I welcome this issue on a happy and sombre note both, I express my deepest condolences to all the three great souls who departed recently, Girish Karnad, Jamil Naqsh, and Manoj Nair.

Pleased to feature G. Ravinder Reddy yet again in this issue, the greatest sculpture of the cotemporary time. His sculptures are bold, sensual with an unwavering stare that fixes the gaze of every viewers. Also, his sculptures are very relatable, he has an amazing knack of bringing beauty from the ordinary surroundings in a most exquisite way. He has always managed to capture the aesthetics of local women and social fabric breathing around him.

He has been of the opinion “Why should we do something that we’re not familiar with and import from European masters?” “Why should I not do something that anybody can understand?”

G. Ravinder Reddy’s work is celebrated all over the world, his iconic heads sits like a jewel in all the major museums of the world today.

Reddy was born in Suryapet village in Andhra Pradesh and his academic life took him to MS University in Baroda, London’s Goldsmith College of Arts and the Royal College of Art. He later taught at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam, from 1990 till about nine years ago, and is still based in the city. His sculptures have been exhibited across the world, from New York to Tokyo, and he has received several awards, including the National Academy Award in Sculpture from the Lalit Kala Akademi and the Sanskriti Award in Arts.

What I personally like about G. Ravinder Reddy’s work, as how traditional Indian woman is carved into contemporary expression. His sculptures have become most sort after art pieces, which every collector would like to have in their collection.

I met G. Ravinder Reddy in 2003, I had gone to his studio in Vizag, Art & Deal then did beautiful story on him for the first time. Rajesh Punj has brilliantly interviewed his journey and his elevation of the physical arts; whose brightly coloured busts of traditional women, is an art to experience – as how simple, becomes sacrosanct.

Rajesh has also done a fascinating interview with the flamenco dancer Sara Baras. Sara Baras in nineteen ninety-eight at twenty-four moved to Manuel Morao’s dance company, the same year she was received her first media award, that likely propelled her from one of many dancers, to a leading dancer. Year-on-year Baras has flourished in her stature as one of the most important contemporary dancers of our time. Which for her is born of a simple and very resolute desire to performin front of an audience. Dance is for Baras a language as much as a luxury, whereby she performs to a whole lexicon of intensionsand actions, that explain flamenco as this incredibly complex and rule governed dance routine, that at its best is about applying all of those directives to a point of dissolve.

Jyoti A Kathpalia writes on “From the psychological terrains of the unconventional topolyphonic modernism: Vincent Van Gogh and V.S Gatonde”.

Seema Bawa writes on Pallav Chandra’s forthcoming show “Vehemence, passion and vitality. Seema further explains her deep association with the artist and his challenges”.

Satarupa Bhattacharya beautifully narrates Priya Dubey’s work and poetry and speaks about the making of the artist and her inspirations.

Priyanka Tagore reviews artist Julien Segard show, which recently concluded in Experimenter Gallery, Ballygunge (Kolkata). Priyanka elaborates as how French-born Julien has retained his sense of humour in the perception of his milieu. Which she further finely details through her review.

Ritika Lall Chakravartty insights on T K Hareendran’s show ‘Shores of Alphabet’, which concluded last month in Art Konsut Gallery, Delhi. Exhibition displayed diverse artwork, inspired by the common theme and experimental language of the artist.

After much wait city welcomed its first shower, giving some good respite from the heat. I pleasantly look forward to soaking in much rain and art in the days ahead.

As always feel free to write to us with your comments, feedback, suggestion.

Happy Reading
Siddhartha Tagore