Art News: Gallery 9 launches in Bangalore with Serenity

Gallery 9 launches in Bangalore with 'Serenity', an art exhibition by renowned artists

Navrathan’s newly renamed art gallery, Gallery 9, is launching with an art exhibition by renowned artists on Friday 11th November, 2016. The title of the exhibition, Serenity, reflects the general theme of the works, highlighting inner strength in the face of the trials and tribulations of daily life. The lead image, of the Indian Feminine, illustrates this with her inner calm retaining exterior beauty; exemplified by the daily toil of village women multitasking in the fields and the domesticity of the home, children, nurturing, keeping body and soul together.

The 40 works also include abstracts from Bangalore’s newest artistic sensation, Andrew Paul. In a short space of 3 or 4 months of work, Andrew has already received extensive international recognition. His work, `Mighty My Saviour’ has recently been included in the Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Bible and the Arts, along with M. F. Husain’s `Mother Teresa’.

Andrew Paul

The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Bible and the Arts, edited by Timothy Beal, published by Oxford University Press, 2015, page 378, discusses Andrew Paul’s painting `Mighty My Saviour’ in relation to M. F. Husain’s paintings of Mother Teresa. Husain’s paintings of the Mother are mostly faceless, but they are strongly evocative of the Madonna and the Pieta, where the child or the person being held in the lap is perhaps a representation of Christ.

The face in Paul’s painting is also hidden in agony, hair unkempt, blood streaming, eyes straining upwards, mouth agape like an open wound, the spiked crown of thorns, the ominous blue cross in the lower corner and a hand held up to the agonized face as though attempting to shut out something unspeakable. It is reminiscent of Munch’s scream. According to Paul the image appeared to him in a dream-vision following a charismatic retreat at Potta, Kerala.

Clara Joseph’s first book of poetry `The Face of the Other’ is published by the Interactive Press, Brisbane 2016. For the cover she chose another work by Andrew Paul, aptly titled `Redemption’. Richard Cohen’s review of this work strikes a chord and almost describes Paul’s `Saviour’, the awful predicament of a sensitive vulnerability at once broken and yet still hopeful. What comes through these enchanting words is a deep compassion, eyes open, bloodied, yet reaching out.

About the Exhibition ‘Serenity’

The pressures of society in the pursuit of success can often relegate the basic human necessities of introspection and tranquillity to a vague background. We are becoming hard-wired to the impatience of achieving increasingly more of the material world at the expense of essential communing with, and discovering, our soul, our inner self. We need to make time for ourselves and find a refuge within us for meditation and to reflect on our individual spirituality.

The present collection – serenity – suggests this space where the mind can communicate serenely with the soul. The signature image by Sachin Kharat reflects this need to look beyond ones individual desires for material consumption and discover the calm and tranquil which exists within us. His subject of the timeless Indian feminine combines with a palette which expresses the contemplative mysteries of the mind. The result is a soothing effect on the viewer’s senses, even if only for a brief moment in time.

Gallery 9 promises to break new ground with an outstanding programme of exhibitions, highlighting individual collectors and their collections as well as individual and group shows of established and emerging artists.

Related posts,

• Art News: New Art Gallery Opens in Bangalore
• TIPS: 10 Tips For Buying Art 
• Art Investment: The Fine Art of Collecting
• Art Advice: Market Mantra, Education Times, Bangalore
• Guide: The Fine Art of Buying 

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Art Buzz: Bangalore Art Scene, October, 2015

Here's what you can do this October - visit these art events in Bangalore. And don't forget to tell me which ones you liked the most.

K.K. Hebbar Art Foundation | Harvest Of Talents | Rangoli Metro Art Centre | Thursday 1st October 2015

 

NGMA Bengaluru

"Celebrating Gandhi" on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on Saturday, 3rd October 2015 at 2.00 pm. The event includes drawing competition, sketching and doodling for children in the age group of 12-16 years. The theme of the event is 'Gandhi's Philosophy'.

 

Art Park on 4th Oct

 

"NIGHT FLOWERS", a solo exhibition by Tara Sabharwal, Gallery Sumukha

Artist Statement: My work, like my life, navigates through the real and the imagined. I am fascinated by the overlapping of time –how the time ‘present’, however physically real, incorporates both time past and the time to come. This continuous processing of time through memory and imagination is at the heart of my work. In recent paintings, the physicality of the real world recedes to make room for the incorporeal, allowing for an inherent multiplicity of experience.

Atul Padia and White Sanctum art gallery present an exhibition titled "108 Vinayaka 108 Kalavinayaka" - 4-7th Oct at White Sanctum Art Gallery

Ananya Drishya - October | Tara Sabharwal | 6 - October - 2015 at 6pm | Venkatappa Art Gallery

If you are organizing an art event and would like it to be listed here, send me a note well in advance. Include the evite (less than 100KB, jpg) which has all the details, 2-3 images (not more than 100KB, jpg, no phone camera photographs please), a caption that captures the essentials - What/Title, Who, When and Time/Duration. Mail it here.

Want to cover art events for Art Scene India? Drop me a line here

Art News: Milind Nayak's exhibition in Bangalore

Fragments from an Unstructured Existence by Milind Nayak

Artist Milind Nayak's mini retrospective  'Fragments from an Unstructured Existence ' is on at the Rangoli Art Center on M G Road Bangalore and will be on view till the first of February. It includes paintings from a fifteen year period from 1999 to 2014.

"Each painting is an evocative rendering of fragments, remnants and snapshots of nature. The idyllic landscapes from his childhood, the monsoon, the garden adjoining the artist’s studio or the lotus pond that acts as a source of rejuvenation - at times a wellspring of ideas and at others an oasis of sustenance, every image encapsulates an ephemeral moment. And, Nayak adopts a non-structured approach tenderly channeling this space, simply facilitating the process and allowing the imagery to emerge spontaneously. His paintings are intuitive renderings with a philosophic weave creating portraits in time and space and, as he describes it, an act of faith." (excerpt from catalog essay 'Imagined Spaces of Paradisiacal Existence' by Nalini Malaviya)

According to Milind, "My painting usually shifts between landscapes and abstracts. There have been periods where the paintings have been calm as placid waters, and times where they seem to be the eye of a storm. These are virtually situations which an artist works with. I have rejected the idea of stylistic consistency, in favour of embracing change and evolving constantly. The show includes different mediums like watercolours, soft and oil pastels, graphite’s and oil on canvas."

The exhibition (8^th Jan 2015 to 1^st Feb 2015) will be on view between 11am to 7.30pm at Rangoli Art Center on M G Road Bangalore.

Outreach programs: 

Gallery walks by the artist on 23^rd and 30^th January at 4pm.

There will also be a slide show by the artist featuring works which are not in the show, along with a demonstration of the artist’s painting techniques on the 17^th of January at 6 pm.

Related posts,
Studio Visit: Milind Nayak

Blogerversary: Art Scene India Completes 8 Years

8 Years of my Online Avatar

Blogging for the last eight years has been one of the best decisions of my life. Even though it started out as a random extension of my work in 2006, the blog has organically grown into a niche site on art.

You may remember, in the initial phase, I was essentially sharing most of my print articles in order to reach out to a larger audience on the web. Starting with a basic template on blogger, May to November 2006 was all about figuring out how to upload content and tweaking the template according to my requirements. I remember I had to depend on my husband (an IIT alumni, no less!) to make most of those changes which involved programming skills.

A few years down the line, when I migrated to another template, I was more confident about making the switch on my own, ensuring that all backups were taken care of. The last thing you want is for all the data to disappear during the transition!

Indian Art (2006) to Art Scene India (2014)

And, then finally about a year ago, I opted to move to a sleek, uncluttered look with a white background. I was even able to customize the template to a large extent. I opened up the site to advertisers and for the very first time I talked about my blogging journey and the challenging times that I went through. If you haven’t read it, you can take a look here.

Coming back to this story, so, even though Art Scene India may not be perfect, it is a website that is unique and tries to conform to highest standards of online publishing. Remember, today blogging is not just about creating great content but involves so much more - keywords, SEO, image titles and alt tags, social media and the works. For a non-technical person with zero programming skills it can often be a challenge, as I have often discovered. Fortunately, I have a great community of readers, YOU, who have been amazingly supportive throughout!

Most Read/Favourite Posts

This November, on the blog’s 8th anniversary, it is time to reflect, take stock and plan ahead!
Just to let you know, the first post ever published on this blog was on 2nd November, 2006. It was an article written on Atul Dodiya for Times of India. I talked to Atul close to 2 hours and had recorded the entire conversation – he was a delight to talk to, especially once he opened up. He shared details about his life, his journey and his family – a wonderful conversation, how I wish I had saved the audio!

A writeup on NGMA, Bangalore has been one of the most visited articles on my website. It was linked from Wikipedia as I found out accidentally, but then I later discovered that it (the link) was deleted.

Another post, a really short one on Mandana Art is a close second on the list of most visited articles on Art Scene India. It definitely needs to be updated because the information is so sketchy that I am sure the readers’ visiting the page must be disappointed. If you know any artist belonging to the Meena community, do let me know. Top 10 Posts of 2013: Time to Wrap Up and More is also one of the most read posts.

Here are a few of my favourite posts and which I wrote exclusively for you. I would love to have you revisit them 10 Tips For Buying Art, 6 Tips on How to Approach an Art Gallery and Find Gallery Representation, How To Write An Artist Statement and How to Create an Online Presence. All of these have been quite popular with readers. Incidentally, most of these topics have evolved into lectures for art students and workshops for practicing artists!

It's All About You

As I look back at the last eight years, I realize it has been a long time and even though there were moments when things were difficult and I was not able to post much, I am happy to be here. With you.

I’m sharing a part of what Jaideep Sen, art writer & amateur artist, sent me by email, “Nalini Malaviya's blog, Art Scene India, has for many years been the definitive archive and resource for art-show attenders & enthusiasts in Bangalore. As an art writer, I have incessantly referenced and borrowed material and info from her blog, Art Scene India... I'm indebted, to say the least, and continue to seek inspiration in her commitment to the arts in Bangalore." Thank you, Jaideep for your generous words!

Lot more is planned and on the anvil. You have to come back and check it out for yourself. And, thank you for being part of this amazing journey.

Finally, a huge thank you to the advertisers and sponsors who have supported Art Scene India!
You may also want to take a look at the updated 'About' and 'Advertise' pages.

I would love to know which have been your favourite posts? What changes do you want to see on this website? What is it that you want to read? Drop a comment here or send me a mail. You know I want to hear from you!

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Artfelt Musings
Musings: Art, Books and Summer 

Liu Bolin Brings 'Hiding in the City' to Bangalore

I met artist Liu Bolin from China in the parking lot of UB city, Bangalore as he wrapped up the photo shoot involving auto drivers. Bolin widely known as ‘The Invisible Man’ thanks to the popularity of his series ‘Hiding in the City’ was in Bangalore recently to participate in ‘Art Bengaluru 2014’.

One of his works, an installation from the Charger Series made out of mobile charges was exhibited as part of the 10-day event. Human forms appear to be suspended from the wall with innumerable wires dangling from them. Bolin's artwork is a comment on the materialist culture that now pervades every society, feeding an unending well of desire. It is making the human race more machine like, as we trade humane qualities for inanimate objects. During the inaugural evening of Art Bengaluru, Bolin also performed and ‘disappeared’ into a bookshelf, even as the people watched!

‘In 2006 Liu Bolin, a prominent Chinese contemporary artist inspired by the Chinese government’s demolition of the Suo Jia Cun Artist Village in Beijing camouflaged himself in the series of photographs, Hiding in the City by painting himself as part of the urban landscape. Bolin has become famous as the invisible man after he decided to use his art as a means of silent protest. Using his own body to paint himself and merge into various urban settings in Beijing, Bolin attempts to comment on the fragile status of artists and their living conditions’(excerpted from Protest Art in China by Nalini S Malaviya, Art Etc.)

Bolin seemed to have enjoyed his first visit to India and found a lot of similarities between the people here and in China. During his brief stay in Bangalore, Bolin continued to work with the idea of camouflage to highlight social issues and ‘imbalances’ peculiar to the societal and cultural landscape of India and particularly Bangalore. As an extension of ‘Hiding in the City’, Bolin worked with slum dwellers, school children and auto drivers to underline problems specific to each of these groups. For instance, the blue coloured canvas tents of the slums in Marathahalli stand conspicuous against high-rise buildings and highlight the enormous disparity between the rich and poor. According to Bolin, “The purpose of this shoot was to blend these people into their background, at the same time emphasizing their presence by making them the subject of the work. The idea was to draw attention to them and give a wake up call to the more privileged members of society to come forward to do their bit to help give these people a better future.”

In his other photoshoot with children, Bolin worked with an important and highly relevant issue that has assumed epidemic proportions in India - crimes against women and children. Performed in a playground, a single girl child was camouflaged as she disappeared into the background to become invisible, while other children around her continued to play and enjoy their activities. The world around her went on with its routine, oblivious to her and her plight - which unfortunately is the reality today! In his  last photoshoot, Bolin created an artwork with 10 auto drivers - an attempt to highlight ‘perpetual traffic issues and subsequent smoke and pollution inflicting the city’. Incidentally, Bangalore is amongst the most polluted mega cities in the world!

It was great to meet Bolin and even though communication was a little stilted (through a translator), it was heartening to see that he had managed to capture the pulse of Bangalore in his artworks. He mentioned that although there was initial resistance from participants to get painted and be a part of his performance art, the idea did grow on them and they were eventually quite enthusiastic to become the living artworks!

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Art Park Bengaluru: Meet the Artists on July 6, 2014

Art Park Bengaluru: Meet the Artists on July 6, 2014/11 am to 5 pm/ Ravindra Kalakshetra

Art Park is an 'initiative by contemporary Bengaluru artists that takes place in the Sculpture Park (between Town Hall & Ravindra Kalakshetra) on the first Sunday of every month - to bring art closer to the Bengaluru public & take it out of the confines of the gallery'.

 

"The day-long event enables artists and the public to engage in critical conversations that can help lay people to develop a deeper understanding of art and artists across time, location and culture. In the process members of the public will be able to develop an awareness and appreciation of visual art, which can lead to recognition of the power of creativity in constructing, defining and shaping knowledge. An important purpose of the Art Park Bengaluru initiative is to bridge the gap between visual art and the general public by providing a stimulating environment that provides the necessary exposure to contemporary visual art, fosters the creative spirit that exists in every individual, and challenges people to question themselves and find answers for themselves in contemporary art."

Artist SG Vasudev at Art Park, Bangalore

Artist Jasu Rawal at Art Park, Bangalore

I feel it's a wonderful initiative and a fabulous opportunity to meet artists in an informal setting, outside their studio space. You can watch them work and interact with them. You could even buy sketches and paintings at unbelievable prices! In fact, the artists will price their first five drawings (drawn on acid free paper and with the ArtPark Bengaluru seal behind it) at Rs 500/=(Rupees five hundred only) for each drawing, while the prices of paintings will vary.

Let me know if you visit ArtPark this Sunday  (July 6, 2014) and if you would like to write a note (approx 250 words) on your experience, go ahead and send it to me {nalini(dot)indianart@gmail(dot)com}. If it reads well I will publish it on my blog (don't forget to send 2-3 images as well)!

 All photographs of the Art Park courtesy Ravi Cavale

Artist Profile: Kalabhakesari

This week we profile artist Kalabhakesari, who holds a National Diploma in Fine Arts from Government Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Kerala. His art reflects on contemporary issues arising out of urbanization and the pace of transformation in society, which is often in a detrimental direction.

As Kalabhakesari explains, "I am inspired by contemporary society. My paintings are about human emotions, inquiries and the anxieties of everyday life and my concerns about rapidly growing urban spaces, the aggressive invasion of rural spaces and thereby reflections of life." His art conveys the psychological and changing aspects of everyday life, the aspirations, desires and raw human emotions which accompany it. It is a comment on technology and the environment, and above all the struggle to find an identity in the urban cacophony.

Kalabhakesari won the State Award in Painting, Kerala Lalithakala Academy in 2011. He currently lives and works in Bangalore.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the UPDATED guidelines listed under Submit.

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Consider sharing this post if you like it.

Art Buzz: Exhibition "Amrita Sher-Gil" at NGMA Bangalore

NGMA Bengaluru is happy to announce the inauguration of a prestigious Exhibition titled "Amrita Sher-Gil: The Passionate Quest" Curated by Yashodhara Dalmia, on Sunday, 30th March 2014 at 5.00 pm. The exhibition will be on view till 30th April 2014.

In conjunction with the above exhibition, NGMA has also organised a curatorial talk titled "Amrita Sher-Gil: Life in Art" by Yashodhara Dalmia, Curator of the exhibition, on Tuesday, 1st April 2014 at 6.00 pm. (Text and images courtesy NGMA Bangalore)

Artist Profile: Spoorthy Murali

Today, we profile Spoorthy Murali, an Engineer turned artist. She has renounced her IT career to pursue her life’s calling – fine arts. The translucency and fluidity of watercolors have always allured her and inspired her to experiment on different subjects in this medium.

Spoorthy's rustic Hampi series paintings, rusty Vintage Automobile series, paintings of busy Bengaluru’s lost sparrows, paintings of languid elephants of the wild, and effervescent people portrayal have all been very well received at various forums. She has brought out a vibrant series of watercolor paintings which celebrate the colors in daily life of common man in India (aam aadmi), which she dotingly calls ‘Colors of the Mango people’. She believes in soaking in the subtleties of daily life, may it be the trellis of light and shadow that trees create on roads, the drama in the shadow play while kids play in the sun, the beauty in the sunlit dancing golden waves of a sea and so on. She loves to paint every beautiful sight and hopes to see more colors in this transient world!

Spoorthy is a self taught artist and has worked with watercolors, acrylic and charcoal media. She has participated in various group shows in Bengaluru, Mysore, Cochin and Mumbai; and her paintings have found homes across India, USA, UK and Canada. 

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the UPDATED guidelines listed under Submit.

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Artist Profile: Mini Arora

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Consider sharing this post if you like it.

Documenting the Bangalore Art Scene with Perfumes!

Suresh Kumar, an artist and self-appointed documentarian has documented several years of the Bangalore art scene, when collective groups and spaces were at a nascent stage.

 

Suresh Kumar of Samuha fame, who most people in Bangalore will recall had initiated a collective project run in 2009 in Bangalore, where over a period of one year a number of artists had slots for exhibitions in a space that was collectively rented. The project was widely appreciated and Suresh went on to present his ideas and vision about Samuha on various fora. Then, Suresh went on to video record events in Bar1, Chitrakala Parishad and Ananya Drushya (you can read more about this initiative here).

Perfumed Arts all over Bangalore

Calling it the Perfumes project, Suresh explains, “I was trying to present Bangalore artists and the scene online in a more organized way. The name Perfumes is a combination maybe of Performance and an idea of a bouquet…”

Suresh writes a detailed introduction on how he took up the role of a documentarian and how he views the current art scene, especially in Bangalore. He laments about the current state of art matters, how art students are going back to their native towns after graduation and how Suresh had to step up and adopt the role of a ‘recordist’.

He has recorded events at Samuha, Jaaga, 1Shanthi Road and the government-owned Venkatappa Art Gallery. You can read about his experience here and then follow the link to view the videos here.

Art Buzz (Bangalore) Hellmuth Conz