Each day we bear witness to the evolution of the art scene as it unfolds before us. This past few months has been the season for exhibition openings and events all over the country, and we await yet more showcase of both budding and established talent in the coming months.
The past decade has seen epic growth in the artistic and creative landscape as we know it, as globalization has taken place in myriad ways, simultaneous with technological advancement. We now live in a time where we have a window into what is happening in all corners of the globe, in the arts and otherwise, and each moment are exposed to a plethora of previously unseen imagery. Our horizons have been broadened by the advancements in technology, and barriers which separate cultures, ethnic groups and economic factions are being challenged. Globalization is not a new phenomenon; however the rate and intensity at which it is occurring in the contemporary age is unprecedented, and is undoubtedly taking effect on the art world.
In February’s issue of Art & Deal, as well as a representation of the current happenings in the Indian Art Scene, we feature two international interviews. Rajesh Punj, our correspondent in London interviews contemporary painter Zach Harris, a California based artist whose work alludes to the endless psychological realm beyond our physical plane. We also feature an ‘in conversation’ piece with contemporary British Sculptor Tessa Farmer, whose found object assemblages take us to another dimension entirely which draws heavily from British folklore, the British hedgerow and human nature itself. The Historic Environment Scotland (HES) shares with us the discovery of a collection of century old photographic negatives taken in Kolkata, found wrapped in newspapers dating from 1914.
Our Delhi correspondent reviews ‘Shades of Green’ the solo exhibition of Abhijit Saikia, a Delhi based artist originally from Assam, whose work draws from both the surrealist tradition and the Taoist school of thought to depict the crisis we face as a society – alluding to our immediate environment and our collective psychological landscape. And Rajesh Ram’s solo exhibition ‘I wonder’ further explores our sociopolitical and environmental landscape as we know it. Himanshu Dabral reports on the 59th National Exhibition at Lalit Kala Akademi, where a cross section of contemporary Indian art was showcased.
Tanishka D’lyma, our correspondent in Mumbai reports on the interactive event ‘The Mythologies of Mumbai’ a project which tells us a story more than 300 years in the making, of forgotten stories in the mills of Mumbai. In our article ‘The Politics of Hair’ we catch up with Ritu Kamath as she prepares for her solo show titled ‘i-seek’ which explores the gender stereotypes in our culture, and the way in which they are challenged in the contemporary age.
As always we welcome you to get in touch with us with any comments or feedback.
Happy Reading Siddhartha Tagore.
