The pandemic has steered the art world into a swerve of online exhibitions. This, more often than not culminates in us artists losing touch with our purpose and method in art practice or why we began in the first place.
So at Duende the Studio, we decided to bring together fifteen amazing artists of the country to illuminate the grim circumstances with creative hues in an online group show, on our page https://www.facebook.com/Neerjapeters/
Hues offers a glimpse of their art journey and practice, and fifteen shades from genres, including prints, sculptures, drawings, ceramics, paintings and digital art.
While Preeti pushes the printmaking processes such as etching, aquatint, dry point and woodcut in new directions, manipulating the technique to suit her layout having harmoniously combined intricate and bold elements, Ravindra Roy’s works are known for modern textures in figurative etching. Textures have a huge potential in etching, and he likes working upon minute details, using varied textures and colours on different parts of the zinc plate.
Bikash Chandra Senapati uses lines and circles in abstract depiction of elements of nature through fractals and geometric patterns in his drawings. ‘The intricate, delicate, and dynamic lines and textures mingle together in the portrayal of the most important parts of our existence’.
Leticia Alvares explores the lines, textures, forms and work with a muted palette of primarily black and white, and the different shades of grey to create humanistic narratives, of people and the spaces they inhabit.
Alka’s digital art is ‘a sensitive orchestration of simple forms- reminiscences, nostalgia and misprints, a sensory excitement fitting into a pattern by a depiction of companionship, love and observations like birds, hands, footprints etc. in different frames’.
Pranjit, a printmaker, explores digital graphics including photo analog and collage. His digital compositions ooze richness of Indian heritage in a unique contemporary visual language, exploring the metamorphosis of past into timelessness.
A Naveen Kumar’s mixed media works are uniquely aesthetic compositions with subjects from daily life. A quirky versatile expression explores and translates the existence and relationships of these subjects skilfully.
Using drawing as his main element, TN Jalihal ‘likes to use strong contours to emphasise the differentiation of space and figures within the mixed media composition. Subtle lines also interfere with the space and stand cohesive with the subtle brush strokes and marks, which essentially make the stage for the figures to perform erotic acts.’
Parinda Parikh’s ceramic works are finished in earthen glazes. She fires them several times, incorporating glazes, glasses, and clay, using interaction between these materials to achieve the outcome of shapes and colors.
In his spiral based and stone carved works, Shiva Subrahmanya sees these structures as a story which begins with a new tapestry only to reveal, what happens next. Where his sculptures are abstract, hinting primordial forms, the base is a metaphor for a strong ground that sustains life.
Tamali Das’s paintings are delicate depiction of women, expression and natural beauty. There is a softness in the way she handles the medium, inspite of minimal use of middle tones.
Suresh Kempegowda’s works are a depiction of a mix of civil turmoil, and an internal battle, to some extent of the apparent outward personality with the true hidden reality of humans. With his bold strokes, colour palette and harsh contours, he is able to portray effortlessly, the intense expressions and body language of his subjects.
Darshan Madhukar Mahajan’s watercolour paintings bear a whimsical air about them with the faces, eyes and all the elements evoking a sense of curiosity and wonder in the viewer. Human behaviour and social attitude is aesthetically expressed as multiple characters, faces and eyes in his works.
Sukanta Das says that the eternal feminine form, with the backdrop of nature; the supple exotic foliage and intricate ornamentation, is one of his most cherished themes. Intricate miniature motifs traverse the frame seamlessly over contours of his figures and the background, romanticising the delicately balanced relationship of mankind with nature.
To conclude, I shared my art practice where play of lines and colour is used to navigate the eye of the viewer and bring in brilliance or softness in the compositions, which consist mainly of flat tinted sections. I create balance and harmony of colours by regulating their value (as on grey scale) and saturation in order to create an impression of juxtaposition and gradation of complementary colours on the basis of visual appeal. I find this process of creating a painting by mere geometry and colour articulation, contemplative and my journey of perfecting the outlines meditative.
Hues was honoured to receive applause from Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor WUD, Shaji Mathew, CEO, Niv Art Center and Lubna Sen, Founder, The Art Route.
Dr. Neerja Chandna Peters
Founder, Duende the Studio. Duendethestudio.com