With the onset of monsoon, we see a turnaround in the art space of the city, series of exhibitions at various art centres and galleries has started exhibiting.Amongst the many exhibitions that is happening in city, artist Indira Purkayastha Ghosh remains talk of the town this month. Indira is a Chhattisgarh based artist, specializes in wood and stone sculptures. Her exhibition, “No Child’s Play” is a spectacular show of life size sculptural installation of wood. The exhibition remains one of its kind to witness, the creative flow the artist, who has assembled her thoughts piece by piece is a sight to marvel. The artist mainly draws her inspiration from the surroundings and brings life and elegance in every piece she has created ; her silent work, voicedloudest.

Indira Purkayastha Ghosh is one of the finest sculptors of the country today. Her exhibition at India Habitat Centre in Visual Art Gallery, comes as a gush of fresh air, opening new horizon in contemporary Indian sculpture. For her,it’s important to make sculptures that has the power to evoke emotions and bring sensitivity. Her background whether in teaching or growing up in the lush green patch of Chhattisgarh has been translated into her thoughtful creations. Especially working with the wood medium, reflects her innate connection with the nature.

She says “Being based out of Raipur gives her an edge and new imagination of contemporary life, which otherwise it’s difficult to access from the centres like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta. Chhattisgarh being a tribal state has its own aesthetic tradition and visual culture, as sculptor, she feels anchored.

Her deep connect with the world around and her poignant observation has made her very sensitive sculptor, which helps tocrave into sculptors in most creative and aesthetic way. The lead story in this issue is a beautifulhistorical essay penned by Jyoti. A. Kathpalia, she has written on Amrita Sher-Gil,“Indian women painters and their space”. Her well researched write -up, highlights many torch bearer women painters of modern India and throws light on the importance of economic independence. In1929, Virginia Wolf rightly stated in “A Room of Her Own”, the urgent need of economic independence and the path of creative journey of a woman was extremely challenging. Though 18th and 19th century saw the emergence of women writers but it hardly witnessed women artists. Wolf very poignantly mentions, even few women who strived to work as an artist, were soon lost in oblivion. Amongst the few who rose to the glory in modernist phase, one of the prominent name remains of Amrita Sher-Gil . Joyti very captivatingly elaborates the illustrious yet short artistic journey of Sher-Gil .

Rajesh Punj has interviewed Korean painter Kim Chong -Hak, Into the Wilderness. There is an endearing simplicity to Korean painter Kim Chong-Hak, that for his age has him retreat into himself when explaining his work. Yet that dissolving of oneself into the background for him has nothing at all to do with fear – as his stoicism and mischievous spirit has served him well during periods of political unrest, and more immediate moments of unease among his contemporaries. And like French Impressionist Claude Monet with his retreating to Giverny, to his gardens in the north of France, Kim Chong-Hak concentrates entirely on the natural world.

“Balagan in Metamorphosis & Other Stories” is yet another interesting upcoming exhibition by artist Ruchika Wason Singh. Ruchika is a contemporary artist, who works with sumi-e-ink and various kind of handmade papers from Asian countries.Her medium and material, both are interesting account of work to see and understand. The body of work, which is going to be displayed in the exhibition, feels like a movement in contemporary ink genre, every art flow with the freedom and has been expressed strongly. Ruchika conveys her command and uniqueness of working with the medium. Ritika Lall Chakravartty has interviewed the artist on her medium of practice and on her upcoming exhibition “Balagan in Metamorphosis & Other Stories”.

Ranbir Singh writes on the rich history of the woodwork that was practiced in Haryana, he especially details about the city Bhiwani and its rich historical culture of wood craft, much to his knowledge, he throws light on the aristocratic work that was carved there. Cutting it today, he also talks about the declining art and socio-economic fabric of the city Bhiwani and the state.

As we see the increase in the exhibitions and shows than the previous months, we anticipate more international artists coming in the times to come and absorbing oneself more with the art.

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

Happy Reading
Siddhartha Tagore