In a decidedly atypical show it is intriguing when the common thread binding the works together is revealed with an instantaneous look. The artists for this show represent different moments of contemporary Indian art, and they have all strived to converge together around a formal constant, consequently a cursory glance at the works will reveal to the viewer that the leitmotif here is the size of the works. The 9x12 format is an important preoccupation which holds the show together, both conceptually and visually
and the attempt while displaying the works have been to highlight a sense of visual drama brought about by the manner in which the works have been displayed. This show comes at a time when the present scenario of the art world is gravitating towards works more interactive in nature, and the practice of presenting works done solely on a configuration of this kind, let alone of such a large number of artists, is considered something of an anomaly. This however is an unabashed avowal of this anomaly, for articulating the
contemporary arises from dislodging the everyday way of looking at art.
The task of displaying works by 45 artists is no mean feat and having set the size as a challenge, a systematic and determined effort was initiated by both the gallery and the artists, focused on exploring the frameworks within Indian art. Displaying works of a homogenous format is a tricky task for any gallery, there is always the potential danger that the entire body of works could be “deadened” with a monotonous arrangement of the works, therefore the presentation of the works was another important point of
consideration. The graphic quality in many of the works have lent themselves very well for the overall display and just as the artists have managed to work with a formal constant without ever compromising the individualities of their works and the styles, the gallery too, for its part has attempted to execute the idioms of the exhibition through a careful orientation of the display space. These ideas manifest themselves in the construction of the relations that works build with one another and the whole display is seen as converging towards the conceptual summit of the show. The exhibition is calculated towards articulating this paradigmatic shift in perception of viewing, and the orientation and selection of the works in the exhibition go a long way in cementing that aspect. The artists for their part too had to exercise some care in their articulation of space as for many of them this was a new arena for experimentation as well. The show therefore was a conceptual challenge for both the artists and the gallery and the process brought to the
fore many hitherto unaddressed questions; does the nature of works change when the format is drastically reduced? What would the relation of the spectator be to a set of works produced and articulated thus? How would the resultant space of display be transformed?
The artists chosen range from different genres, age groups and regions of the country and consequently, their work has brought to the show, diversity held together by an unequivocal expression of depth which speaks to the viewer at a more intimate level.
The small format is certainly one factor which contributed to this, for as is known, a smaller format beckons the viewer to closer and deeper associations which are not entirely possible in works conceived with larger dimensions. The idea of space structures a large part of the ideology of the show and the works. The aim was to take a stipulated space and then transform that very space into one which will harness the forms generated within as an index point towards larger subjectivities. This small format has evoked too
in the artists, a separate sense of intimacy born of the willingness to challenge, tease and push their own sensibilities towards a direction which they had hitherto left unexplored, at the same time the engagement with a deliberately restricted space has given the opportunity to explore subjectivities which bypasses the dominant paradigm, It is interesting to observe the different ways in which the artists have tackled the
issue of size. The 9x12 format is not a commonly accepted size for paintings and the question, thus that this show raises is not whether it is groundbreaking or not, rather its significance lies in the manner in which it re-structures a format designated as being limited in its reach, and practiced only as being suitable for preliminary sketches or drawings within the broad frame work of art practices. Many of the artists displayed here, such as Nayanaa Kanodia, Binoy Varghese, Farhad Hussain, G.R Iranna, Jayashree
Chakravarty, and others who are given to working with broad swathes of colour have produced works which notwithstanding the small size, still retain their element of monumentality. While there are others such as Angeli Sowani, C.F.John, Sujata Bajaj, T.M Azis, whose works signify the intensely private ruminations which this concept has led them towards. The artists have adapted their preferences towards a series of appearances and devices which has led to a proliferation of imagery which creates its own context, and a dynamic medley of visual communications.
The works actively manipulate the space and gravitate towards a more reflective stance of approaching art, the format here has given birth to visual metaphors which in many of the works, transcend corporeal likenesses to express deeper truths about the more visceral human condition. Among the objectives of the show already elucidated upon in this essay, the other important endeavor is the aspiration that the viewer will build an association with the works which will go beyond merely scanning them as a visual repertoire of works by a group of artists. In addition, it has been constantly strived upon that the works do not get perceived as a static library of images. The viewers must therefore, restlessly scan, probe and question the works for information relevant to their needs, and much like the curators of this show, think small, think deep, think close and think anew.
(Courtsey: Art Alive Gallery) |
