institutional bodies as well as corporations to come forward and contribute in the construction of this noble monument in India and for the entire world. We are working in five regions including three Indian states, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh along with two international regions, Dubai and Western Europe. Based on the feasibility of things, the availability of land, technical and financial support, we will accordingly select any one location for creating this monument,” she further added.

COVID:19.

‘The Statue of Immunity’ will not only be a stand-alone monument but an entire experience in itself, says MedscapeIndia. It will have pillars of strength around it which will depict various countries standing for the cause of ‘Immunity’, open forum discussion to exchange knowledge on immunity. Future plan includes research centre for immunity and scientists from across the world will be invited to conduct research on building immunity for mankind, minds to matters. It will not only be a hub of information but will be an educational and tourist spot, said the statement.

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Delhi Contemporary Art Week begins in April

Organised by seven Delhi-based galleries, DCAW focuses on contemporary art, showcasing a new wave of South Asian artists under one roof…writes Siddhi Jain.

The fifth edition of Delhi Contemporary Art Week (DCAW) will run from April 8-15 in the national capital, and is among the first collective, large scale art venture post-pandemic and a celebration of the spirit of artists and art institutions across South Asia as they overcame the many challenges presented by the global pandemic.

Organised by seven Delhi-based galleries, DCAW focuses on contemporary art, showcasing a new wave of South Asian artists under one roof.

With an innovative approach to programming, spread over an 8-day period, this year’s DCAW will be interspersed with talks, walkthroughs and a range of activities for art collectors and enthusiasts including a musical evening, said the organisers.

This year’s edition of DCAW is at heritage building Bikaner House, and will be spread across the Main Ballroom of Bikaner House as well as the Centre for Contemporary Arts.

In addition to the curated exhibition spaces of each partner gallery, there will be a specially curated exhibition by accomplished young curator Reha Sodhi, in the Main Ballroom’s side wing. As well as the multiple exhibition spaces at Bikaner House, there will be exhibitions at each of the DCAW partner’s individual galleries, creating a citywide fervour around contemporary art, the organisers said.

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“The diverse variety of South Asian and international artists on display at DCAW make this a great opportunity for the collector to expand their aesthetic tastes and proclivities, and acquire emergent bold new works that have never been exhibited before.”

“Adapting to the socio-economic condition which have unfurled post-pandemic have been most challenging for all sectors, not least the arts, moreover with an already languished state-sponsored infrastructure. A silver lining has been offered by private ventures, pumping life-blood back into the local art scene. This resolution phase spells an exciting opportunity for the collector of Indian art, to be a part of the decisive moment that we have come to understand as the contemporary, and determine its future course,” said organisers.

They added that they are taking strict precautions against the spread of covid-19, including moderation on the number of people simultaneously inside the gallery space.

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MOOL portrays cutest kids art

With a ‘Business Not for Profit’ approach, it is a 100 per cent social enterprise where all of its profits go back to the community.

Giving a space for kids’ creativity is the best thing for their holistic development. MOOL — Made Out Of Love is a social fashion brand, launching its website with the cutest collection of apparel that portrays the artwork of little artists from under-served communities. Every purchase of MOOL apparel will go onto benefitting the little artists with the provision of a fully funded quality education and generate employment for women and men who previously lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

After the purchase, the buyers are provided login credentials for a donor page, where they will be able to track the child’s progress. This can be tracked on MOOL’s donor portal so they can see where every penny spent is utilized. Along with its philanthropic partner, Muskurahat Foundation which works on the holistic development of these children, MOOL aims to fulfil the mutual vision of future-proofing the next generation by empowering them today.

Speaking about MOOL, its Founder, Himanshu Goenka, says: “Doing good and doing well doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. That’s the motto that drove us to create MOOL as a social fashion brand that is rooted in bringing people from under-served communities to an equitable platform. With a ‘Business Not for Profit’ approach, it is a 100 per cent social enterprise where all of its profits go back to the community.

“Our products feature designs that are adapted as it is from the children’s drawings. We conduct art therapy workshops with children from the under-served communities and the art that comes out from it is printed on our products. The proceeds of each product go directly towards funding the quality education of the child for a year.”

Goenka adds: “At the same time, the products itself are manufactured by people from the communities who are trained in tailoring and employed in our factory. Given the impact of Covid-19 on employment, people from the community where our factory is located are trained in tailoring and employed in manufacturing of the product. Thus, generating a source of primary income where there has been loss of employment or a secondary income for women in the community to enable them to contribute to their household.”

You can now shop for MOOL apparels and view the inspiring artworks and stories of our little kid-artists on www.mool.org

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