BABA AND BIBI AT ICONART

BABA AND BIBI

by Shymal Mukherjee

preview on 23rd Jan 2010

on till 3rd Feb2010

at

ICONART Gallery

www.iconart.in

email-iconartinfo@gmail.com

ph no 9849968797

 

Bibi and Baba

By Shyamal Mukherjee

Foreword

In his signature caricature style, Indian rusticity achieves a modern day interpretation in Shyamal Mukherjees art works. The immediacy of the robust forms with their bright orange , red ,green attires attire fill the frames end to end, may on first impression seem to achieve a comic , humorous end. But when one appraises a body of his work, these men and women titled simply as “Babas” and “Bibis” convey a sampling of Indian middle class life , especially artisans finding joy in the paradox of frugal living and their occupation of entertaining others . The body postures and eyes drawn into the chubby and plump rotund pudginess, profess an astuteness that comes from a life of patience and sustenance. These men and women as performers, with their entertainment paraphernalia of musical instruments and scrolls , within the context of gallery walls seem to poke satire as figures of entertainment for the viewer and as a means of livelihood for themselves, as artists . People painted in pairs or as larger family empathise each other with compassion, in this effort.



Dr.Avani Rao Gandra
curator

SPRING FRESH by Zuju Shareef

At ICONART Gallery

"Spring Fresh"

exhibition of paintings

by artist Zuju Shareef

preview on

16th Jan '10, 6.30 pm

Show on till 21st Jan '10

11.30a.m to 7 p.m

view exhibhition online on

www.iconart.in

ph no 9849968797

Dream And The Divine

Artist Saumya Bandhopadhyaya stretches the boundaries of his imagination into a pictorial that encompasses love in all its diverse elements-of love that is eternal,  enduring and endless, of love  between man and woman , of love between the divine and the human , of love between mother and child .

The artists excellent skill at realistic figuration compliment his dreamscape vision of charming women and princely men, in a fictitious playground of beauty and fantasy. Here is a generous play of fiction, the divine self of lord Krishna amidst fantastical winged men and women , of cherubic children , angelic and blessed, all set to play a honest game of  love  and worship .

The paradox of elements within the frame creates interest. The highly realistic human forms set in an illusory world, defying gravity, invent a certain lightness from the humdrum everyday day life. The sensuality of the human form pitted against the iconic image of the lord Krishna is another contradiction that calls forth a possibility of the unlikely coming together, as in life. Only the strong bonds of love are the  basic rudiments that seem to sustain all these differences .

Dr.Avani Rao Gandra

Man & Women...Between Divine And Mundane

It’s a mythopoetical world between man and woman, suspended in timelessness and a space that summons both the earthly and the heavenly. The organic rendering of the human form as nudes with swift strokes and inherent natural textures are reminiscent of nature. As earth bound trees , mountains ,rivers on one side and the luminous colours, more cosmic in symbolism recalling the bright sun, moon ,planets on the other end . At times more obvious, the woman as goddesses and man a gigantic , muscular presence and at times engaged in a sensitive play with each other or with other forms of nature such as birds, fish or flowers. This sensuousness tunes in and balances the ascetic expression of these human forms. Suspended in the humdrum of earthly life ,the body is treated as a sacred entity with philosophical notions of huger , desire , fulfillment , fertility , redemptive , short of extinction . Natural cycles of solar, lunar phases, vegetative cycles of trees and seasonal flow of river water , eternal rotations are symbolized as bright lush green of seasonal crop , white as purity of spirit and the warmth of brown earth and animal ,the blues of life giving water, the fiery yellows of the sacred fire, these are internalized in the body as cosmic energy .They are Lila , the divine play of lord Krishna with Radha . Innocent love, desire, reaching towards a higher self .


Dr .Avani Rao Gandra

Bengal Metaphor

                Art inspired by a poetical imagination , rhythm and flow inspired by a dream state quality, profound beauty, of gods and goddesses ,of kings and queens , of man and woman on the street ,these are the unique features of many artists from the Bengal school . The artists relate to flowers and birds or the sweet song flowing from the flute of the lord or lover, some exuberant, some self absorbed, art beyond time and space , a sensibility of beauty that can be universally appreciated by every soul who can respond to a sunrise , of a birds twitter or soft unseen music filling a moonlit night . While these emotional qualities may be common take offs for many of these artists, it is the sense and sensibility, it the dust raised from each individualistic expression, so varying yet so binding tie these ten artists together. The personal vision of each , to follow a certain lyrical mood creates a sensation , that relates to beauty ranging from lovely to splendor ,from exquisiteness to delicate elegance . From within these froms , within these brush strokes , colours and light comes through harmony, peace and hope . Independent of subjects chosen and free of clever craftiness ,a certain pattern of enquiry develops to fullness with full sensitivity, typical of Bengal master painters. 

Basically Hyderabadi

Curator’s Note

Basically Hyderabadi

                                                                                          Chronicles of old city

The minutes, transcripts, proceedings of life in the old city  , of life known to the artist , of life which passes by ,around him  and at times gets into him . This is the most intimate experience any artist can strive to give form   .Taking notes of that flowing beard of a fakir, making a quick sketch of a reclined young man, unhurried movements of burkha clad women  , relaxed and leisurely in the comfort of their homes, in bazaars , tea stalls and on the streets, everyday life  is captured in an honest  effort .   With candid expressions and at times fleeting suspicious emotions crossing quickly on their faces only to  redress into an unquestioning trust, in their way of life . Basically Hyderabadi by nature.

These people known to  Rayees  ,  fascinate him with their fortitude  and resilience, grace in their poise and  elegance in their homely forms .  Pure and clear they manifest as semi cubistic structures , bright and alive in their attire and somber in their expression, that come with a pride and dignity ,belief in their faith and togetherness .

They show the stained glass effects of byzantine religious church paintings , induced in a classical modern style where the facial features are repeated with religious  icons or the urdu scripts, merge with the human form seamlessly ,addressing this life in a time frame .

Dr.Avani Rao Gandra  

Poetry in stone

   These ruins speak of the magnificent Indian architectural, sculptural heritage. Their physical remains in a variety of states, as preserved complete forms, as shells or relics, seem to evoke within their residues and remnants, an underlying emotion that evoke the glory of the past, express anguish of destruction or simply enthrall by their splendor. They seem to be at rest, after a lengthy journey.
Madhugopal captures in his photographs, these very mysteries, embedded in century year old temples and forts of South Indian architecture.  Enigmatic structures of caves, rocks, crumbling temples, shattered ruins are exposed in their streaming lights and perspectives, to underlying emotions , a slow stir that moves  the  unconscious, with their age old signage and symbolism . The hoary past looms large ,captured skillfully through well composed, interesting angles and directions of light.
The poetry flows, as the skills parallel the beauty of the structures, idols and sculptures. They are explored to heighten the hidden, underlying, unfathomable feelings. The flying gandharvas, the poignant Buddha,    floral patterns, unending arches, stairways create a movement and rhythm, unveil a sensual quality. Light flows on the pillared structures and arches creating resonances of inexplicable deep silences .In the changing patterns of the clouds, the expanse of the sky and sometimes the reflections in the water add exciting dimensions,   explored to enhance the mood in an abstracted quality.
The ruggedness of the Golconda fort, their exposed stone works, ruins, arches and surrounding rocks have a handsome appeal compared to the dramatic play of on the dark black stone sensuousness of the Katatiya temples. The ruin of the Kakatiya fort recreate stories of yore and valor while the intricate carving of the Halebid sculptures of men women, bird and animal create amorous poetics.
Fragile ornate Hoyasala sculptures weave stories, myths of heavenly  otherworldly creatures, here festivity is at play,  contrasting  the poignancy of the Buddha at the Badami caves  and the handsome demeanor of Hampi remains of the Vijayanagar architecture .Symbolism prevails high in the likes of the elephants  standing guard or the flowing Lingas .Man remains a solitary bystander  in the silences recreated in these photographs .

Dr.Avani Rao Gandra