New Delhi, April 24 (Inditop) Artist-designer Puneet Kaushik portrays life’s most essential aspect, growth, in his mammoth installations.
His exhibition, “Symbiosis – Installations and Drawings” at the Art Konsult Gallery in the capital, is comprised of nine drawings in acrylic, charcoal and pastel. The exhibition also includes nine installations which uses a strange mix of mediums that range from stainless steel sequin dust, acrylic, cotton and goat leather.
The show, which opened on April 18, will end on May 16.
One of his installations, “Bricollage”, is a huge contraption made of cotton, wire mesh and sequined dust that hangs down 15 feet from the ceiling. It is woven around a nine-foot long LCD light depicting strength, contrasted with cotton that represents society.
“An individual matures emotionally through a continuous cycle of social contact just as an artist is influenced by every stimulus around him. This time I have used more light in my work,” Kaushik told IANS.
Another work, titled “Germination”, attached to one whole side of the wall, is a composition of 15 smaller works – each varies between one and two feet.
The work refers to an individual who, as he grows older, starts to interact with people outside his family, breaking the proverbial umbilical cord. Yet his shadow which is inseparable from the self, always follows him.
Kaushik’s passion for large-format works has its roots in his craft-based art works and involvement with public spaces.
“I would love to make bigger art, given the space,” he added.
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Traveller with a palette
At the core, all artists are travellers; picking up ideas, colours, flavours and snapshots from their physical journeys across countries and continents.
“Zip Files”, an exhibition at the Religare Arts-I gallery in the capital, is an artistic travelogue featuring impressions and images of the distant lands that artists have visited.
The show, curated by leading art critic Ranjit Hoskote, chronicles the creative energy of the artists and their assimilation of the immediate surroundings at art camps, Mukesh Panika, director of the gallery said.
In this case, the art camps from which the works have been culled are those hosted by Harsha Bhatkal. He is the Mumbai-based publisher of Popular Prakashan and the brain behind the Foundation B&G, an art platform.
Bhatkal is known for his camps in exotic destinations.
Artist Subhas Awchat has his roots in Maharashtra’s rural culture. But one of his untitled works at the exhibition from his recent series “Gold: The Eternal Search” captures the landscape of Jordan.
The canvas, semi-abstract in style, is an interpretation of Jordan through the eyes of the Marathi illustrator-designer, who grew up in a village. The rocks of ancient Jordan and the landscape appear bathed in a yellow light.
The show presented by Religare Arts Initiative and Foundation B&G will end May 20.
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Sari art minus bling
Textiles, fashion and art fused together at “Ritu-Sama”, a unique exhibition at the DLF Emporio mall Thursday. The aim was to create a new line of printed saris for Satya Paul, the exclusive women’s fashion retail chain.
Presented by Chennai-based Appa Rao gallery, the show brought art works by Bangalore artist and printer Sultana Hasan and Satya Paul textiles, mostly designer art saris in georgette, chiffons and silks.
“Ritu Sama”, meaning the cycle of seasons in Sanskrit, has been inspired by the seasons and their accompanying moods.
Hasan’s dramatic artworks – abstracted frames of women’s faces, flowers, floral motifs and cubic shapes in muted compositions – represent the moods. The muted shades of the textiles chosen by Puneet Nanda of Satya Paul represent the season.
“Satya Paul has been associated with saris for the last 25 years and it is a blessing to find an artist like Sultana to work for our new collection,” Puneet Nanda, head of the design wing at Satya Paul, told Inditop.
Ritu Sama is part of Satya Paul’s niche signature line.
The idea for the collection was sown when Nanda saw Hasan’s works and liked it.
Hasan, who has worked with prints, tissues and papers earlier, found the task a challenge. “But I had the complete freedom to create my own art,” he told Inditop.
The artist, who has grown up in Paris, loves French chiffon and Indian cotton.
The exhibition will close April 26.
