Eclectics Group Exhibition

It is our pleasure to bring to Goa a very “eclectic” group of artists from across the Indian sub-continent onto a single platform through this exhibition.

Jayant B. Joshi, an acclaimed artist whose musical background, attention to nuances of the abstract and fascination with intellectual minds causes him to challenge, question and constantly recreate his understanding of himself and all around him. His paintings speak of depth, fusion of the sharp and blurred, texture, and bring out in the viewer mixed emotions arising from the muted shades of rust and blue.

Durga Kainthola has the rare ability to scale her artwork from miniatures to grand scales, 2D to 3D, from linear timelines to capturing the sense of an eternal moment where time itself stops. Her keen observation of the popular in today’s world juxtaposes itself with challenging notions of what should be. Her artwork forces the viewer to reconsider their opinions on beliefs created and taken for granted through the subtle and harsh visuals they are subjected to in everyday life. Through her work she challenges our preconceived notions of beauty and the value of women in our society.

Farzana Ahmed Urmi crosses over the international border from Bangladesh to be part of this exhibition. Her work is extremely bold with lines and layers showing off her confidence even when she chooses to portray the human face in manners that common standards of beauty adhere to. With an emphasis on the feel and texture of these forms, Farzana brings in elements of the abstract and plays with multiple hues within a limited choice of colours. Her more abstract works on the other hand have seemingly endless possible forms lurking in the background leaving a lot to the imagination of the viewer.

Tathi Premchand presents us with a series of drawings that highlight an intricate web between the dot and the line. And in some cases the influence of colour on a black and white canvas. With seemingly simple lines he creates patterns and forms that when viewed from afar create visual associations to the familiar and yet forces one to redefine the meaning we give to it. Tathi explores “space” in the broader infinite sense of space itself to the confines of thought processes racing through one’s mind. The intensity of ink in some places contrasts greatly with the emptiness around and as the eye moves from one point to the next, size, space and form and scale take on new meaning.

Raj Bhandare’s statement as an artist speaks of the need to transcend the urge to acquire and enjoy and instead to create and revel in moments of joy and peace. His works therefore aim to uplift the viewer with light visualizations of familiar forms etched on copper plates. Common subjects such as the animals seen as sacred to intimate interactions between two human beings become subject matter for thought, reflection and entertainment.

Monika Bijlani works with layers, textures and patterns. In these, she finds comfort, stability, depth and complexity. Her work almost always has elements of lines layered with detailed patterns and colour. As she aptly describes it, there is an accomplishment in a line which starts at one point and completes itself at another without being interrupted. And with the use of a free less controlled wash of colour, the unpredictability of life is captured on canvas. In the artist’s words… “and when the details become too overwhelming, to lend relief by an unstructured flow of colour or form.. to add rough seemingly hastily done patches to an otherwise well planned finely detailed work. Isn’t this what life is all about …”

Srabani Sarkar brings to the mix a different print form of art – the woodcut. She believes that the choice of medium helps concretise something more fictional into a reality of sorts. With a keen eye and ear on current affairs and on critical social issues, she aims to capture themes of inner strength, justice to women and more. Imagery suggestive of power and toughness take centre stage and the use of wood textures serves to enhance the final visual experience.

Vijaya Chauhan pushes the visual experience to join hands with the other senses such as touch . With a deliberate effort to allow even the visually impaired to discover, feel and enjoy emotions that art can bring, Vijaya uses multiple media such as terracotta, steel, and wood to create an experience that transcends how most people assimilate information. The influence of communication formats such as Braille can be felt in her art and hence appropriately her work often has titles such as “silent words” and “unread sentences”

Pratik Bakshi describes his art emerging out of absolute need. His works are often not focused on a particular subject as he attempts to draw from a state that does not allow him to consciously focus on a concept or emotion and its expression. He creates a narrative by expressing composite forms with animal-human conditioning. Sexuality is a source of inspiration with symbols like the tail and phallus echoing the cyclic mystery of life. Use of charcoal, balanced with little forms and areas of colour allow for the viewer to interpret his art in a more subjective manner.