By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : “Earth bodies”, an exhibition by veteran artist Jatin Das at the Visual Arts Gallery in the capital, features 66 works, mostly in oil. The artist is back with a solo show in the capital after nine years.
The works, says the artist, have been selected from his vast body of work over the past five years. Mostly figure drawings in basic earth colours like brown, ochre, yellow green, blue, red and black, they are reminiscent of classical artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo because of their anatomical details.
The lines, though fluid, etch out the muscle and the contours of the human body. The 67-year-old artist has been working for the past 51 years and the drawings reflect his mastery over strokes. The bodies are voluptuous and meditative, modelled on the Renaissance style. They straddle the canvas in twosome and trinities.
“Purusha in Prakriti” – a 48 inch x 48 inch oil painting of a three-headed man-woman figure – stands out for its fluidity of lines and symbolism. It depicts the harmonious male and female energies in nature through a delicate blend of soapstone green (the male) and rust brown (the female) juxtaposed on each other.
“Earthed”, a 60″x48″ oil on canvas drawing of a monk-like figure, is striking because of the detail and the expression of calm repose. The fingers curve like those of a dancer and he is rooted to the earth like a tree.
To beat recession blues, the exhibition also offers 150 prints signed by the artist, priced at Rs.1,000 each. The show closes May 19.
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An eye for Delhi
Eleven-year-old Shreya has become a photographer. She now clicks with the ease of a pro, thanks to online gallery Fuschia Tree, which took her around old Delhi early this month for a spot photography session as part of a six-month workshop.
The workshop, called “Dilli 6”, is an ongoing project that will end with an exhibition in November.
“It was fun shooting life in the old city. I don’t want to miss anything. I will attend all the six journeys planned by the gallery,” said the youngest member of the participating team of 15 photographers.
The team covered Peeli Kothi Chowk, Fatehpuri Masjid, Nai Sarak, Jama Masjid and Red Fort.
The workshop aims to cover six aspects that represent the essence of Delhi – its history, culture, food, fashion, markets and people.
The first session was held during April 25-May 4. The second session due next week will unearth the “Tastes Of Delhi” featuring gastronomic landmarks of the capital like Paranthewali Gali, Annapoorna, Ghantewala, Bengali Market, Greater Kailash and Sunder Nagar, known for their yummy street food.
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Recession exhibition
Recession can be a fertile breeding ground for creativity.
An exhibition, “Celebrating Recession”, presented by Mystique Gallery at the Open Palm Court at the India Habitat Centre has drawn its themes from the global economic meltdown.
It is a group show by a handful of young artists – who are struggling to get a toehold in the market. Some of them are new to exhibitions.
A series that stands out is the “Mood of a Rickshaw-puller” by Amit Srivastava, a resident of Gwalior, who has been freelancing for the past three years in the capital. Painted in acrylic, the series captures the expressions of the capital’s recession-jolted rickshaw-pullers.
“I have used the illustrations and vibration techniques for the figures of the rickshaw-pullers to highlight their uncertainty and pensive faces. They have two sets of eyes or double eyes and double noses – which reflect their changing expressions, one negative and the other positive,” Srivastava said.
The show ends May 20.