In her book Graffiti Moon, Australia-based author Cath Crowley describes the quality that intrigues her about art: ‘I like that about art; that what you see is sometimes more about who you are than what’s on the wall’. Art has the ability to connect the artist in his studio and the person on the street with their innermost feelings. However, due to a dearth of creative spaces in India, opportunities for artists to display emotions through their works are limited. This narrows the scope for art lovers to appreciate such works. “In India, there are few public art galleries. Keeping this in mind, art fairs provide a platform for artists under one roof,” shares Rajendra Patil, director of the India Art Festival.
After a two-year hiatus, the India Art Festival—founded in 2011—is back with their sixth edition in Delhi. The four-day Festival commenced on Thursday at the Constitution Club of India, Rafi Marg, and is showcasing 3,500 works by 450 artists from across India.
Display of diverse views
On Thursday afternoon, the outdoor space of the Club had been transformed with make-shift stalls featuring thought-provoking pieces of art. Of the independent artists and galleries showcasing their works here is Manju Srivatsa, a painter from Dehradun, with a collection of watercolour flowers paintings. Sonali Maitra Paul from Krishnanagar, West Bengal, has a display of bronze sculptures while Bengaluru-based artist Chethana Ravi brought to the Festival her Geometry series of paintings that used the technique of fragmented art. Talking about it, Ravi shared, “I believe each of us is made of a number of fragments and each of these fragments make us up as a person.”
A number of galleries from across the country are also showcasing works by emerging and master artists. Easel Stories Art Gallery from Noida, Lado Sarai’s Gallery Pioneer, Rhythm Art from Mumbai, M Narayan Art Gallery from Pune, are a few in the list.
The artworks by House of Emerge, a Mumbai-based gallery, piqued our interest. Presenting what they call “kinetic art”, the gallery collaborates with artists to combine two different artworks and recreate a third, which is dynamic in nature. Elaborating on the thought process behind the work, the founder, Vinay Mehta shared, “I wanted to show viewers that what exists and what doesn’t exist is all about perspective.”
Exuding a different vibe
Unlike the last few years, when the Festival was hosted at the Thyagraj Stadium (a larger venue), this edition—which is at a much smaller space—meant that the organisers had to refuse participation of a number of artists and galleries. CR Park-based artist Niloy Sen, who was part of previous editions, said, “It is not just that space is smaller in size, earlier festivals exudes a different vibe that I feel is missing in this one.” Despite a relatively smaller venue than last seasons, sculptor Bharati Pitre from Pune, concluded, “I think the artists had the time of two years to think and brood over their works, unlike other times when there is always a hurry to churn out the latest art pieces. This year, the edition feels more personal.”
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: India Art Festival
WHEN: Till April 10; 11:00am to 8:00pm
WHERE: Constitution Club of India, Rafi Marg