"We often forget that We Are Nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves."
– Andy Goldsworthy

Delhi winters were a sight to behold, cool petal like breeze brushing across the face, misty evenings, a feeling of freshness and rejuvenation ran through your being, that is now lost upon us. That cool fresh breeze replaced by heavy smoke and fumes that the cool winter air cannot lift upward and hangs upon the city like an omen. Schools are shut again since the air quality is severe, again. This being a consistent health hazard since 2016, when pollution in the Delhi region escalated to a new high. With an AQI of 527, Delhi was the ‘most polluted city’ in world on 15 November, 2019. Depleting ecosystems, loss of habitat for wild life have been major concerns navigating Gopal Samantray’s art. With deteriorating environs globally, he portrays the desolation caused by deforestation, a juxtaposition of the wild, listless in modern spaces. Pradosh Mishra writes about the artist’s concern and how he has worked to get the message across through his visual imagery.

Rajesh Punj is in conversation with Jogen Chowdhury, about his recent solo The Line of Control, they talk to the curator Ranjit Hoskote and the conversation reveals a lot about the thought and method of not just the artist Jogen but also the person. Vladimir Zaitsev makes an inquiry into one of the favourite subjects of Russian Master Nicholas Roerich, The Hut, he is renowned for his evocative images of ancient Russia and numerous paintings on the Himalayas rich with opulence and splendour of these great mountains. Manashri Pai Dukle familiarises us with the women in art, from earlier times to contemporary that made a name for themselves as they actively promoted genuine feminism through their art practice.

Dheeraj Yadav is a young artist with uncanny maturity in his work. His experiments with form and medium and the line are the basis of his artistic expression and his strength. His recent body of work comprises of drawings and mixed media renderings on books; Dheeraj picks a relevant page of a relevant book, he relates to the text or image within and works on that to enhance his expression and using it as a base for his multi layered construction. Bhupendra Kumar Asthana expands on his style and inspirations. We follow up with interesting reviews from around the country.

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Happy Reading
Siddhartha Tagore