Climate change is real. We see it all around us manifest as floods with excessive (delayed) rains, unnatural weather conditions and damaging hurricanes. As we wait for a long summer to end, we wonder if threats of human extinction as a result of anthropocene are as real as cautioned. And yet ‘wealth’ remains the strongest driving force for most nations and their policies. We must not let our eco system disintegrate and crumble as we ourselves are part of it and can only thrive within it.
“When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money.” – Alanis Obomsawin. And we cannot stress it enough. Pratul Dash is one of the few artists that have tirelessly and devoutly been working towards creating awareness about environmental issues through his art, be it performance, photography, video art or painting. Ria Sarkar informs us of his early inspirations to process to staying committed to his art for a cause despite all odds.
Ayesha Kapoor takes us through an optimistic sojourn, tracing an upward trend in demand of Indian art globally. “We see international art galleries participating in art fairs in India and opening art galleries in India”, she writes. Sumati Gangopadhyay explores the nuances of ceramic sculptor Vinod Daroz’s art works. Inspired by visits to Kanchipuram, a temple town in Tamil Nadu, the Thousand Linga Sculpture at Hampi in Karnataka and the Srisailam in Telangana. Inspired by these visits he has drawn artistic cues from the riches of the Indian temple architecture with their amazingly beautiful Gopuram’s and Garba Griha.”
The issue also carries observations and reviews of exhibitions of some interesting contemporary works. Viraj Naik and his work, deeply probing human nature, never fail to invoke contemplation. Lina reviews his recent show in Goa. A note worthy quality of his work as per the write up, “His maze of portraits depicting the grossest perversions of man, also urge us to question constructions of our elves, our perceptions of others and to address the perennial and unresolved human struggle to maintain dominance over ‘beasts’ and to reflect upon the most humble values that make us humane – acceptance, empathy, coexistence and trust.”
Tanya Abraham reviews the Sap of Existence by B D Dethan. The process of his work is witnessed, not as tutelage of expressions, but as a clear depiction of ideas and perceptions, numerous complex in form, she says.
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Happy reading!
Siddhartha Tagore