Art Buzz (Kolkata) Art against Terrorism

Elephant on the wall

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

As one turns towards Opus from the BDA circle, an elephant dressed in pink and blue sneakers grins cheekily, striking an incongruent note amidst the traffic snarl. This rendition on the wall is the work of graffiti artist Ivan Germon. Ivan, from France has been spray painting on public walls for the last sixteen years. As a teenager, with a spray can in hand, he began leaving his signature on walls at night. At one point after his arrest and subsequent trial, the situation altered considerably and he was invited to paint on designated walls in France. Ivan also does paintings – acrylic on canvas and illustrations when he is not doing graffiti.

Image coutesy Opus

Ivan has modified his modus operandi and now, very often, he paints on large rolls of paper and then sticks them on the wall. Most of his paintings are of cartoon or popular characters, keeping in mind the cultural milieu of the place. For instance, he has spray painted Chacha Choudhary and Shaktiman in India. For the wall on Opus, for which he was incidentally invited to paint upon, he chose a brightly dressed up elephant which was bound to attract a lot of attention, and the slogan he has used is derived from Horn OK Please, seen so commonly on the back of trucks. He feels that these are elements that the common man can identify with and relate to easily. He signs off as Rock, and has taken the trouble to sign in Kannada as well.

According to Ivan, nobody would notice an ugly wall on the street, but, a brightly coloured one will definitely catch the eye. In big cities, where ones existence can go unnoticed, a signature or some writing on the wall is a way to get attention, and that is what most graffiti artists are doing when they paint on a wall in the darkness of the night.

Incidentally, what is graffiti? Letters or images that have been marked, scratched or painted upon any property are termed as graffiti. In most countries defacing public walls is considered vandalism of property and is an illegal activity. However, in the recent past, graffiti as an art form has emerged slowly, although it continues to be a topic of debate.

Art prices more realistic now?

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

In the recent past prices of paintings and sculptures have fallen considerably, and are much more realistic now. Buyers who have never bought a single work of art ever before are now looking at art from a fresh perspective. Although, art dealers and galleries are pushing art less aggressively at the moment, there are still a sufficient number of buyers who continue to invest in art. This number is drastically less compared to the scene a few years ago, but nevertheless it exists. It has been noticed that paintings that were priced over a crore a few months ago have now fallen significantly.

It also appears that most artists have reconciled to this new phase of the economic downturn, and have adjusted their prices accordingly. Galleries and dealers are also open to negotiations and are encouraging artists to price their works reasonably. However, there is a small percentage of artists who continues to be in denial about their market rates, or it could be that they have the luxury to ignore the market trend. Some of them are opting to not sell their works at all and appear to be waiting for the market to look up again.

It is also seen that a large number of works are being put up for resale. Contemporary artists, whose prices escalated exponentially in the last few years, have reached a much more stable phase, now. But, there are limited buyers who are willing to spend that amount of money on this category of artists. In fact the trend has completely shifted to young and upcoming artists, and to art that can be classified as ‘affordable’. This is a good phase for an informed buyer. The frenzied pace to pick up art, which was seen earlier, has now been replaced by a more judicious approach. Buyers are attracted towards price and quality, and not necessarily in that order.

So much to see

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

A Sculptural Lineage
A sculpture show by Chennai based artist V.R Raviram previewed last week and presents his recent series titled A Sculptural Lineage. A majority of his works resonate with folk art elements and traces of Cholamandal style. The sculptures appear to be heavily influenced by renowned sculptors P.V.Janikiram (his uncle) and also S Nandagopal, but probably this has more to do with the Cholamandal aesthetics that experimented with frontal sculpture and elaborate embellishment on the metal surface.

Traditional motifs, mythological figures, animals and birds form the themes in copper. There is a small set of works that are radically different from the conventional decorative mode and are meant to be more contemporary. A simple and minimal approach has been adopted here. It could not have been easy for Raviram to break away completely from his old style that he has perfected over the years. One looks forward to his new works and see how he balances the two diametrical opposite styles and sensibilities.

(The exhibition continues till March 25 at Gallery Mementos, Bangalore – 1)

Myth and movement
The other exhibition Myth and movement is a thematic show that exhibits the recent works of four artists Seema Kohli, Ramesh Gorjala, Atul Talukdar and Dimpy Menon and explores “ideas of myths and cosmic energies and movements of forms in space”.
Seema, a self taught artist indulges in a quest for the spiritual and self. Her elaborately executed canvasses are rich in details with every inch of the canvas covered meticulously. Repeated patterns and motifs add an element of design while gold leaf embellishment gives it an exotic look. Ramesh presents traditional myths and folk arts with a contemporary touch. Kalamkari motifs form the backdrop in most of his works.

Dimpy’s sculptures are minimalistic in their approach, and lyrical and graceful in their form with emphasis on the finished surface. Atul, an artist from Bangladesh also presents bronze sculptures of human figures such as musicians and dancers. There is a distinct earthy appeal to his works.

(The exhibition continues till March 31 at Mahua Art Gallery, Bangalore – 80.)

For a good cause
Incidentally, another art exhibition A Wonderful World, a benefit for the New Delhi-based NGO Four Steps (a research, training and rehabilitation centre for Children with special needs) will be held in Bangalore. Works by artists such as Jamil Naqsh, Amiya Bhattacharjee, Kamar Alam and Seema Kohli amongst others will be part of the show to be held between March 18th - 20th, 2009 at Olive Beach.

Published in Bangalore Mirror

Critical acclaim or popular choice

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Recently, a young artist, while showing me images of his recent works said that everyone liked his paintings but nobody ever buys them! This may sound strange, but it does happen. When it comes to appreciating art and buying it to put it up on our walls we behave as if we have a split personality. What may appeal to us from a critical perspective may not suit our walls at all. Why? How many of us are willing to display art that graphically portrays themes such as war or poverty, or one that has a social message? And, in case it is a realistic portrayal of violence or the downtrodden, or, for that matter nudes, how comfortable would we feel in hanging it up on our living room walls! Is it hypocrisy? Not really. Our homes are our sanctuary, a haven that shields us from the harsh realities around us. It is not surprising then that in this personal space we yearn for all things beautiful, including art.

To give an illustration, you may have seen Raghu Rai’s photographs taken in the aftermath of the Bhopal gas tragedy. The disturbing sight of mutilated foetuses and other equally graphic images, once seen can never be forgotten. These photographs have received widespread critical acclaim and have served a valuable purpose in drawing the world’s attention to a calamity that should have never happened in the first place. But as art in the drawing room, it is an unlikely choice.

Art that borders on the non-aesthetic and brings with it associations that are painful or unpleasant may become a part of a connoisseur’s prized collection but will have trouble finding acceptance from the average viewer. Conventional themes such as nature or pleasantly coloured abstracts are popular with buyers. A viewer, when looking at them, feels happy and contented. There is no sense of alarm, discomfort, revulsion or sadness when one looks at them. Most people believe in having a positive atmosphere around them, and this is often reiterated through art as well. Therefore all said and done, our sensibilities our still old fashioned when it comes to buying art for our homes. Fortunately, there are artists who believe in creating art that stems from their beliefs and is thought provoking, and there are connoisseurs who appreciate them. If it weren’t for them art would mean just a pretty painting and Indian art would be nowhere on the international map.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)