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Global Recession and Our Never Say Die Attitude
The global economic recession seems to have affected our otherwise euphoric art scene in certain sense. Bankers all over the world say that they have been expecting this lull for the last one year and finally it has happened at the fag end of the year. Investors and art market players have cut down their budget on art and the gallerists in general feel the pinch of it. Reliable sources say that the economic lull is going to be here for the coming eighteen months. more »
Gripping Silences of a Wonder Machine
Horn man - by K.M.Madhusudhanan
Noted artist K.M.Madhusudhanan’s works were recently presented in a solo show held at the OED Gallery, Kochi. Curated by JohnyML, this show presented set of works done during the making of Madhusudhanan’s first feature film ‘Bioscope’. Kavitha Balakrishnan visits the show and says that in spite of all its systemic euphoria, these works still can function as a magnifying glass for suppressed human pangs anywhere anytime. read on »
One who lives real fantasies
‘Up close and personal’ is a shared diagram locating lives of significant figures in Contemporary Indian Art over the last four decades. The locus of this diagram is drafted through first person accounts, situations, art works, projects, events, texts, issues, people, cultures and geographies thereby trying to articulate an ‘artistic context’ that is simultaneously personal and historical. Kavita Balakrishnan, here portrays the life and artistic philosophy of the much acclaimed artist Bose Krishnamachari »
Noted contemporary artist Manjunath Kamath, with his usual humour looks at the happenings in our art scene. He is a master in catching the flipside of a booming contemporary art market.
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Shilpa Rangekar
Born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh in 1982, Shilpa Rangekar did her BFA in Painting at the Fine Arts Faculty, MSU Baroda and MFA in the same disciple at the SN School, University of Hyderabad. An artist interested in experimenting with the properties and characteristics of the everyday objects, she uses so many stationary items in her works. Using text as an integral part of her works, she develops collages and assemblages that oscillate between two dimensional paintings and three dimensional sculptures. Considering art history as her foundation for understanding the contexts from which different artist worked at different times, she includes the aspects of a changing viewer-ship in a renewed context in her works. Shilpa promises to be around for the years to come. . more »
Probing the Notion of Development
Young artist Sandip M. Pisalkar in this first person narrative talks about the philosophy that drives him to create the works of art. He feels himself as an excavator of present and past tenses more »
A Great Scholar, Artist and Soul
Veteran artist Paritosh Sen passed away on 22nd October 2008 evening. Delhi based artist and writer Anuradha Pathak remembers the departed artist, as a guide, friend and above all an awe inspiring artist. more »
Travels into Liminality with Musui
Veteran Sculptor K.S.Radhakrishnan will showcase one of his ambitious sculptures in a solo show at the Birla Akademy, Kolkata on 25th November 2008. In a catalogue essay written exclusively for the show, art historian and the artist’s long time associate R.Siva Kumar says that the artist’s works have reached a ‘new narration of liminality’. more »
Logic-Illogic
Prithpal Singh Sehdave Ladi ’s sculptures exude the qualities of surrealism but they actually speak of our daily realities. Human desires, aspirations and avarice take various shapes in his works. An irresistible story teller, Ladi’s new sculptures talk a lot of about the snapping relationship between man and the eco system. Writer and curator, Marta Jakimowicz introduces Ladi’s works in this essay. more »
Chaos In Order
Delhi based curator and writer, Anubhav Nath recently curated a show of Indian contemporary art, in Vietnam for the Central Lalit Kala Akademy. In this essay he traces the historical junctures that facilitate the production of Indian contemporary art. India is in a constant state of flux and this, according to the author, imparts energy to Indian contemporary artists. more »
Sa – The Feminine
Delhi based photographer Bandeep Singh recently presented his works at the Stainless Gallery. The works from Antarghata series explores the artist’s avid interest in the relationship between human body and earthen pots. His images move from the mundane to the philosophical. The artist himself delineates the philosophy behind his works in this essay. more »
Transcending the Limits
Gallery Esapce, New Delhi presents a solo show of the noted sculptor Rajendar Tiku from 11th November to 6th December 2008. In this essay Roobina Karode contextulizes the artist’s work vis-à-vis his life. more »
Living to Tell A Tale
Bangalore based artist Minam Apang recalls her long journey from rural Arunachal Pradesh to Mussourie, to Illinois and Leeds to Mumabi in a conversation with Amrita Gupta Singh. Minam’s latest solo show ‘War with the Stars’ is currently on at the Chatterjee & Lal Gallery, Mumbi. more »
Deconstructing a Language
Noted painter and photography artist Deepak Tandon will be having his solo show in Kolkata in December 2008. He considers abstraction as deconstruction of a visual language. In conversation with JohnyML, he speaks about the philosophy behind his works. more »
APB Signature Jury Award for G.R.Iranna
Young Indian contemporary artist G.R.Iranna is adjudged as one of the winners of the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2008. Iranna received the award in a gala function organized by the Singapore Art Museum. JohnyML reports from Singapore. more »
Wounded Tools
‘Wounded Tools’ by G.R.Iranna was highly appreciated by the panel of jury as well as the public that visited the show in the Singapore Art Museum. JohnyML writes why this work is pivotal in Iranna’s artistic career. . more »
What Went Right and What Went Wrong
Taking the recently concluded ARTSingapore Art Fair 2008 as a point of departure, noted art critic, editor and gallerist, Bhavna Kakar looks at the global market for contemporary art against the backdrop of the global economic recession and points out where things went wrong. more »
State of the Art Market
Delhi based art curator and market observer, Anubhav Nath captures the mood of the Indian contemporary art market after the global meltdown. He finds parallels between this meltdown and an earthquake. Damage could be assessed only it is over, says he. Yet there is a hope of silver lining amongst the darker clouds, he insists. more »
Hub 2008: A Contemporary Parampara
Twenty four artists who had their education from the Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University Baroda, recently came together to have group show titled ‘Hub: 2008’ . Baroda based art historian, Rita Sodha goes through the works of each artist and explains why their works are outstanding amongst their peer group. more »
When the Lions Leave....
Young artist Suchinder P is currently exhibiting his works in a solo show titled ‘Satyameva Jayate..?’ at the Anant Art Gallery, New Delhi. In this layered review, young art critic John Xaviers says that the artist is successful in forwarding a critique of the nationalist narrative but fails at times as he delves too much into illustrative technique. more »
Perhaps not Alone: Gaze of the post-colonial
Bose Pacia, Kolkata in collaboration with Nature Morte, New Delhi, recently presented Josh P.S’ solo show titled ‘Alone in the Crowd.’ Oindrilla Maity visits the show and tells the reader that Josh’s works re-read the archival narratives with a sense of doubt and personal assertions. more »
Fictional Crimes and Criminal Fictions
Internationally acclaimed artist Sheela Gowda, in her latest set of works presented at the SKE Gallery, Bangaluru, speaks about the ‘truth’ of crime and attribution of criminality on people by the state. Taking a victim’s positions she, through her works actively questions the highhandedness of the state, says V.Divakar. more »
