Mumbai-based photographer Shahid Datawala (47) speaks of how he would collect images of damaged Lord Ganesha idols that were immersed during Ganesh Chaturthi. At first, all he could think about were the detrimental environmental effects caused post these celebrations.
However, on close reflection, what stood out to him were the eyes of each idol. “I wanted to spend time looking deep into the ‘eyes’, trying to understand the hidden meanings and symbolism that they were communicating to me. The eyes as all seeing, offering concentration and focus along with insight, always fascinated me. This body of work is an example of a timeless fascination with the idea of eternity and sharing the same with others,” he mentions.
Merged to create a story
Datawala’s collage titled ‘100 Eyes of Ganpati’ is on display at the Palette Art Gallery in Golf Links. His work is part of a group exhibition titled ‘Fragments of Imagination’, which features collages by 24 artists from all over India. Curated by gallery directors Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna—their experiences as fashion designers prompted them to launch the gallery—these artworks will be on display till November 30.
An aggregation of fragments, these artworks provide the viewers a coming together of experienced and imagined worlds. “Each artist we curated had made a collage. It wasn’t a single work but a compilation of many, which give their artworks meaning. Every small detail of each fragment is a tale or an imagination of its own, but when combined with others, it becomes a story,” says Khanna.
Accounts of society and change
Of the many artists whose works are displayed here, printmaker Sonal Varshneya from Agra presents a comic representation of the feet of Indian women and dancers. In comparison, Yuvan Bothi Sathuvar from Chennai, who began his journey as a banner artist, presents the country’s political issues using varied colours. His artwork ‘Man in the Crowd’ is a representation of the common man who feels alienated from the general population.
“I painted the series with horizontal and vertical lines. Only one of the segments is horizontal, which represents the person who has become aware of his surroundings, unlike the oblivious mass,” the 46-year-old artist comments. He uses base colours such as red and black along with its various hues to portray each person’s mental status. While the vibrant red represents happiness, the dark black depicts sadness. It is interesting to note that while most vertical segments are painted in shades of red, the horizontal one is devoid of the hue, probably displaying the idea of ignorance being bliss.
With so many artistic perspectives, the viewers’ perception is taken beyond the visual image. Although fragmented, there is still an aesthetic expression that binds each of these artist’s works