Art, since
prehistoric times, has influenced man. Infact art has been the earliest sign of
human imagination & creativity even before the languages evolved. Today’s
artists of the Contemporary World seem
to be melancholic modernists who create
works that trick the eye and have an added edge of surreal dimensions. Their
paintings, Graphics or Sculptures may not be muted in color or form, but they are
bold and powerful and carry a story to narrate. The textures that they add to
each canvas echo the trials and tribulations of observations they all ponder
over in the everyday idiom of lifestyles and living.Nature offers them
pictorial and aesthetic beauty and inspires them with images and ideas. These
artists never loose focus as they glide over their energy forces, deftly using
elements of abstraction, distortion and simplification to create an alternative
world and life where the physical and mystical co-inhabit. It takes courage and
tenacity as artists explore an addictive idiom of continuous
stimulation-by-image & correspondence between real-world imperatives &
inner-world fantasies: reflecting in some ways the conditions of artistic
practices within the broader domain of expressive culture.
Unfettered Forces is 138th show by Artchill (Since 1994), it surveys
a body of work that leaves itself incisively open, somewhere between being
created and wholly complete. For each of the artists, who create intimate
glimpses of uncanny worlds and mindscapes suffused with an atmosphere of the
unknown and paranoia , change is an inevitable development. Processes and the
possibility of instability, openness, and perpetual transformation underlie the
creation and understanding of all the exhibited works. The abysmal depth of
their artistic vision is abundantly visible in this show as they created with a
great deal of passion, intensity and vigor, with layers upon layers mounted
with immense dedication and dexterity. Introspective self is matched by an abandon
and courage, it may well have stemmed from a subconscious impulse. After all , you require quite a spiritual
effort to effect an exact
transformation of the raw life
experience into palpable art .
Spread in 8 lobbies of Gallery Artchill inside the famous Heritage monument - The Amber Fort, this show offers a holistic Art Experience , it comprises of over 90 artworks by 20 artists - Paintings, Reliefs , Serigraphs & 3D art by Contemporary Indian artists.
Gallery Artchill, West wing, Amber Fort, Jaipur. On view till 6th March, Compiled & Curated by Sangeeta Juneja .
Juneja Art Gallery established in 1994 has been sponsoring exclusive art shows for last 26 years to showcase not only eminent artists works , but has also strongly supported the deserving & emerging young talent of our country , under its brand name Artchill, which is also its online portal. Artchill has so far sponsored 138 art shows .
Some of the strongest & serious compositions in this show are works by P.N. CHOYAL. One of the living legends of the Contemporary Art World, and a close Contemporary of the early Indian Modernists of the 1940’s PN Choyal was against any wholesale borrowing from his illustrious forerunners. Unlike the first generation Modernists, he never rejected the essentially lyrical content in the romantic version of the past, nor did he break down the female figure in angry haste and bitterness. A strong & committed artist, his multi-nuanced compositions have the vital rhythm of lived life. Also to create vitality& dynamism in an animate mass is a difficult proposition. This demands not only a good plastic sensibility but in addition the capacity to redo this same sensibility into objective material forms;A very committed painter, His human figures are symbols of pain and agony. His figures are uneasy spectators to the conflicts & strife around them. They are projections of the dehumanized society suffering unbearable dignity and shame.
Arpana Cauraffiliates to this prominent school of time explorers. ‘I am obsessed with the phenomenon of time ‘ she said once, and her pictures are witness to this obsession in many ways. The motifs in her paintings from classic art- Scissors are a repeated symbol and remind us of the Fates, antique goddesses of destiny, who cut the thread of life when the time is due. Traffic lights are phase of order and timing. Everywhere you’ll find the river of time, form which powerful plants emerge or twisted dead trunks and branches submerge. A mediating yogi, oblivious of time and space, stands on one foot and ponders ascetically over spiritual eons.
Gazing at huge works of Jagdish Chander , we find that it is not normal portraiture, but a method of working out human faces wherein each detail is knit in a pattern, and that pattern overrules the separate details of a face. Apparently, the artist aimed to electrify the whole of his compositions, so that viewers strongly winced; for his work is not designed to be a polite, or pretty one, but the very foundational base of our being :in his work the heart is laid bare, tellingly. A sensory contact with an outer as well as inner mental environment occurs - which the deeper physical, emotional and the rational centers receive and interpret.
Niren Sen Gupta - His
experimentation with abstract forms continued well into the eighties. But the
change in temperament gives a glimpse into the twisting road that life can
take. Complex emotions clearly gave way to an underlying feeling of bliss ,
contentment and a sense of serenity has
stayed on in his work till present day.He has executed impressive works on
Moksha where he has portrayed monks in
saffron robes, symbolizing their spirit of sacrifice & compassion. He feels
true search for spirituality uplifts one & connects us with our inner self. In “ Princess ” series, he drew inspiration from the strength of
the Indian Woman, her sacrificing spirit and her devotion to family. He
depicted her as a princess – closely in touch with nature, and often with a
lotus as the symbol of purity.
Vijender Sharma, who
excels in the Art of the figure has spent 2 decades probing for the hidden
pulse behind appearances. He was particularly attracted to subjects and
thinkers who looked beneath the surface of the modern world – to create
corollaries where even a stone wall seems to have a secret life. Painted in
over two formats of depth and abstraction the experimental stylization of
figural form which he developed has
coalesced into a confident, subtle, yet deeply elegant visual archetype which
recurs throughout his works, particularly as he returns from abstraction to
figurative portrayals.
Akash Choyal’slife is art, his art is dream and the dream is his reality itself, says Sandro Orlandi the Italian Curator on his art - The artworks are made of a never-ending alternation of reality and dream, art and life and so they create a dance that shows, hides and intertwine rationality, the deepest and most intimate ego and imagination. Using a Freudian terminology, Akash lives and creates in a state of “preconscious” that means it swings between conscious and unconscious creating a rare, uncertain, mysterious and above all sincere dimension. In the dream everything is possible, the mathematical rules, society’s strict limitations and the influences both cultural and physical are completely absent. The spirit is free to create wondering about this world, accessible only by who is able to dream, to lose control and so to be sincere and natural.
Abbas Batliwala has an uncanny talent to combine complexity & simplicity to great visual effect in his amazing compositions. This incredibly creative man with superb craftsmanship draws on everyday experiences for inspiration which he infuses with a dry, witty sense of urban humour, mixing folk and kitsch into his art. The art of Abbas not only contains satire but also humour. It combines well formulated images with literary puns & sharp wit with grace & candour. His themes merge the rural with urban, masterly disciplined through & bringing to the fore his refined draughtsmanship, which till date remains to the core of his art. He has turned ubiquitous subjects into hot selling art !
Ashok Hazra’scanvasses
are all pieces of his life's experiences sewn together in a string to form a
garland of memories. One series follows another – Fantasy, Ma, Reminiscence,
Clown, Krishna, Devi and now the Flute Player. The lush green Meadows, shady
banana groves, the fragrance of wild grass combined with the rich smell of rain
soaked mother earth still tingles his dreams. Amidst all this beauty, peace and
tranquility the sweet melody of the flute beckons him to his carefree days
spent in the countryside.
Shahid Parwez’s sense of humour which arises from the
perception & depiction of incongruities of existence rules his work, yet over all treatment is a subtle
blend of an adult's experience & a child like fantasy. Images of tigers and
of romanticized couples, reoccur continually in his work, into serigraphs of
multiple colored registrations creating surfaces of incredible richness and
extravagance. Shahid in all of his subtleties of wisdom is telling us to view
Art through the innocent eyes of the child we once were. His paintings with their
multiple surface layerings act in defusing the sometimes explicitly charged
renditions of flirtations as in ‘time for love’ with the obvious placement of
the heart shaped time piece, a discreet twist of a nipple and the cat’s tail
being held suggestively. The oddities in delineation of human as well as animal
forms are result of child like fantasy. Shahid has a tendency to draw -
conducive theatrical assimilations.
There is a reflection and frequent presence of 'self ' in all the artworks by Anjani Reddy. If some works explore the intricacies of treasured experiences, the others unravel her day to day exposure and connections with her immediate surroundings and people. The basic core and concept of her work revolves around myriad facets of life, mostly positive and uplifting. The mixed essence of peace and tranquility that defines the basic nature of the artist. Amongst rosy setting and calm harmony, the young women in the works rejoice and reminisce the golden moments and days that have overshadowed all other anecdotes and experiences of their lives. In the perfect harmony of bright and soft, prominent and diffusing colors, the 'Nayika' relaxes and reigns thoroughly.
Shail Choyalis a painter & printmaker known for a distinctive miniature style of his own. He infuses his works in the narrative idiom and also juxtaposes the allegorical with the real. Exploiting the inherent aesthetic motifs and the multi tier division of space of Rajasthani traditional painting, he has evolved a nostalgic art with an utmost modern sensibility. Vibrant colors and surreal settings add mystery to his paintings creating ethereal atmosphere & fantasy.‘City of Udaipur, with its glorious ancient Rajput architecture, lakes, hills, gardens and robust people with brilliant colors have always been my prime concern. Rigid angular form in horizontal and vertical lines punctuated with curvilinear motifs of doors, windows, still bluer lakes, domes and turrets all fill me with strong sense of nostalgia. For years, I exploited the visual references of my lovely city to project my own personal world that has been mystical and real as well’ says Shail.
Asit Kumar Patnaikhas
been working on the Relations series for quite some time now. It will be
interesting, therefore, to explore the kind of selves articulated into the
batch of works on the Relations series. To begin with, it is informed by a
great deal of individuation. Light, brightness and diversity appear to be a
major leitmotif in this series. The pleasantly aggressive brightness of yellow,
red, ochre and the bold, often charged postures, is an unabashed celebration of
energy, youth and freedom. There is a spring in the steps of the figures; they
enjoy every possibility they imagine and weigh with consideration. This ode to
life however is no uncomplicated tribute to raw passion but careful sifting
away of excess baggage after long and hard meditations.
Madan Meena pays
particular attention to Rajasthan’s socio-cultural issues. His actual artistic
production is characterized by refined, almost minimal & classy works. Expressing
the complex labyrinth of emotions in simple forms is something Madan has
learned from the traditional art form of the Meena tribe, which always has been
his source of inspiration. Probably the abstraction and expression of complex
ideas in simple forms of folk art and their range are the source for Madan's
inclination towards abstraction. His works always have a deep and close
association with nature, now this association is reaching to new heights of
abstraction. The elements of nature in his previous works have now reached to
such an amalgamation with the sight that creates deeper sense of magnificence.
It has tranquility, optimism and lull, which holds you spellbound &
mesmerized.
Dipika Hazra lays bare the
heart-warming simplicity of Rajasthan, the open attitudes of its humanity
rooted in the attributes of her land. Dipika’s palette is diversified and
vivid. Her choice of reds, yellows and blacks betokens the love of blazing
colours with which the people of Rajasthan make up for the vast and drab
attributes of their land. The artist depicts remarkable states of serenity
& a striking evidence of great strength and skill in organising forms and
colours and creating the effect of enchantment and fantasy. The simplicity and
spontaneity with which she handles mundane themes is itself a visual treat. She
creates a spell binding impact. Untainted by bumptious modernism, Dipika’s
works present a lyrical vision of nature.
The innocent and flawless adolescents in the works by AnandPanchal enchant by their exquisite grace, they are an indispensable part of the temple periphery. Born in the family of the ‘pandits’ and the temple care takers, such children imbibe into themselves the elements of the holy surroundings and adapt to them completely. There is an essence of careless beauty and spiritual strength that makes these young girls and boys glow as if illuminated from a source of light concealed deep inside them. He attends to his little angels with affinity, love and thoughtfulness, allowing each of them to glisten in angelic radiance like fresh dew drops on tender leaves. The inclusion of forms such as paper boats, cows, floral clusters and musical instruments add to the metaphorical and allegorical aspects of the works.
Kiran Murdia’spaintings convey her own language of paint and brush subtly, suggestive of her fleeting moods, which she express as proudly by breaking the space of canvas. Her subject matter is simple and she expresses her aesthetic belief in artistic creativity with miniature impact. Use of pure and bright shades of colors, rhythmic & straight lines reflects excitement, movement, grace and charm of life. Her semi-abstract compositions are rich in colors producing dramatic effects in rhythmic movement. The Udaipur landscape still remains a source of reverie, but the centrifugal points in her new works are now accentuated by an abstract delineation.”She respects her pictorial space and honors the moment of inspiration completely.
Ashish Shringi’s body of works in the last two decades has remained inspired by the Tantrik symbolism and traditional art forms of Rajasthan. Living in Bundi the essence of his art always bears the fragrance of nativity. In his paintings he has widely used Tantrik Yantras and symbols contextualizing them with his personal experiences of human relationships. His compositions are highly complex, multidimensional and inter-weaved with multiple perspectives. The feeling of serenity, love, romance, satisfaction, compassion and passion are the soul of his works.
Ganga Singh's latest paintings offer us a glimpse into inner landscapes of another world. In these dreamlike scenes, cohabited by animals and people, strange interactions occur that question the traditional logic and expectations of viewing. The bold abundance of vivid colour in his new paintings call for viewers delectation of beautiful patterns, which is his signature pictorial element. His depictions are always stylized from his own imagination, memory and dreams alike. ‘My paintings are based on my response to nature. They are modern designs with a strong primitive and tribal influence. Symmetry plays an important role in my painting with powerful and simplified forms.’ Imagination is the most enjoyable faculty man has. It is God’s gift to man. Everything, whether it is living man or animal or non-living: all are equal and have emotions like us. They also act & react the same way as humans. Animals, trees and other animated forms in his work have human faces.
Srinavasa Charisays my paintings are my ‘experiences’. The shifts in my thought process are certainly evident from the way I express myself in my work. In the formative years of my career I applied human forms to narrate various experiences. Therefore, they were characters, playing roles I issued them to play. But gradually they got internalized within me and now they reflect my soul in the form of bodies. The human body is now depicted as the spirit of life instead of banal relationships. In fact, it is a vehicle for the traveling spirit.
