Art galleries in Bengaluru are not letting the gloom of the pandemic dampen their spirits. Digital shows, an online camp and even offline shows are now being hosted. Reves Art Gallery hosts Prolonged Solitude, an online art camp for artists from across India, and Gallery G opens its doors to visitors for Taamara The Genesis of Nature, its first show post the lockdown.
Staying inspired
The virtual art camp at Reves Art Gallery is curated by gallerist and artist Rajini Rekha. The objective of this camp is to excite and engage artists and help them cope with the solitude under the lockdown. “Once the lockdown was announced, everything in the art market came to an abrupt halt. Galleries were shut, event calendars were dropped and commissioned works were put on hold. As artists, we enjoy solitude but beyond a point, it was difficult to cope with, that’s why we initiated this camp,” explains Rajini.
Artists connect with each other virtually and discuss their work and techniques. “We will also host panel discussions from June 29. The first topic of discussion is ‘Where There Is Art There Is Hope.’ Artists SG Vasudev, V Ramesh, Rekha Hebbar Rao, Manish Pushkale and Parvathi Nayar will share their experiences of how they continue to be inspired,” says Rajini. The work will be submitted to the gallery once it opens. In the meantime, the videos of the artists working are uploaded on the gallery’s Facebook page.
Inner peace
Kerala’s well-known mural painter and cartoonist, PK Sadaanandan’s first solo show in Bengaluru, Taamara The Genesis of Nature, is on display at Gallery G. The artist, who is inspired by the Ajanta and Ellora paintings, creates elaborate and aesthetic lotuses, which are the main subjects of his work, on canvas, wood panels and imported paper. Some of the pieces also feature The Buddha. “The idea behind depicting the lotus is to help viewers find inner peace. Every colour used in my work has a particular significance. Green stands for fertility, blue for infinity, and gold for inner peace,” he explains. Eleven works by Sadaanandan are part of this exhibition. The show is open until July 12.
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