Looking for balance and harmony in nature
Terra Firma presents recent works by four leading artists of Karnataka - Milind Nayak, Gurudas Shenoy, Shirley Mathew and Praveen Kumar at the Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Their works relate to the existing urban scenario and reflect on issues related to humanity and its co-existence with nature. All four artists are proficient at expressing structural and natural forms, in various medium and distinctive colour palettes. Their paintings evoke poignancy and deep contemplation as they explore the urban landscape with all its inherent beauty and conflicts.
Milind Nayak paintings celebrate nature in all its glorious colours, appearing luminous at times, creating poetic images in abstraction. Nayak’s paintings have been described by critics as “a succession of lyrical and evocative paintings with a natural flow of colours” and “as tempestuous as magical reality, vivid, fevered.....having the flow of an uninterrupted song”.
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| Milind Nayak |
Gurudas Shenoy deepens the mystery of an urban landscape. He makes a visual portrait of the city, extracting nuances of its character from memory and experience. Curator Lina Vincent in her understanding of Shenoy’s works commented, “The evocative layers of paint, delineated with elements of light and shade produce the effects of depth, volume and space.” The surfaces become a meeting point for the real and abstract.
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| Gurudas Shenoy |
Shirley Mathew expresses her love for nature with a hint of angst yet undying hope in the midst of urbanization. Working primarily on a limited palette and mixed media, Shirley attempts to create some equilibrium on what is specified and what is insinuated. Contemporary artist Tom Carr, Professor at Escola Massana de Barcelona, critiqued her works as “unique energy portrayed on the surfaces.”
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| Shirley Mathew |
Praveen Kumar creates a fantasy world with buildings and the city in general, evoking interest for the city bred and the uninitiated alike. Strong architectural lines are rendered in near dream-like rendition that expresses his love for the city. Art Critic Giridhar Khasnis observed that the paintings are marked by the result of “resettling in a big city that has had an effect on Praveen Kumar.”
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| Praveen Kumar |
The entire collection of works forms a visual journey, a documentation of increasing urbanization that raises pertinent questions regarding conservation and loss of natural resources. It is a reminder of childhood landscapes, which have perhaps become lost in the quest for rampant growth. A subtle message emerges for the need to strike a balance between construction of architectural forms and that of nature in all her abundance.
Terra Firma previews on 16th Sept and continues till 21st Sept at the Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Do visit the exhibition and share your thoughts in the comments section below or write on nalini.indianart@gmail.com.
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