Diverse
visual narrations bound by creative expressions
Opening 5 pm , Sunday, 16th Oct 2022
Indian Art scene is witnessing and embracing universal changes in
this age of socio-political flux. Art is no more a regional phenomenon, as has
been the case of different schools of thoughts that once persisted to reflect
the essence of any land. The age of awareness and information has captured the
human mind to be more politically aware and socially active than before. But
still there are artists who have preserved the sanctity of their original skill
irrespective of any influences. Contemporary readers, art lovers & viewers
are more willing than their counterparts thirty years ago to appreciate works
that resist tightly defined analytical categories.
For
the last 28 years, Artchill has curated and conceptualized art shows that
highlighted diverse art forms like paintings, sculptures, reliefs,
installations, caricatures & art photography in its galleries based in
Jaipur and art fairs across the world. This is the 143rd art
show sponsored by the Gallery since the time it was established in
1994. The gallery focusses on the creative expressions by brilliant
artists & emphasizes on the powerful and innovative presentation of their
artistic abilities thus providing a unique & thought-provoking art
Experience for all the viewers and visitors.
‘Fractional Whole’ takes you through diverse forms of
endlessness and continuity within a wide range of practices. It can be a state
of mind, a gesture, an incident, an act, a behavior or a response to any
stimuli - all have a movement that could be either linear and directional,
cyclical or temporal. There is a play of presence, absence and the
infinite in-between states, not necessarily in its physicality but also in
varied intangible forms. Everything appears static as an image and yet beholds
movement, referring to a realm of formalistic, aesthetic, philosophical,
psychological, socio-political & cultural contexts.
Artists persistently breathe & pour out their unresolved
tensions, moral issues, curiosities or their angst. This current show at Juneja
Art Gallery, surveys a body of work that leaves itself incisively open,
somewhere between being created and wholly complete. The works are bold and
powerful and carry a story to narrate & echo the trials and tribulations of
observations they all ponder over in the everyday idiom of lifestyles and
experiences. Nature offers them pictorial and aesthetic beauty and inspires
them with images and ideas. These artists never lose focus as they glide
over their energy, deftly using elements of abstraction, distortion and
simplification to create an alternative world on canvass.
Diverse & mind-boggling works take the viewer into the
journey of a Fractional Whole, speaking of the inner and outer worlds. It
could be satirical, esoteric, psychological, innocent, spiritual, dreamy or
surrealistic...many such deeper emotions that we could relate to or connect
with. Each of these artists create intimate glimpses of uncanny worlds and
mindscapes suffused with an atmosphere of the unknown. Processes and the
possibility of instability, openness, and perpetual transformation underlie the
creation and understanding of all the exhibited works.
There is striking evidence of great strength and skill in
organizing forms and colors and creating the effect of enchantment and fantasy
: to create vitality & dynamism in an animate mass is a difficult
proposition. It takes courage and tenacity as artists explore an addictive
idiom, reflecting in some ways the conditions of artistic practices within the
broader domain of expressive culture. It surely directs its critical and
affirmative energies towards an ongoing engagement with the dominant certitudes
of its era. The works then operate in a lattice of interfaces between belonging
and being, open to influences both local and global, the skill of training and
the color of contemporaneity.
When we see these fractional windows that artists open for us, or
fragmentation in its unity we are able to see the larger Whole, in its
Totality.
Compiled & Curated by Sangeeta Juneja
Opening 5 pm , Sunday,
16th Oct 2022.
On view till 16th Dec 2022.
Juneja Art Gallery, C -
34, 36, Road 1, Bais Godown, Jaipur.
At Juneja Art Gallery, 23rd Sep to 9th Oct 2022, Daily bet 11 am to 7 pm Sundays Open.
Juneja Art Gallery have
been showcasing Contemporary Art since 1994. Of late we have been observing the
benefits of Social media & associating with Cultural Partners. We were
following emails from ART FERVOUR , which were imparting news &
reviews of incredible art events. So
here we are as a part of this AF WEEKENDER that starts today , which seems to
me like an Art festival only , since there are 80 art events happening pan
India; it is on such a large scale. AF
WEEKENDER is different from other Art events like INDIA ART FAIR & KOCHI
BIENNALE, which are happening only in 1 venue & 1 city. Here with Art
Fervour , art lovers can see multi media events in their own cities,
engaging the interest of even layman & new audience via social media. We
can be a part of an Art event & this collaboration is free of any charges ! Juneja Art Gallery established in 1994 has showcased young & brilliant emerging artists as well as Eminent artists from across India. This is the 142nd show sponsored by Juneja Art Gallery, showing 15 emerging as well as established artists like Shahid Parwez, Jagmohan Mathodia, Anand Panchal & Meena Baya.
The younger generation of artists are getting more chances to travel and intermix with other artists & are experimenting more in different mediums, their approach to create multi layered art is also enriched with so much exposure on the internet. Hence their mental visual aptitude with the ability to synthesize creative compositions brings them at par with other international artists, the Indian content or context further enriches their artworks. Artchill gives them a platform to showcase their art language, moral concerns , angst or social issues to local audience as well as global audience that travel to the Pink City ! You will be mystified by the tribal essence in the works of Jimmy Chishi from Nagaland, earthy works by Amit Harit, Golden childhood memories of Lakhan Singh Jat who abhors urban way of life compared to restive lifestyle of rural world, quirky works by Shiv kumar Soni , beautifully articulated expressive faces woven by Shabnam Hussain & above all most lovable canvasses by Shahid Parwez that just steal your heart as all his works are ALL about Love that binds us all.
Showing: AMIT HARIT , ANAND PANCHAL, GANGA SINGH , JAGMOHAN MATHODIA, JIMMY CHISHI, MEENA BAYA, MOUMITA ,LAKHAN SINGH JAT, PRAKASH DESHMUKH, PRATIK SHARMA, SANT KUMAR, SHABNAM HUSSAIN, SHAHID PARWEZ, SHIV KUMAR SONI, SHETALL.
Abstract art is not an imitation of reality or a parallel depiction of it, but it does have a relation with the reality which is often complex and dialectical in its nature. In abstract art, realism gets transformed into what can be called a ‘higher or heightened realism’. Contemporary artists are now open to experimentation on new ways of visualization , to liberate oneself to the spirit of experimentation.
In this current show titled ‘ALCHEMY- Realm of Tonality & Textures’ each artist opens a window of their creative realms with controlled drawing of lines , use of varied colour tones and of interesting mixed media. These bubbles are waiting to burst with their spirit of energies to celebrate the ease, the play of colours, tones, lines and forms; colors represent fascinating variations, layers and hazes of light and create a pervasive veil of atmosphere. Integrally linked the works then operate in a lattice of interfaces between belonging and being, open to influences both local and global, the skill of training and the color of contemporaneity. This Leitmotif of the textural idioms arouses an unbridled pleasure; it leads, invariably, to an addictive idiom of continuous stimulation-by-image, a loss of correspondence between real-world imperatives and inner world fantasies.
This current show at Juneja Art Gallery, surveys a body of work that leaves itself incisively open, somewhere between being created and wholly complete. Their paintings, 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 on canvass.
Each of these artists create intimate glimpses of uncanny worlds and mindscapes suffused with an atmosphere of the unknown . Processes and the possibility of instability, openness, and perpetual transformation underlie the creation and understanding of all the exhibited works.
Amit Kalla : ‘Painting is a thoughtful and humble commencement for me to understand the crux of visual artistic journey along with the considerate subject which moves in between the language of form and formlessness. In my works there is an effort to create impact in a whole and enriching way, through transitional engagement in the painting, which leads the whole process to a higher level of consciousness where time, space and environment have an impetus role which is undoubtedly realized. Much of the imagery comes from my unconscious; There is a profound impact of formalist ideas and thought too on my process, ample activity can be observed on the canvas, at the same time there is presence of settled emotions too. There is some kind of quest, rethinking a remapping’.
Anil Mohanpuriya : His canvasses are modernist in nature with impressionistic undertones. His skill is evident in the way he creates imaginative and stunning cityscapes as molten images in various hues .
Dharmendra Rathore a well known artist, depicts remarkable states of serenity in his paper works , a striking evidence of great strength and skill in organizing forms and colours and creating the effect of enchantment and fantasy. To create vitality & dynamism in an animate mass is a difficult proposition. It takes courage and tenacity as artists explore an addictive idiom , reflecting in some ways the conditions of artistic practices within the broader domain of expressive culture.
Khetanchi : For him Painting is a practice of searching the relevant meaning of nature’s sign, it’s a kind of pure meditative search, in which he deeply found himself submerged and wrapped up, in the variety of different moods, tones and textures in a method which derives through seeing and conjures up colors so thoroughly, each breath becomes stroke of Painting. There is intense and immeasurable imaginative appearance in his abstractions which are outstanding and acquitted, all the way through art works he proved himself as a true explorer of void, as like someone who constantly exploring the real denotations and metaphors of distinctive visual language and trying to manifest the higher realm of aesthetic experience. Gazing his works one can clearly assume his dedication towards subtle symbolic understanding of both form and formlessness.
Nupur Kundu a well known Indian artist, experiments in a wide palette of colour and enjoys impasto oils on her canvases .The palette knife work, the thick impasto paint – it all makes some of the works of these series almost sculptural ! She says “I endeavor to embody in my work the ineffable in colours. The colors are given freedom to flow, move, and dialogue with each other, share inaudibly and even invisibly the mystery of their being. They carry no thematic burden nor are pushed into the straight jacket of meanings. They are a narrative into themselves primarily ‘Colourscapes’ . Nupur renders nature as well as emotive moods through organic motifs, geometrical forms, repetitive brushstrokes and careful layering of impasto paint.
Prayag Shukla who is a very senior Art Historian & Art Critic amazes us with his zestful energetic works , with his multiple coloured registrations creating surfaces of incredible richness and extravagance. There is a reflection and frequent presence of 'self ' in all the artworks his concept of 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 as evident in his perfect harmony of bright and soft, prominent and diffusing colours !
Richard Jacobs says “My abstract art explores organic invention, with faith in alchemy and an adventurous concept of time. Elements of the past, present and future separate, blend and interchange until they make sense in a way that the work dictates. Discovering the soul of the painting is the content, with the intent that each piece surprises in new ways every time it is seen, making its individual and evolving nature the reward. Richard Jacobs received a BA from Cooper Union, a MFA from Yale, and was a Henry Luce Scholar in Bali, Indonesia. He lives and paints in Putney Vermont, and maintains a studio in Bali. Works are included in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Rose Art Museum, the DeCordova Museum, Fidelity Investments, Bank of America and the Hall Art Foundation.
Somenath Maity’s cityscapes are beautiful, illuminated, and enchanting visuals of the city that are quite layered and imposing, but they belong more to a ‘felt’ space rather than a ‘seen‘ one. They are solitary and dream-like too. They provide a visual treat, but what is more striking is that they seem to unfold some mystery and you wish to remain in front of them for as long as you can. This has been possible mainly due to Somenath’s masterly use of light in his colors.
Surendra Pal Joshi : The art of Surendra Joshi is the understanding of bringing into the studio the field of aesthetic innovation, so that his analogy enriches; it cultivates retreat which nourishes the possibility of real communication and community by replenishing the inner contemplative silence, contains the energy of art, and weaves within the lingua franca of introspection and repose of reflection, and also nurtures it. Born under the rubric of rustic interactivity, works of art can turn into allegorical constructs.
Joshi has used texture and textile in the past to create his works, there is an attempt to re-dedicate itself continuously to a revolutionary impulse that translates texture into the tonality of the canvas, even if this should involve it in a perennial cycle of breaking and re-shaping and recreating. ‘The elements that I used for so many years are now distancing themselves and I am moving towards a minimalist mode, a sense of peace and detachment where only the texture and the color reign.’
Sushil Nimark : 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 as we see his works. It has tranquility, optimism and lull, which holds you spellbound & mesmerized. His artworks expose a rhythm of Lived Life !
Vinay Sharma : His work in dynamic structure revolved around ideas and indications of life and earth. His procedure of making a canvas is continuous , he likes to utilize different media and paint on carefully assembled old paper and materials. To make multi-layered pictures, he uses collection, print, and conventional scaled-down canvas in oil and watercolors. These consolidate well with written hand calligraphy and markings on the paper. While making this arrangement, he has a feeling of being an observer to his very own family line and keeps on getting various pictures which blend in his artworks to implant them with another life….
Yusuf ( Bhopal) :In his contemporary abstract paintings, Yusuf generally sticks to sparse and geometric forms. The abstractionist generally expresses using a limited color palette over multiple mediums such as oil, ink and acrylic on canvas. Yusuf understands the meaning and magic of the line - Precision and restraint are his two attributes, consistently evident in his works. Unsentimental, at times to the point of austerity, the paintings have a palpable rhythm. Yusuf employs the abstract medium for uncovering what is not directly accessible. His paintings hint at a distribution of cosmic bodies, their simultaneous aloofness, gravitation and musical movement.
Indigenous art is centered on story telling. There is no written language for tribal folks so in order to convey their cultural stories through the generations it is portrayed by symbols/icons through their artwork.
Aboriginal Art reflects the earliest period of ancient culture; it has both artistic and anthropological merit. The use of symbols is an alternate way to writing down stories of cultural significance, teaching survival and use of the land. It reflects deep knowledge of spiritual, cultural and practical survival teachings. Tribal art form depicts human forms, animals, plants, sacred and transcendental elements and designs pleasing to the eye. Some pictographic motifs symbolizing joy and pride like the sun, flowers, trees, human figures, peacocks, etc, all a spontaneous result of man’s close association with his immediate surroundings, auspicious designs also consist of two interlaced triangles, signifying Saraswati, the goddess of learning.
Traditionally, Tribal art forms, though sometimes purely decorative, were used to mark different occasions such as celebrations, events to pacify malevolent deities or forces of nature, thanksgiving, harvests, and the birth of a child, puberty, marriage and cultural festivals.
Juneja Art Gallery organized it's 140th Show 'ECHO of the Mystical & Unknown' from 24th Feb. - 4th March 2022
Current show at Juneja Art Gallery 'ECHO of the Mystical & Unknown', 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 .
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. These paintings & Graphics 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.
Juneja Art Gallery established in 1994 has been sponsoring exclusive art shows for last 28 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 140 art shows .
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. P.N. 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.
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.
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.
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 coloured 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 tranquillity 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.
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 Anand Panchal 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.
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 color 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.
Juneja Art Gallery showcases latest artworks by emerging artist Gourishankar Soni
This is 139th sponsored show by Juneja Art Gallery ( Bais Godown location ) since it was established in 1994 as the 1st private & professional Art Gallery. The Gallery showcases multi media art by not only Eminent Indian artists, but also promotes the young & emerging artists of Brilliance.
The Exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. Jagdish Chandra Katil, CMD of FIRST INDIA NEWS
Show is on view daily till 30th Jan 2022, and will travel to Le Meridien Jaipur in March 2022.
Gourishankar Soni's work, rooted in the artist's childhood, reveals certain intriguing facets of time, memory and the traditional Rajasthani way of life. The artist has always been fascinated and impressed by the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan. His paintings, often teeming with small figures in dhoti and angarkha, revelling in folk music or other activities with their backdrop awash in bright colors, are resonant with Rajasthani traditions, festivities and day-to-day affairs. The works reflect the way that common folk have been living their lives—with the simplest possible means, yet with dignity and certain grace. All this is perhaps natural, as Gourishankar belongs to Rajasthan and his preoccupation with the beautiful state, which he interprets in a unique manner, is manifest in his art. He interprets the visuals our culture has offered and its present state of affairs that he has seen and felt. The artist celebrates its beauty, joy, and melancholy, with a certain freshness and playful approach which nonetheless asks for serious, sensitive viewing.
Ironically from the land of maharajas, Soni's turbaned 'toilers' are not kings but commoners—sadhus, singers, puppeteers, labourers—men and women, who, unlike royals, have lives that revolve around mundane concerns and moments of leisure that synchronize into collective, community affairs. However in his paintings, each figure seems to have its own autobiography, its own statement. Some of them are retreating into the crevices on the mehrabs of the forts and havelis they built and themselves were almost forgotten. Some gyrating, crawling, wedging themselves through the narrow opening, and some reaching out to each other amid the grind of battles for survival. We can still find their indelible footprint in both life and art.
In his art, Soni has tried to capture their resilience, hope, fears and joys while offering them a more significant social status using his own easily flowing narratives. One can go on weaving many stories with the help of visual narratives he offers. To find the figures climbing a door in one of his works brings a smile to our face as we become one in their adventure and also begin to celebrate, as humans, the passion for creating something bigger than ourselves. Soni has meticulously placed circles and triangles in his images and has laid them neatly, one after another, to have heightened interactions of souls between them.
His works are thus a treat to the eyes and our contemplative faculties. The way he encapsulated the small Lilliputian figures in time, is wondrous and conveys a certain hint of satire. This is particularly noticeable in his painting titled “Social Distance” which reminds us of the plight of the migrants trapped in contexts where social distancing may not be possible even during a pandemic. The use of Egyptian hieroglyphs, symbols such as clocks and antique curios might as well be suggestive of the transience and triviality of human lives. It also raises the question of whether our cultural traditions and social mores are losing their relevance like many lost empires of the distant past. So, in these works, there are histories, but the idea is to turn them into mythical, mystical realms, and make them imaginatively more alive and enchanting. Thus whatever he offers is layered with exquisite references, in terms of specific signs and symbols. In one of his paintings titled “Mystical Life”, we see a sealed tomb of a mummy with carved inscriptions that serve as clues to the rest of the happenings in the picture space.
Gourishankar knows the beauty of the lines, which makes his works more interesting and communicative. The way he sketches the figures, the kites and other objects, all come to us in a focused manner, to establish a 'dialogue'. In fact, this stimulated dialogue makes his paintings worth pondering many times over. Similarly, his use of the circumference of circles, to place some figures and objects there, symbolically is also eye-catching. His bright reds and blues are so very meaningfully expressive and other hues too speak poignantly.
Soni's skills in delineating images, his treatment of textures, his sensuous handling of forms are all allegorically tuned to the extent of being melodious in their tone and tenor. His work, while bearing echoes of the tradition of miniature, champions a more contemporary approach in telling timeless tales of mysticism, language and culture.
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