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“A group-show on their own!”

Looking at a lot known faces of the Vadodara art scene together at the vishnu chaiwala “cave”, I thought something big was on line. Due to absence of posters it took time for me to realize that it was time for the FEB SHOW… 

The most awaited show here in Vadodara is the “FEB SHOW” of Red Earth Art Galleries, at LANXESS ABS Gallery. An idea of few artist back in 2003 of organizing a group show to promote young practicing artist, who have finished the course and yet to be associated with the ‘big time galleries’, has become a regular feature since five years. However, today many older have left the group for the young work to gel in.

It was after long that each portion of the gallery could impress the senses of its viewer. The show was a blast! Profusion of individual style and life was seen in most of the works. There were more than twenty-five artists: sculptors, painters and ceramic artist. Ajay Kanwal, Ajay Sharma, Alok Bal, B. Devaraj, Chinmoy Pramanick, Chirag Patel, Debraj Goswami, Dev, Dilip Chobisa, Harenranath Mahato, Kruti Thaker, Nehal Racch, Niddhi Chopra, Nilesh Kumavat, Prantik Chattopadhyay, Rahul Gajjar, Shatrughan Thakur, Shiv Kumar Verma, Soumitra Gouri, Ved Prakash Gupta, Yogesh Mahida and many more. The artists have not hesitated to use expensive material, as on the first day itself the red dots were the part of many title tags.

Shiv Kumar Verma made 28X72 inches sculpture of a stapler pinning the flat pressed human forms in stainless steel and wrought iron, titled as “Don’t believe in me- I am heart-less”. Very monumental in appearance, the work seemed to an expression of discomfort with industrial products and modern gadgets. And the relative size of the two seems to illustrate its relative power in modern times as we believe the material more than we believe men. Another very “fragile” and costly looking work was of Nilesh Kumavat, “love as Punishment”, etched glass and wood, 52X40 inches. Looking through the continuous slabs of glasses places within a grooved box, it seems that at one point the transparency of the medium becomes impermeable. It has a human form in layers thus when seen together appear three-dimensional. One might just slide the glass slab to see the form clearly but the sheets move the form is lost…not discovered.

Soumitra Gouri’s interactive work in mixed media, titled “I don’t care”, reminded of the ring slides of water parks. It has an ear made on top of a cube with hollow rings coming on one side and another ear on the other side. The whole thing is placed in a big tray that has small balls. As one puts a ball from the top ear it goes rolling down, finally coming out of the other ear. Quite like my childhood stories…the moral of the story is: gutter out the unwanted information!!! Ved Prakash Gupta’s work “the Man, the Dog and Broken Leg” in painted fiberglass follow a very realistic language to convey the satire across the viewers very effectively. His soft modeling is often quite bold in content. The ceramics were too of great charm by Nidhi Chopra and Nehal Rachh. 

  The vegetable dyes on khadi needs no introduction; our “pandey ji” [Shatrughan Thakur] can be easily identified with the medium he is un-layering. The very earthy feeling of the medium and artist’s soft corner for nature is the title of work “in the garden of delight”. Rahul Gajjar, through the language of his works, titled “odyssey”, seems to be quite inclined towards the digital art and music. In continuation of what seen in his earlier exhibited inkjet prints in show on digital art, last year. His form seems like the “windows media players- ambience”. The dramatic angle and light in the “dreams” of Dev, looks like an outproduct of his association with drama and theatre activity. He is a very known actor in the theatre group of fine arts. In his works… “ye duniya ek ranga manch lagti hai aur hum sab uske kirdaar”. In respect to illusion in space, Dilip Chobisa’s work was on an edge, both in placement of work and in thought. A hung sculpture, “the layer behind” opens space within space...with a tube light placed right inside the box. It reminds of the saying, “the obstacles are often door to opportunity”.

Each work is difficult to discribe, yet their elegance was amazing. What we have seen here and will see in the next title is the feature of Vadodara artist: Working in-group… and on independent themes… a very friendly environment and a dominant position of Faculty of Fine Arts Group, taking over most of the space…

•  “Art market is restricted to few hands…to expose this world to larger line of buyers, collectors and distributors is my idea! ” these were the words of RAJEEV PATEL, professionally designing architectural rooms, freshly got bewildered by canvas space and its potential in generating both interest and income.

He, under the label of SUN ART, the rising, organized an artist camp at farmhouse of Alishah, owner of Silchar Industries, in the periphery of Vadodara. The camp was organized with 23 artists, twelve painters and eleven sculptors, all Fine Arts pass outs. Though, the date of exhibition is still to plan, the idea is to collect more work from all parts of the nation and put it across all sections of viewers. He is also planning to launch a website with the same that “will put forward the world of Indian art with the same grandeur as the father showcases on his daughters marriage!”. To see enough variety, no theme was provided for the camp, which is a usual feature, of a ‘camps’ or ‘curated’ shows. And also as he said the idea was to dip into the psyche of different artist and understand their style.

Many young and known artist of Vadodara – Hindol Brahmabhatt, Anuj Poddar, Abir Karmakar,Bhupen Barman, Debroj Goswami, Arunanshu Chowdhary, Loknath Sinha, Ajay Lakheria, Deepak Rasaily, Ved, Prantik, Piyali Ghosh and many more attended the camp. Since no theme was given, the works were individual in true sense. Most of the artist worked in continuation of what they have been latestly engrossed with.

Like the painter Abir Karmakar’s work was in light of his up coming show, where he uses himself as a protagonist in his paintings, dealing with psychological split of self. The oil glazed-staring eye of the coiled body in perspective questioned both the ‘gaze’ and the ‘idea’ of the spectator. The nude figure questioned the understanding of ‘flesh’ with ‘sexual identity’. Debroj Goswami style looked very surrealist where he made fingers pointed out from different angles talked of personal space being interfered by many social and cultural institutions.

Anuj Poddar’s work dealt with exploring the inside of a sculpture through transparency of glass. A human head of small slabs of glass put together to create a round form, with hollow interior. Generally what goes inside human mind is hard to discern but like ‘his’ the inside of his sculpture could also be seen. Deepak Rasaila made a stone flower caged in a steel prison, the contrast of the medium played with the contrast of thought.

Bhupen Barman, sculptor, teacher at Faculty, made a wooden seed, inspired by the beauty of the location. He scooped the stomach of the seed and provided it with a tilted acrylic, to make the interior space- positive and illusionary. A similar urge for the forth dimension was desired by Piyush Patra in his work titled “stability makes me happy” his sculpture could be moved by the viewer and every time its changed its direction, the vision was also transformed. While these sculptor’s work dealt with the medium itself. There were several young freshly baked artists, chiseling space for their ideas.

Ved Gupta, a sculptor, was working on a hat that had human forms beneath it, a fiber work with bronze finish. He said, “I am a cunning painter” and his sculpture was a satire on ‘class’ and ‘status’ of bourgeoisie. Prantik, a young and a bright painter of MSU, after his show Sakshi and Anand galleries, attended a ‘camp’ for the first time. He was busy gathering bright ‘popular imagery’ onto the canvas in a linear, narrative format. Piyali Ghosh working with a concept of animal instincts in human behavior. All had great vigor and enthusiasm for the camp. Most said that it was one the most well arranged camps they have ever attended!!      

Such artist camps are much-encouraged feature of the contemporary art society. In the leisure with environment and company of artist with different experiential background; artist come together and work in close proximity with other artist. These are also grounds for fishing for good work and networking for both artist and the collectors. The more known artist forcefully mention that through such camps young artist are recognized fast. And also that the kind of amount young artist are receiving was unbelievable at their time.

But few things never change…as most artist said institutions built a way of thinking but market is different…with exhibitions lined up artist have no time waste…quite right!!!.. Preaching and practice have only one thing in common… the alphabet ‘P’.

 
Quite true nothing is more alluring than ones own history. Artists are alas gifted with the caliber of portraying it visually that often remains buried in the memories of many. That is probably why, many artists: ‘canvas’ become a ‘diary’ and ‘happenings’ comes out on a ‘visual mirror’! The prints by V. Nagdas conform the presence of “paddy fields” and “nasty realities” of his past, in his etched metal prints.

“IMPRESSIONS” was exhibited at Kaleidoscope, Vadodara, inaugurated by Padmabhushan K. G. Subhramanyam. The bitten lines of the print were witnessing the bitter expression of the human forms, jostling within the space of its frames. His narrative works unfolded itself on the walls of the gallery in countable large number. Evidently, It was told that his works of last 25 years was exhibited in Vadodara for the first time.

Born in a remote village of Kannadi, Kerala, much motivated by father, who against his physical limitations could canalize the imagination of the young boy, then, through drawing and sketching. Further academically trained at Trivandrum College of Fine Arts and then Vishva Bharati University, Santiniketan. The practicing and several times awarded artist since 1982 finds the melancholy and vigour in his work, “a kind of revolt, hatredness and aloofness became part of my attitude”. The physiognomy of his figures is far from being sensuous. They look tired, oppressed, almost puppets, wanting for a salvation; If not in terms of spirituality, then, in terms of freedom from the phenomenal world and hoping towards peace. Looking at the work it seems:
“ There is a violence that liberates, and a violence that enslaves: there is a violence that is moral and a violence that is immoral.”

Surprisingly, the bringing into play of human form for the expression of skepticism about life was for to soothe the common public’s perception.  Probably in continuation the paintings were too titled very straight like: “when time stood forever”, “memoirs”, “destruction of law” etc. With such simplistic method, stressed figures, softened, hand applied color and acquainted process; the pages of the diary was flipped open in the public space.

However, I can only say:

“It’s a shallow life that doesn’t give a person a few scars.” – Garrison Keillor

• An Indian company [Camlin Foundation] organized the award ceremony of its 10th WESTERN REGION ART COMPETITION in collaboration with an Indian institute [Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.U., Vadodara] on 12th February. It was followed by an exhibition of selected entries till 18th. Chief guest Maharaj Shri Ranjit Singh Gaekward and shri Dilip Dandikar, Chairman and M.D., Camlin Ltd presided over the function.

This was a part of the annual event of Camiln organized at national level in geographical zones of India, to promote art and solidify their relationship with the artist. There were a number of winners as the competition is categorized on medium and experiential grounds: oil, water, mix-media, acrylic and students, professional, art teachers, respectively. There were no prizewinners from the faculty though but a few entries were showcased. Most of the displayed prizewinners were from Maharashtra: Manoj Kumar Sakale, Mumbai, professional, watercolor, title- ‘kaitboy’, Ekta Shah, Mumbai, Student, Watercolor, title- ‘journey’. There were others like Anup Pandey, Jamshedpur, Student, Oil Pastel and couple more.

The works were though done in different medium; generally adhere to academic understanding of form and medium. The works presented were hardly exhibiting very individual style in contrast were looking of one genre, that is, of academically trained, versed with technicalities of the medium. The intrinsic fun and life in the work sounded sublimed. Selection of the winners was probably done with a set of ideas….

• Om shri ganeshai namah!

Ganesh is one god who has charmed the senses of both sacred and profane spaces. From temple shrines to table curios, ganesha is found inestimably, modeled, coated, etched, scrapped, big, small, joint etc. but this half elephant half human form when excites the senses of an artist and is displayed in a gallery space; it arises questions? Of whether it belongs to art with a ‘capital A’ or ‘minor art traditions’? However, if ‘categories’ fall short to assess ‘art’. There are other reasons to ponder over, that is, the relationship that one has with his own intrinsic faith, wherein like other ideas, even the faith is colored by imagination.    

This is what was experienced in the works of Vishwanath formally known as Baba Bedekar, [M.A., M.S.U., 1972] under the title of “ekdantaya vighyhe…” at Akruti Art Gallery from 16th-21st February. He has been experimenting with the form ganesha in his sculptures and commission works both in Delhi and Vadodara. It was pleasing in a way to see the lines of categories blurring…

• Recognizing the involvement of women in the history of Indian movements is the idea behind the “POSTER WOMEN”. An event organized in the Exhibition Hall of Faculty of Fine Arts by Zubaan in collaboration with Sahiyar [stree sanghathan] and Department of Art History and Aesthetics from 24th February -2nd march.