A cinematic experience

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Shaheen Merali was in town last week for the preview of the art exhibition Cinema Verite Redux which he has curated for Gallery Sumukha. The show features works by seven national and international artists, including the Bangalore based Ravi Kumar Kashi. Merali is a curator and writer, currently based in London and Berlin, where, from 2003-8, he was the Head of Exhibitions, Film and New Media at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, curating several exhibitions. This year he has curated The 11th Hour, an exhibition of contemporary art from India/diaspora in Beijing and The Stalking of absence (vis-à-vis Iran) in Tokyo.

For Cinema Verite Redux, Merali modified the exhibition space to present an innovative display which is not often seen in the city; here he explains the concept behind the exhibition and talks about how the perception of Indian art has evolved over the years.

Artist: Charly Nijensohn

NM: This is the first time that you

have curated a show for a Bangalore gallery, how has the experience been?

SM: The experience of working with professionals in Gallery Sumukha has been precise, wonderful and an asset for working within an international setting. Bangalore itself has a wonderful sense of itself, and its ambition that seems to be gaining greater velocity within the visual arts in terms of the provision of high quality exhibition making.

NM: What were your selection criteria in choosing the artists/artworks?

SM: My selection always remains the same in making exhibitions- if a work moves my spirit and creates a sensual affinity to the work, its presence, its processes and its place in the history of art- I tend to hold onto it - as an image, as an experience and a place of communication- when the right moment arrives, a platform that can work for the (art)work, then I select it oft that moment.

NM: What is ‘Cinema Verite’ and how has it been presented through the artworks?

SM: Cinema Verite is a way of locating and recording the world, a use which has specific qualities that differ from other methods of recoding or documenting the subject. It chooses to be in proximity to the subject and a sense of uncluttered and more direct relationship therefore mediated by a lack of technology, which itself can create a distance. It is some of these and its other qualities that I use metaphorically to create a curatorial intention for this exhibition.

NM: From your observation and experience, what are the main differences in the art scene in Bangalore/ India and Berlin or London?

SM: A vast amount of difference- Bangalore has less then twenty odd spaces for the visual arts- London in contrast well over five hundred. The sheer infrastructure difference produces a vast difference in the way culture is disseminated, beyond that there are too many obvious differences, in the differences in the production of under graduate and post graduate students, art fairs, museums and the provision of studio facilities that harbour and enhance artistic praxis.

NM: In your opinion how has the perception of Indian art changed in the last decade, amongst people abroad especially non-Indians?

SM: On the whole the perception of art practice on the Indian community as a whole has very limited impact lets say in comparison to the growing relationship to film and sports culture. Within this limitation there are a few individuals who have been vocal in attempting to champion its place within the contemporary way India should and could be seen. The flurry of activity on Indian contemporary arts has started to be less present now as there is a vast fragmentation of the artists’ works within the system and therefore less evident as Indian and more as individual artists.

(The exhibition continues till July 30 at Gallery Sumukha)

- published in Bangalore Mirror

Online resources a boon for art connoisseurs

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Today’s pace of life has caused many changes to be incorporated in our daily lives - the way we shop, what we eat and how we spend our time have all undergone major transformations. Easy access to information has also resulted in numerous changes that impact the way we look for information, retrieve and process it. In the field of art as well, this ease of access to online resources has had a major impact that has been benefiting the art community as a whole. It gives the art aficionado the opportunity to know about arts trends, events that are happening everywhere - right from London to New Delhi, to view images and read online publications.

The online facility has contributed tremendously in creating a greater awareness about art. People who are not as clued in about art have the opportunity to brush up on art, as well as compare prices of artworks.

For art connoisseurs, an online community is an excellent way to keep in touch with others who share a similar passion and offers them the opportunity to share information, and also to verify facts whenever required. Most people who once become passionate about art like to keep themselves in the know about major art events that take place across the world, for instance international art fairs, significant auctions and important gallery shows. Now that art catalogs are also available on the Internet, most people find it very convenient to refer to them. A majority of auction houses also provide access to their online catalogs on registration and this offers the potential buyer an excellent opportunity to preview the works before hand. Gallery newsletters and updates are also available through e-mailers and ensure that clients are kept informed of all upcoming events.

On the downside, you may end up spending too much time on the Internet, but it does make it easy to keep yourself updated on art.

(Published in Financial Times)

Call for Entries for a Comic Strip

From the Goethe-Institu/Max Mueller Bhavan -

We are happy to announce a Call for Entries for a Comic Strip, to be
published on "Art & the City", our Online Journal on Contemporary Indian
Art: www.goethe.de/artandthecity.

If you are a Graphic Novelist, Illustrator with a penchant for
story-telling, or simply someone with unlimited talent to create Comic
Strips or Sequential Art, this call is for you! COME PARTICIPATE IN A
NATION-WIDE SEARCH FOR the next big Comic Strip Artist TO BE SHOWCASED
IN ART & THE CITY the new online journal and platform for exchange
between artists. Art & the City publishes authored articles by experts
in contemporary Indian Visual, Performing and Experimental New Media
Arts.

SELECTED ARTISTS AND THEIR ENTRIES WILL BE FEATURED IN ART & THE CITY SO
HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT AND BUILD AN AUDIENCE!

Eligibility: Resident in India
Theme: India - Life in the City
Quantity: Single strip
Size of Strip: Horizontal layout of 600 x 200 pixels
Submission Deadline: July 10, 2010
Email your entry to: artandthecity@goethe.de with the subject line 'A&C
Comic'. Only email entries will be entertained.


All these details are also available on the Art & the City website:
www.goethe.de/artandthecity

Entitlement

Title of an Artwork

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Have you stood before an untitled painting and wondered what it was? Most viewers find it difficult to relate to a painting when it does not have a title, especially when there is an absence of recognizable elements in it. For instance, if it is an abstract work predominantly based on the play of colors, it may become difficult to decipher the intent of the artist.

So what does a title do? It provides a contextual reference giving pointers to the meaning and purpose of the artwork. It gives a point of reference to the viewer to build his or her response and observations around it and helps in understanding the theme or the subject better. An interesting title adds substance to the painting and helps in recalling the work. It also makes the job of cataloging and documentation easier.

However, it is common to come across works that are untitled, especially when the artist does not wish to provide that reference point intentionally and would like the viewer to interpret it freely. But, yes, there are instances where the absence of title is a result of the artist not being able to arrive at a suitable one either due to the complexity of the work or lack of imagination. Incidentally, having a cryptic title or one that is completely unrelated to the art may defeat the purpose completely.

Usually titles are added once the work is complete and a crisp and clear title can make the viewer more comfortable and involved. La Gioconda by Leonardo Da Vinci is perhaps the most famous painting ever, but it is better known as Mona Lisa and the title brings instant recognition. Would you be able to relate to Michelangelo’s David, Rodin’s The Thinker or Claude Monet’s Water lilies (a series of paintings), if they were untitled! It is difficult to have the same recall value for unnamed works. Joan Miro said, “I start from something considered dead and arrive at a world. And when I put a title on it, it becomes even more alive.”

Yet, there are several paintings that were done, particularly during the abstract art movement that were deliberately left untitled, leaving it to the viewer to interpret it according to his or her own sensibilities and experiential framework. For instance, Jackson Pollack painted several canvases by dripping paint over them and these were left without a name consciously, but instead they were numbered.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

A look at the art market – reports suggest that confidence is slowly returning

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Even as speculations regarding the art market continue to make the rounds, a recent report on the Indian art market suggests that there is an overall increase in the confidence indicator compared to last year. It is noticed that the positive sentiment is on the rise. It has also been observed that the gap in confidence between the modern Indian and the contemporary Indian art market is widening, with the former measuring 51% higher than that for the contemporary Indian art market. Again, this may not be surprising as the modern artists have an established and a proven track record compared to the contemporaries.

Most readers will agree to this trend and may have arrived at a similar analysis themselves, based on the existing situation, and by also taking into account the fact that the economic situation is on the revival. Most collectors and investors who have invested in the art market will also be relieved to see the first positive signs, which are based on actual facts and figures.

The overall drop in confidence last year that was projected by various market reports based on statistical data and analysis resulted in a further slowdown of the art market where sales were negligible. In fact, in this phase not only were the sales affected, but also the number of art activities such as exhibitions and other events had gone down considerably. Now that the sentiment seems to be turning towards a positive note, it is also possible that some of the speculators may decide to make a comeback in the art market, once again. Although, this is likely in any market which is poised to grow over the years and one may have to wait and see how it eventually affects the overall art market in the long term.

Although, these are early signs of recovery and will help in creating a buoyant mood, it would be wise to adopt a slightly cautious approach in the interim, before investing huge amounts in the art market.

(Published in Financial Times)