Showing posts with label Shraddha Rathi. Show all posts

19 Oct 2021

'Ghan Phut' by Shraddha Rathi at Kalakriti Art Gallery

Nostalgia in Wood

Pieces of ancient carved wood have been transformed into art installations at the solo exhibition ‘Ghan Phut’ by Bangalore based artist Shraddha Rathi. These strike a nostalgic note at Kalakriti Art Gallery in Hyderabad. Celebrating revitalization and renewal, the art works are as much symbols and remnants of melancholy and heritage as an ode to the centuries old craft of exquisite wood carving.

Shraddha describes the artworks as ‘the contrasting confluence of modern day concrete blocks and a century old piece of carved wood which reveal the impermanence of life today and the strength of yester times’.

Born in 1974, Rathi studied performing arts and architecture. A practicing artist for more than fifteen years now, her initial paintings drew inspiration from her architecture and classical dance background. From hyperrealistic paintings of exquisite carvings and sculptures of ancient India she gravitated towards abstraction and installation art. She experimented with installations in wood and metal that combined paint and text to create a play with the display space as well. A series of functional wood pieces formed interactive art that could engage the viewer at another level. The gratitude bench with text related to gratitude engraved on it was the highlight of this show held a few years ago.

Recently, when Shraddha came across carved reclaimed wooden pieces that were more than a century old, her formal background in architecture and her desire to draw attention to the magnificence of these pieces, which are often discarded as architectural waste, inspired her to transform them into art installations. She worked with carved pieces that were originally parts of structural elements of havelis and wadas, to uncover and reveal the beauty of each cubic foot of wood.

Through an elaborate process of reclamation and renewal, Shraddha has attempted to locate these visual markers of culture and history in a contemporary context. She feels each piece is unique and has a story to narrate from its rich and eloquent past.

As she says, “Ghan phut celebrates the unusual convergence of the past and the present, through stories that come alive with reconstruction and revitalization.”

The exhibition is online here at Kalakriti Art Gallery

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31 Jul 2018

Art News: Grazie Infinite by Shraddha Rathi in Bangalore

Grazie Infinite by Shraddha Rathi in Bangalore, Art Scene India

Intersections of Infinite Possibilities

Shraddha Rathi explores the concept of gratitude, an expressive emotion towards an appreciation of life and for tangible and intangible gifts, in her new suite of works. She creates a narrative which is rich in emotional content and universal in its reach. From personal notes to community messages, the expanse of storytelling weaves a rich tapestry of chronicles, patterns and motifs of human sentiments, moments and memories.

Adopting a multi-media approach, Rathi, a practicing artist for more than fifteen years now, presents photographs, installations, paintings and a video projection in this exhibition. With this series, she emerges from the confines of traditional bounds and expands her artistic and conceptual horizons to put forth a body of work that has meaningful associations on a personal front and has implications for a larger context.

In a significant shift this year, she created a gratitude bench with engravings of phrases and personal messages of thankfulness and appreciation. This bench organically evolved into the present suite of works and forms the cornerstone for her current engagement. Coincidentally, earlier this year she sighted the benches in Central Park, New York with their plaques that read out messages of gratitude, love, celebration and nostalgia.

Thus, innumerable stories that are intimate and personal, which celebrate the joy of living and memories of life and loved ones, and that effectively translate this personal form of gratitude into community efforts, have coalesced to materialise in the artworks for Rathi’s exhibition. Photographs of plaques, benches and the surrounding landscape from Central Park form the artwork. In addition, inscribed messages on wooden benches, swings and a see-saw, and a video projection mapping of gratitude notes that projects the text onto various surfaces, including the witness/participant, are on display. Contextualising and integrating the notion of gratitude and its universality to Bangalore’s public spaces, conceptual maps of parks are represented in the paintings. The minimalist mappings offer points of reference to local contexts and create possibilities of artistic interventions.

The theoretical premise behind ‘Grazie Infinite’ is two-fold, to reiterate and acknowledge positivity as an indispensable emotion and to extend this engagement via site specific projects to the public arena. Rathi’s practice with this shift towards conceptual art and a minimalist aesthetics lies at the intersections of infinite possibilities, employing mixed media narratives and interactive experiences, while situating them within and outside the frameworks of conventional art locations.

Nalini S Malaviya
Art Critic
Bangalore, July, 2018

All images are courtesy the artist

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9 Aug 2017

Reasons To Visit The 2017 Venice Biennale

Shraddha Rathi

Contemporary artist, Shraddha Rathi shares her experience from her recent visit to the Venice Biennale and discovers how this international art exhibition combines the performing and visual arts in an ideation lab to create an ambience that involves all the senses.

La Biennale de Venezia, the 57th international art exhibition titled ‘Viva Arte Viva’ curated by Christine Macel celebrates art, artists and the process of creation. Although, contemporary art documents and captures today's reality, the world itself is transforming and evolving with every passing moment. At this exhibition too, at times the exhibits reflect facts and reality, or give voice to a purpose, while at other moments it just celebrates the present.

This Biennale is mostly about an idea, where the material is a powerful medium of expression. The inventive use of materials to express an idea while playing with its strengths creates expansive, ingenious and successful forms of communication. In a cornucopia of materials, you experience a vast variety ranging from glass, bone, concrete, metal, wood, coffee and a whole lot of textile based works, apart from paintings, photographs and videos.

16 Jun 2015

Art in Interiors: Abstract Art for Interiors

A large abstract artwork in the living space can be a focal point in the decor scheme

Art In Interiors, Artist Shraddha Rathi, Image courtesy Rupali & Gaurav Bhatia, Art Scene India

Abstract art can be a perfect choice for modern interiors that feature a minimal look.

Non-representational art, essentially comprising non-recognizable objects, people or places may sometimes be difficult to comprehend at the first instance. As it diverges from realism, the visual framework of reference shifts and becomes different for the viewer.

Even though there may not be an instant recognition or categorization, it usually evokes an emotional response. The colours in the painting assume significance from several perspectives – these are responsible for the response they generate in the viewer and are relevant in creating a harmonious effect in the interiors. It is therefore important to choose an abstract work of art, whether it is a painting, a sculpture or even an installation, which you can relate to as an individual while keeping in mind its overall impact on the space.

In an abstract work of art, the colours, textures, patterns, lines and the free flowing space are some of the characteristics that may be utilized in a larger context and the theme extended to the general décor.

For instance, the predominant colour from the artwork can be used judiciously in the furnishings to create a harmonious effect. Contrasts work well too, however one would have to be cautious in using bold colours amidst tones of neutral shades.

Large paintings have a greater impact and can be displayed prominently in any area, which is well lit and conspicuously placed. When opting for larger pieces, one must not clutter the place with multiple small works around it. These are perfect to be displayed against large pieces of furniture, a piano or a sculpture and can be place in the living room, bedroom or in an entryway.

However, a cluster of smaller works could be placed on adjoining walls while ensuring that there is some commonality between the paintings. They do not necessarily have to be of the same colour or by the same artist but could borrow or reflect a few common elements. Large open spaces can look stunning with a single abstract work, which is also of comparable size. It helps to keep the area uncluttered with minimal accessories and furniture as well.

In general, abstract artworks tend to blend with and complement modern and contemporary interiors, but there are always exceptions. These paintings can sometimes work with traditionally designed interiors by using colours that are in earth or wood tones, and reflect a few components from their surroundings. In such cases, the artworks can offer an element of surprise and become a focal point in the décor scheme. The palette or textures when repeated in the drapes or tapestry makes it more interesting.

The writer is an art consultant
Images courtesy: Artist Shraddha Rathi, Rupali & Gaurav Bhatia

This article was published in The Times of India-The Address recently.

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