Blue city’s -‘The Poetic Soul’ Recent Works by contemporary well-known artist Madan Pawar in Jehangir

Madan Pawar does not abstract human settlements but rather renders them in shapes and hues that celebrate the ingenuity of those who build them despite the challenge of poverty and space. Skylines are not always tall towers - flat roofs or Chaths as they are called in India are communal places. The hues of the walls of the city of Jodhpur even though they are coloured convivial blue  to protect from the sun they also serve as caste markers. Behind the immense beauty of Rajasthan there are deep divisions of caste and its continuous celebration.

Artist: Madan Pawar

 

An art school research trip to Rajasthan is when Madan Pawar discovered Jodhpur.  Jodhpur is a city on the edge of the Thar desert from where wades of sand extend across  the districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer  into Pakistan until the fort towns of Umerkot in Tharparkar and Derawar in Bahawalpur.  This is the region of the Marwar and the Dhatki, a community with a distinct language,  ways of society,  cuisine, music and clothing all attuned to the desert.  A distinct frugality is seen in the way of life and thus are the ways of living.  Homes are mud houses built of red stone created to insulate against the hot summers and cold winds of the winters.  

Recent painting by  Madan Pawar

On the slopes of the Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur just above the grid like  modern city built by the Maharajas in the 20th century is the old city.  Here different castes inhabit different quarters called Mohallas.  Each one of them is adjacent to a gate or a Pol.  We have people working with bamboo,  the dyers making the distinct multic-oloured bandhani turbans and sarees,  the sonars or goldsmiths gather on many thoroughfares and the Brahmins who hold pockets across these places give name to the city -  the Blue City.  Fortunately in the Republic of India people are free to not use colour as a social class or caste marker and the colour blue is the hue for social reform.  The homes across Jodhpur are made of a lime mortar called 'Surkhi Choona',  the blue glaze comes from the copper sulphate used in the lime mortar to protect it from termites.  This use of indigo forms the colours of the walls giving the panorama from the fort a distinct azure tint as we see the homes gather around the slopes.

 

Madan Pawar is a trained painter and printmaker from the Sir JJ School of Arts,  Mumbai and is an artist drawn to forms that allow him to explore colour using the prisms of grids.  His aerial studies are formed through grids of architecture that allow him to fill in colour that form patterns which are magical to the eye.  Landscape painting holding realism in perspective was introduced through the colonial schools of art in the 18th century. In Rajasthan miniature painting across the Rajput schools, have a surreal magical rendition to represent divinity, myth and fantasy.  Madan Pawar to paint Jodhpur takes cues from Paul Cezanne's fauvist landscapes of Mediterranean towns in the south of France.  Towns around Avignon,  Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux dès Provence and Aix-Marseille hold similar planning in terms of inhabitants and architectural structures - saving the inhabitants from the many days of the sun.  Jodhpur has the most number of bright days in India and one look at the old city from the vantage point of the Mehrangarh fort we see the number of solar panels air-conditioning tourist homestays that most old city houses today serve as in the 21str century. 

Recent painting by  Madan Pawar

Madan is not a painter defined by fauvism,  in fact his images have sharp edges and boxes that justle each other on geometric angles.  The effect almost is a prism Vasarely would have been envious of but it is one that arrives after a lengthy three month use of technique,  precision and a personal colour theory.  The juxtaposition with   colour to form scapes that hold a very pleasing sight to the city by forming  a spectrum of patterns  is very unique.  I have known Madan over the last 15 years as an artist and it has surprised me how he has grown as a painter.  He has worked with architects to closer align his practice to them by helping them reimagine folk architecture.  They often commission him to work on projects where they are re-interpreting Indian architecture and its resonances with materiality.  Paul Cezanne's renditions  of Mont Sainte-Victoire (1904 - 06) the mountain that overlooks Aix en Provence and separates it from Marseille is where the Cezanne finds himself in his painting practice.  Madan Pawar's renditions of 'Jodhpore en Azur Bleue'  in many hues, shapes and colour holds the light an artist seeks in his painting.  

  

 

Sumesh-Manoj-Sharma

writer and curator, Bombay.

Press Release

From: 19^th to 25^th November 2024

Blue city’s -‘The Poetic Soul’

Recent Works by contemporary well-known artist

Madan Pawar 

 

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery

161-B, M. G. Road

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001

Timing: 11am to 7pm

Contact: +91 9765504620

 

“Tradition Bound” Solo show of paintings By Well-known artist Kappari Kishan in Jehangir

 

Artist: Kappari Kishan

Kappari Kishan's paintings showcase a plethora of cultural and colourful vibes. His works accentuate happiness, simplicity and traditional ethos of his native being. The timeless hair decorations,  formal attires worn by Telugu women are an uncommon site these days and are best reserved for festivities. Here the artist still remains truthful to his subject and continues to being elusive. Come rain or shine the characters are geared up to brace the natural form of adversaries donning beautiful umbrellas. 

Acrylic on canvas

Braids, tiny hair jewellery and flowers are  featured in his work. The costumes of the characters have a distinct south Indian flavour and his love for painting the rear anatomy of his characters and painting Telangana women consistently for more than two decades now is  certainly  admirable. 

 

With the progression of time artists disembark from forms but Kappari Kishan is vehemently inducing serenity and mindfulness into his work.

 

Serene Buddha's, scenes from the Jataka tales along with the women characters is the metamorphosis and obvious in his present body of work. The faceless characters may appear quite mundane but for him the journey is quite therapeutic and a  motivation to open up his canvas. 

 

And one fine day when these traditional looking damsels vanish from the earth Kappari Kishans works will narrate "once upon a time they were people who dressed up so beautifully"  and the story continues and becomes elusive.

From 25^th to 31^st March 2024

“Tradition Bound”

Solo show of paintings

By Well-known artist Kappari Kishan

 

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery

161-B, M.G. Road

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001

Timing: 11amto 7pm.

Contact: +91 9848747432

 

Umakant Tawde Solo show at Jehangir Art Gallery 2024

Address: 161B, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001

Phone: 022 2284 3989

 

“MEDITATION” Art An Instrument Solo Show of Paintings By Renowned artist Sanjay Sable in Jehangir

Meditation – Art An Instrument

Recent work of a versatile renowned contemporary artist, Sanjay Sable in Acrylic colours on canvas will be showcased in a solo art exhibition in Jehangir Art Gallery, AC – 2, M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001 from 23 to 29 January 2024. It will be open for free public viewing there daily between 11 am to 7 pm.  This exhibition will reveal the outcome of the painstaking efforts taken by the artist to incorporate subtle nuances of Meditation – as an instrument in his creative endeavours in order to enlighten the viewers with newer perspectives of the thematic peculiarities in the relevant arenas of visual fine arts. This will be his 5th solo art exhibition in Jehangir Art Gallery.

Artist: Sanjay Sable

This show will be inaugurated on 23rd January 2024 at 4pm by Chief Guest Mr. Chandrashekhar Sudhakar Deshmukh Sectional Engineer, High Court Section, P.W.D. Mumbai. Guest of Honour Mr. Vishwanath Sabale Dean of Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, Mrs. Hina Bhatt Founder/Director: Hina Bhatt Art Ventires / Hina Bhatt Art Foundation, Nitin Jadia Art Collector.

Sanjay Sable hails from Osmanabad (now called Dharashiva).  He had his art education at Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya Latur, Abhinava Kala Mahavidyalay. Pune and Sir J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai. He has been a faculty member at Chitrakala Mahavidyalay, Nashik since 2003. He has showcased his earlier thematic works in various art galleries at Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Alibaug, Chandigarh, Nashik, Kolkata, Aurangabad etc., and received overwhelming public response and appreciations for his work.  He is a proud recipient of several prizes, awards and appreciations from prestigious art promotional institutions at Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Dhule, Amritsar, Ratnagiri etc.  His works are in proud collection of many renowned art collectors in India and abroad.  An active participant in several art camps, workshops organised by reputed art promotional institutions all over the country, he has also showcased his thematic work in some International art exhibitions at Dubai, Bangladesh, Washington – USA etc., and earned warm public appreciations from the art fraternity for his thematic work.  He has presented 54 works in this exhibition for public viewing and the largest sizes of artworks in this show are of 15ft x 4.5 ft and 12ft x 6ft.

 Acrylic on canvas

The present series in Acrylic colours on canvas illustrate s his transformative thematic perceptions on Meditation – Art An Instrument in the unique expressive style and techniques. He has assimilated various transformations in his style and techniques during the experimentations at different stages and ultimately incorporated their transformed versions in his work in order to render perfection in visual perspectives and various forms of ingredients to accommodate the desired visual effects in them. As a result, his works in these norms and perspectives do represent his newer aesthetic prerogative and    conceptualization along with the technical excellence achieved in artistically and aesthetically adorning the works with desired visual parameters in the apt perspectives of fine art.  His paintings reveal an outcome of the total human involvement in his work with free and relaxed mind that is totally unbiased and unprejudised. The fruit of meditation of an artist in achieving unbiased results and outcomes from his endeavors bear true testimony to his sincerity, total dedication to work and an inherent urge to adorn the outcomes with the desired perspectives of divine effects of sublimity, rhythm and ecstasy in the apt arenas of visual fine arts.  With these instruments of meditation along with an experience of about 2 decades in rendering his yeomen services propagation of visual fine arts, Sanjay Sable has created and presented this unique series of artwork that truly illustrates his complete command over the medium and techniques used as well as his positive and optimistic as well as rational approach to incorporate numerous supportive ingredients on a divine and spiritual plane in the work so as to enhance its visual glory and picturesqueness in the desired perspectives. 

Acrylic on canvas

All works in this series in abstract forms reveal his sound and firm mindset and an eagerness to enlighten all with the newer perspectives of his transformative forms of art work which have the peculiar effect of divine sublimity, eternity and rhythmic ecstasy in them at strategic arenas. 

 Press Release

From: 23rd to 29th January 2024, “MEDITATION” Art An Instrument

Solo Show of Paintings, By Renowned artist Sanjay Sable

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery161-B, M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001 Timing: 11am to 7pm

“The Legacy” An Exhibition of Photographs by veteran photojournalist Mukesh Parpiani

Legendary photojournalist Mukesh Parpiani’s need to chronicle the unusual began at a very young age when he first began to help his brother. His elder brother who was fascinated by photography, had a darkroom at home, and Mukesh used to wash his prints. Gradually, he began to work towards achieving this dream. He enrolled at the Pillai School of Photography (1969-1970), after which, he worked in wedding and travel photography. During this brief stint, he realised that his city has so many intermingled narratives to offer, whose ever-evolving nature is simply waiting to be chronicled.

Mukesh Parpiani

In 1981, Russi Karanjia, the Editor of The Daily, a morning newspaper in Bombay, offered him a job as their photographer.At The Daily, Parpiani photographed many political leaders and celebrities. Due to this, he became a familiar name in the journalism fraternity. Viveck Goenka, the Chairman and Managing Director of The Indian Express, who had been following Parpiani’s work and career, saw potential in his vision. Eventually, he decided to recruit Parpiani as the photo editor of The Indian Express’ seventeen editions. During his time there, he covered historical events of significance nationally and internationally.Mid-Day, an afternoon tabloid, who noticed Parpiani’s work as a photojournalist and editor, decided to offer him a job as the photo editor. It was the beginning of many things - the turn of the century as well as the tectonic shift of photographic technologies. Tariq Ansari, the Managing Director of the newspaper, gave Parpiani the liberty to develop the department as he needed. Parpiani, upon recognising the dawn of DSLRs, requested Ansari to acquire them for the photo department. Under his tutelage, many young individuals became renowned documentary photographers and photojournalists.

Parpiani curated his first photo exhibition in March 1989 at Piramal Art Gallery of NCPA. His penchant for curating photography exhibition gave him the opportunity to continue even after his retirement at the age of 58.

In 2009, Khushroo Suntook, Chairman of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), offered him to head the Piramal Art Gallery. Suntook had been familiar with Parpiani’s work and entrusted him with the running of the gallery. For 14 years, Parpiani has single-handedly nurtured and educated the next generation of photographers. He has organised over 250 talks, workshops, exhibitions, and seminars to disseminate photography.

Parpiani has touched countless lives with his photographs while reforming countless more as a mentor. His strengths and humanity lie in his ability to mould the way we perceive Bombay, while his sensitivity and perceptiveness conquer the hearts of those fortunate individuals who have, knowingly or coincidentally, crossed paths with him 

Press Release

From: 17th to 30th January 2024

“The Legacy” An Exhibition of Photographs by veteran photojournalist Mukesh Parpiani

 

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery,

Terrace Gallery,

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001.

Timing: 11am to 7pm

Contact: +91 8108003311

Transient Landscape_Retrospective Show of veteran artist Late Yashwant Shirwadkar

When we first look at Yashwant Shriwadkar's painting, we are drawn to a vibrant, expansive canvas, that capture the fleeting light and ever-changing atmosphere in nature. The tactile strokes play with the viewer's senses, delivering an effect of spontaneity and effortlessness while masking carefully constructed compositions. Each time you look at his canvas, a new feature appears, as if purposefully hidden by the artist under the masterfully blended colors. Deep yellow flashed in the night, pastel blue fading into midday, and pink melting in the morning sky. 

Veteran artist Late Yashwant Shirwadkar   

Shirwadkar perceived our world quite differently. For him, the seemingly mundane sights became compelling experiences,as a cascading waterfall or a majestic mountain peak. He simply painted the things he saw and felt, surrendering to the experiences and situations of the moment. He had no interest in depicting history, mythology, or the lives of great individuals. Instead, he attempted to capture how a landscape or an object appeared to him at a particular instant. Varanasi held a special fascination for him, leading to more than 18 visits to the mystical city. The gentle waters of the Ganges, the boat rides, the morning worship at the Ghats, as well as the majestic architecture has been aptly arrested by the artist. His artistic journey also encompassed landscapes from Kerala, Rajasthan, Kashmir, and Goa, along with large commission canvases like Hyde Park and the Gateway of India. 

Painting - RAJASTHAN - 36 x 60 in

Shirwadkar's approach of using a palette knife and building up layers in oil-on-canvas aligns with the textural and vibrant qualities often associated with impressionistic art. It's a technique that can evoke a sense of movement and atmosphere in landscape paintings. Each layer was painted on top of the previous without waiting for the earlier layer to dry completely. Rather than worrying about the technical accuracy of the painting, he went with the flow of his mood and created a sense of movement in the work. Seeing him work on the colors with palette knife is a sight to behold, almost beyond words to describe. The colors seemed to merge one into another, slowly shifting: yellow to orange and then red, and at times blue slowly turned into green and vice versa. 

Color and light played a profound role in Shriwadkar's painting process. Before painting on the canvas, he made several sketches on site, in the open, using sunlight as the only source of light. By using low chroma variations and rendering shadows in color, the artist skillfully captured the fleeting nuances of natural light.He also tried to emphasize the passage of time in his works. The paint was left unmixed, producing a contrast between strokes that didn’t blend completely on the canvas but appeared so to the eye. The deliberate choice to forgo intricate details in favor of bold paint strokes added to the overall impact of portraying the essence of the subject. 

Shirwadkar's oil-on-canvases garnered widespread acclaim, resonating not just with Indian audiences but captivating hearts globally. He received invitations to prestigious international platforms, such as sponsored exhibitions and notable events like the 42nd Anniversary Leadership Summit in Washington in 2017, showcasing the artist's recognition on a global scale. His path in visual art, however faced several obstacles, stemming from initial resistance within his family against pursuing a career in the fine arts. Undeterred by opposition, his passion for painting prevailed, leading him to stand firm on his decision despite strong familial objections. Eventually, Shirwadkarwent on to study at the renowned Sir J. J. School of Arts in Mumbai, marking a crucial step in his artistic journey. 

Painting- SEASCAPE - 36 x 60 in

Creating art was a form of Sadhana—a daily practice, for the artist. He painted regularly, shaping a distinctive style that involved the use of a palette knife and occasionally unconventional mediums such as a shaving blade. Even after achievingmastery over his technique, he continued to paint with awareness, discipline and intention of growth. Like a spiritual practitioner (sadhaka) heworked to achieve control over ego, connect deeper, and realign with his’s inner self. 

Spanning over 45 years, Shirwadkar’s prolific artistic career was marked by an impressive legacy of around 100 solo exhibitions and over 260 group shows both in India and internationally. Through this extensive body of work, he not only established a prosperous art career but also earned a prominent reputation in the art world before his passing in 2020.The enduring allure of his works, continue to generate curiosity and awe in the younger generations of artists as well as viewers. 

It is interesting to note that in his inaugural solo exhibition in 1977, Shirwadkar showcased watercolorseascapes. Employing a technique of blending watercolors to achieve a bleed and bloom effect, he crafted misty seascapes with soft, faded edges. Carefully playing with light contrast, he diluted and highlighted specific areas while leaving others dry, inviting light into the artwork. This technique skillfully evoked a vaporous atmosphere, adding a unique dimension to his early watercolors. 

Shirwadkar's approach to painting landscapes went beyond mere depictions of sites or anonymous figures. His focus delved into capturing the enveloping warmth and color of sunlight, not merely the physical surroundings. His art aimed to encapsulate the transformative impact of sunlight on the specific moments, highlighting the soul of the scene and its evolution through time and atmospheric changes.

Transient Landscape

-          By Shraddha Purnaye – Curator and Writer

 

From: 9^th to 15^th January 2024

Retrospective Show of veteran artist Late Yashwant Shirwadkar

VENUE:

Jehangir Art Gallery

Auditorium Hall

161-B, M.G. Road,

Kala Ghoda, Mumbai 400 001

Timing: 11am to 7pm

mumbaigalleryweekend

 

2005 Pomogrante Book

My Paintings gain life after their sale; else they lie dead in my studio.

My paintings are not showpieces. You cannot decorate your drawing room to make it look beautiful, but you can decorate your mind with it to make your body beautiful.

Most of my time is spent in traveling by local trains in Mumbai. I prefer it to any other mode of traveling. It is the institute for me. Thousands of minds brush with each other every single moment. People have their own news, views, opinions, reactions, sometimes resulting in mass appeal. I can view the emotional and practical reaction of the fellow citizens by interacting with them and I think they are all creative minds and provide lot of essence to my creation. I see a person trading in vegetables or scraps has more perfect knowledge of economics and politics of the world. He doesn't need a degree or big fat books to update his knowledge; the everyday struggle is guide for him. That's something different which you find only in local trains. It also represents mini India with its clashes and unity projected from time to time. People converse and argue as if discussing the issue in the world conference.
Variation is but natural in my paintings. Just as Heraclitus had rightly said, ‘It is not possible to step twice in the same river.’ My paintings too are most spontaneous expressions rather than well planned process so you will always find variety in the work. Every work has different appeal and presentation method, setting different moods with use of topic relevant colors, forms and style. Painting is not just passion for me; it is a part of my life. I paint when I get stimulated to do so. There are times when for days together I do not paint at all.
I gradually was introduced to Galileo, Heraclitus, Osho, Mirza Galib, Kabir, and Lao Tuz and their lives. Their philosophies have greater impact on my work and my self being. Pablo Picasso is great artist; I worked as a volunteer for one month in NGMA, Mumbai because of passion for Pablo Picasso, during his paintings exhibition, just to be close to his art work. Though his work has good impact on my life, but it does not influence my work. I cannot even follow foot step of my own work. I am going to be a part of 2008 BNHS Greenscape-2 Art Auction by Pheroza Godrej. I am also part of the group show by Harmony Art Foundation 2008 and many things more. Life is full of works!

The artist lives and works in Mumbai

2005 Pomogrante Book by Tathi Premchand

 

Red Sky Blue Earth

Priya Suneel graduated from the University of Madras, attaining a Degree in Fine Arts with Distinction and the Government of India Merit Scholarship. Priya has been exhibiting her work since 1982. She has shown with the Society of Women Artists in their annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in Trafalgar Square. Her work was shown as part of the Patchings Festival winners display Exhibition at Nottinghamshire and with the Society of Nigerian Artists at their annual exhibitions in Nigeria. Her practice incorporates painting, mixed media, and drawing with inroads into three dimensional works and is infused with the world cultures of London, India, Nepal and Nigeria where she has lived and worked.

Artist: Priya Suneel

Priya says that one of the reasons she makes collages is because the process reinvigorates or redirects her painting process. She studies the structure, palettes or the colors in the architecture, landscape, interior or the clothing and flesh of the model before her eyes, and searches for ways to depict them through placement of shaped bits. She captures the essences of these palettes by generating color fields or sensations entirely through juxtaposition of textile fabric, acrylic skins, paper or found objects. These collages are masterful displays of the cumulative effects of color. Priya focuses on the play of light and shadow across bare flesh, the ways in which skin tones are constructed, and the way volumes and planes come into being entirely through juxtaposition of colors. As the viewer takes in the work a sort of subliminal blending takes place because each bit of the textured material remains physically autonomous on the actual surface of the artwork, but we experience a flowing interrelationship of parts because of Priya’s profound understanding of color. Neighboring snippets of the found objects blend to form a unified field of color when the collage is seen from a distance or through squinting eyes.

In The Emergence, Priya creates bust of papier-mâché, wire and textile the artist describes shadowy concavities, fleshy highlights on rounded face, bone and muscle structure, suggestively the lovely tan and olive subtleties of flesh tones, with tiny, straight edged, triangular and rectangular snippets of fabric. The manner of the collages is meticulously self-effacing, allowing shifts in value and color to overshadow materials and process. Indeed, color is her true gift. Sophisticated modulations of closely valued tones make for rich and spacious pictures. In Tulips in a Pitcher, Priya offsets and enlivens a virtually monochromatic image with a range of yellows, greens, pinks and blues. It is, in its own quiet way, a bravura performance.

In the collages of landscapes such as Red Fox and Townhouse Chelsea, the sides and roofs of houses, the horizon line, the foreground and background, the earthbound natural and inorganic structures, and the deep space of sky, are flattened out. Priya does not flatten out three dimensional forms and present a surround view of them in a systematic way. Everything doesn’t add up. She chooses graphically striking indicators of particular objects and rhythmically locks them together, without relinquishing the sense of place portraying light and atmosphere. These collages explore the primary formal strengths of color. Depending on the tone, light and shadow are richly depicted; light wending its way through a landscape or still life. The collage elements play dual roles. They are formal elements in a strong flat array of balanced colors, and they also suggest three dimensionality. In the background planes, walls, or earth and sky are broken up into interlocking pieces, which push elements forward, the human figure, the house, still life objects. The tactile process entailed in this vacillation of compositional elements energizes these surfaces.

'Tulips in a Pitcher', mixed media collage on canvas, 44x54cms, Priya Suneel

In Street in Jodhpur the collage elements are centered, surrounded by blank space that also punctures the cluster of shapes. Certainly the individual parts add up to a particular place, but they are not as tightly interlocked or grounded in space. These free floating descriptive signs make us see a scooter, fence, trees, but they gently coalesce and resist being tightly interlocked, simultaneously. These shapes when combined with smaller shapes within the original large shape become distinct shapes. So you may have a shape that may be partly in the prominent and partly in the supporting. There is often one prominent shape in the composition that the eye goes to first and then travels on from there. You want to find a shape in the house, but not the whole house, and a shape in the tree, but not the whole tree, that together forms a larger more complex shape that the viewer sees first, before they see the house and tree. After that, more slowly, they will see this shape within the larger shape is part of a house and this is part of a tree. You are making the viewer read the painting, slowing down their looking.

The Biomes, Eden Project, Cornwall, one of the fascinating works in the exhibition, is a perfect example of the ways in which Priya can create complex color sensations using a minimal amount of colored pieces of paper that have been carefully cut in order to maintain the visual flow of the figure. The shadows and highlights and voluptuous folds in the structure are depicted with grey, brown and liver colored bits of paper. In fact the work was created live, au plein aire, during the televised recording of "Landscape Artist of the Year 2022" and was telecast nationally on Sky Arts (Sky TV Network). Priya was one of the privileged artists selected to participate as pod artist in the national telecast programme. Priya gets into the expressive essence of complex tonal ranges and under painting as she reconstructs the emotional content of the shapes and colors. Her path as an artist has been characterized by strikingly fresh work noted for its clarity and sensitivity thus defining Red Sky Blue Earth.

 

Abhijeet Gondkar

(Abhijeet Gondkar is an independent writer and curator based in Mumbai)

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Priya Suneel

Red Sky Blue Earth

Mixed-Meadia Collages, 28^th August to 3^rd September 2023

Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai – 400 001, Between 11 am and 7 pm daily

 

"Chitra-Reshha" exhibition by Shieital Sonawane - Ugale Artist Architect at Jehangir Art gallery

रंगविलेल्या आकारांतून साधलेली कलाकृती म्हणजे चित्र, अशी चित्राची सर्वसामान्य व्याख्या करता येते. रंगविण्याच्या प्रक्रियेतच चित्र घडले जाते. इंग्रजीतील ‘पेंटीग’ या शब्दाचा अर्थ ‘रंगविण्याच्या क्रिये’पुरताच मर्यादित आहे; पण चित्रकलेच्या क्षेत्रात लेपनाची क्रिया, रंग-कुंचला- भावगर्भ आकृती प्रत्यक्ष शारीर रूप म्हणजे चित्रकृती. कधी ते बहुतांश वस्तुनिष्ठ असते, तर कधी वस्तुनिरपेक्ष अप्रतिरूप आकारातून उदित होते. 

साधनांची गुणवत्ता, कलावंताच्या भावजाणिवांचे चित्राकृतीतील प्रतिबिंब इ. सर्व सर्जनप्रक्रियांचा अंतर्भाव ‘पेंटीग’ या संज्ञेमध्ये होतो. चित्राकृतीचा अनुभव घेण्यास काही काळ हा लागतोच., चित्राकृतीचा अनुभव अवकाशसिद्ध आणि कालानुवर्ती असतो. म्हणजे हा अनुभव घेण्यास काही काळ हा लागतोच. परिणती होऊन समतोलन होते. चित्र आणि चित्रकार या बाबतीत मी खुप संवेदनशील विचार करते. कला कलेची आस्था त्यात सृजन शोधणं म्हणून माझं क्युरेटर हे आवडतं काम आहे. 

आर्किटेक्ट, चित्रकार शीतल सोनवणे- उगले  राहणार नाशिक. गेल्या वर्षभरापासुन. तिच्याशी तिच्या चित्रा बदल आणि तिच्या बदल चर्चा करत आहे. मी एखाद्याला एक व्यक्ती म्हणून खुप तटस्थ पणे पाहते. कोणतीही परिस्थिती ती उत्तम हाताळू शकते.ती तीचे विचारातुन आलेली कलाकृती ह्या तात्रिकं दृष्ट्या कमी जरी असेल तर तो सरावाचा भाग आहे. पण विचाराने आणि तिच्या व्यक्तीषा वागण्याने निर्णय घेण्याने, वेळ देण्याने ही चित्र तीच्या सारखी आहेत. चित्र सृजनात्मक होताना ती कॅनव्हास पुढे विचाराने एकदम नागंडी आहे. आणि तिच्या वृत्ती अतिशय अचुक पणे मांडते. या पुर्ण प्रक्रीयेत मी तीला अनेकदां गोंधळात करू पाहीले, काही नाही तर अनेक विचार व चित्र मी नाकारली, अनेकदा विचारांची देवाण घेवाण केली. ह्यात ती मला ठाम वाटली.

अनेकदा तात्विक वाद झाले. पण तीला मी सुचवलेले बदल स्विकारणे, ऐकणे,समजुन घेणे ही गोष्ट माणसाला उत्कृष्ट करते. खर्या कलाकारा मध्ये माणुसकी असणे माझ्या दृष्टीकोनतुन खुप महत्वाचे आहे. त्यामुळे मी तिच्या चित्राचा स्विकार केला,विचाराचा स्विकार केला आणि आनंद होता कि मनापासून ती तीचे विचार चित्रातून  स्पष्टपणे मांडते . तिच्या कलाकृतींमध्ये कविता मध्ये स्त्रियांचे भावविश्व प्रतिबिंबित होते. प्रत्येक पेंटिंगचा आधार ठळक  रंगांचे मिश्रण आहेत जे तपशीलात प्रवाही तंत्र तिच्या मधील प्रतिमेत आयुष्यातील घटकांचा उबदारपणा  समृद्धपणा त्याचबरोबर असणारी उर्जा स्व :चा शोध शांतता याचे योग्य संतुलन दिसते. 

जी पेंटिंगमधून प्रवाही आणि अखंडपणे वाहते. तीचे चित्र बघतान तीच्यातलं कणखरपणा प्रखर खुबीने ती व्यक्त करते. स्वताला चित्रातून माडंताना स्वीकारताना ते फिगर मध्ये उमटतात. तीनं परिश्रमाने स्वताची शैली निर्माण केली आहे. कलेचे वैशिष्ट्य म्हणजे विकसीत करत, त्या कलेत एकरूप होणे तीला सहज जमते. प्रत्येकांच्या जीवनात लपलेले असे ओझे चढ उतार सामाजिक भाव बंधनाचा परिघ असतो. जो प्रत्येकाचा एक सखोल प्रवास असतो ज्यात बुद्धी मन शरीरा नुसार जरी आपण प्रतिमा आणि त्याच्या भावनिक छटा रेखाटताना ज्ञान, ध्येय, मर्यादा याचा समतोल साधत समर्पण असते .जिथे सातत्याने स्व चा ही शोध आपलं अस्तित्व शांतता शोधत असते

शिव शक्तीचा अशं म्हणजे आपली उर्जा याचां सतत शोध सुरू असतो .

ह्यात प्रामुख्याने आपण वेचतचं वेगवेगळे टप्पे गाठतो भुतकाळ आणि भविष्य या पेक्षा वर्तमान शी साधर्म्य साधणारी स्त्री सक्षम क्षमता राखुन शोध घेताना, तीला ब्ररशचा सुरेख वापर कॅनव्हास करताना पाहणं आणि ब्रश स्ट्रोक, आणि तीव्र  रंगांचा वापर जे अभिव्यक्तीवादाच्या शैलीचे प्रतीक आहे. रंगयुक्त आकार हे चौकटीत ज्या रीतिपद्धतीने क्षेत्र व्यापतात, परस्परांशी आणि चौकटीशी नाते जोडतात, त्यावरून त्यांचे गुणमूल्य आणि भावगर्भता ठरते. उदा., चित्रित मनुष्याकृतीचा चेहराच चौकटीत दिसावा इतकी ती मोठी आहे, की पूर्णाकृती दिसावी इतकी मोठी, की चौकटीत हरवून गेल्यासारखी वाटावी इतकी लहान आहे; तिची मांडणी  आकारांची व्याप्ती व अव्याप्ती सापेक्ष असते. चौकटीत भरलेल्या व्याप्त आकारांच्या तुलनेने उरलेले क्षेत्र अव्याप्त वाटते इतकेच. प्रत्यक्षात मात्र अव्याप्त क्षेत्रालाही काहीएक आकार अव्याप्त क्षेत्र  भावनांवर भर देते कलेची सूत्र चित्रकलेतील भावाविष्काराच्या आकलनात अत्यंत उपकारक ठरली आहे. विविध रंगभाव, रंगभार आणि रंगविस्तार एकमेकांवर संस्कार करीत प्रकट होतात. वर्णयुक्त रंग विशुद्ध असल्याने रंगभाव तीव्र उत्कट असतो. तांबडा⟶ तांबडानारिंगी ⟶ नारिंगी ⟶ नारिंगी पांढरा⟶ पांढरा असे भारतीय रंग श्रेणी पेंटींग मध्ये दिसतात.अभिव्यक्तीवाद कलाकाराच्या भावनांचे मनुष्याकृती विषय पुरक चित्रण मिळवण्याचा प्रयत्न करतो. अभिव्यक्तीवादक, यांनी अगदी बरोबर निदर्शनास आणून दिले की अभिव्यक्तीवादामध्ये "अगम्य कल्पना स्वतःला न समजण्याजोग्या स्वरूपात व्यक्त करतात" पेंटिंग्ज आणि ते "अगम्य आणि न समजण्याजोगे" यांना जोडतात. खरं तर, अभिव्यक्तीवाद नेमके तेच करतो, तो कलाकाराला न समजण्याजोग्या स्वरूपात व्यक्त होण्यास मदत करतो ज्याद्वारे तो कलाकृतीचे सार सांगणाऱ्या कलाकाराच्या जगात दर्शकांना पोर्टल करतो. शरीरानुसार मन आणि बुद्धी भिन्न असते, परंतु आत्मा एकच राहतो. ते परम चैतन्य आहे. शक्ती आणि शिव यांचे त्यांच्या अंतिम वास्तव. अस्तित्व हे असीम व्यक्तीशी असलेले व्यक्तीचे नाते म्हणून परिभाषित केले जाऊ शकते.

कलाकृतींमध्ये अभिव्यक्तीवादी शैली आत्मसात करून आशा, उत्साह, एकांत, शांततेची मर्यादा आणि यासारख्या गोष्टी व्यक्त होते. - Text by Heena Sk 

Artist: Shieital sonawane

Step into the enchanting world of self-realization through Chitra Reshha. 

Since few years, I've been exploring the world of architecture and art, but now I'm taking a bold leap into the realm of poetry and painting with my  “Chitra-Reshha” series. I want you to imagine a captivating fusion of heartfelt verses and mesmerizing paintings, all woven together to take you on a profound journey of self-realization.  “Chitra-Reshha” is all about celebrating the journey of women, exploring our triumphs, struggles, and everything in between.With my background in architecture, I bring a unique perspective to my artworks, infusing them with an eye-catching blend of form and emotion.“Chitra-Reshha” is a true expression of my soul, embracing the raw beauty of vulnerability and self-discovery. And this journey is keeping my emotions in motion

Artist statement : 

My journey as an artist started when I was young child and did not know how to express my feelings. Can fear be expressed? If so then how? In childhood I still remember I chose to express fear in the form of monster. Yes, ‘a monster’ and through this as an innocent child, I told my parents, “if they don’t listen to me”, then he will harm them. This is what I heard of monster in the school. With time things changed and I started taking more interest in drawing. I remember of my drawing being selected and sent to Mauritius for the exhibition. Later, when I was in 8th standard, I won the ‘Bal Kala Ratna Puraskar’. Since then I have been expressing my thoughts in my works. I graduated as an architect but my experiments also have grown with colours and arts over the years. This has always helped me in my profession as an architect also.

 Shietal Sonavane and jackie Shorff at jehangir  art gallery

After completing degree in architecture B.Arch and years of practice in India; her destiny took her to America. Being born in India, a rich cultural heritage had provided her with tremendous inspiration towards painting art. 

During 2014-2016 Shital has explored her two  series of paintings named “Legacy of India” and  "Narayani Bhaava" a female emotion at America. Her motive was to give audience a chance to learn, respond and feel comfortable with self emotions which are deep in everyone's soul. 

Staying in America and understanding all the situations and needs between us and them, Shital felt to initiate her knowledge of art and architecture that is She can do the unification of "Art of Emotion and Heart of Technics" for development of children of our country. So somehow somewhere we can fill the gap of educational upbringing differences between west and us.

Shital’s  dream made her to start an Art centre 

"a creative kuteer" in 2016 where children explore creative ideas. Children being provided an outlet for their emotions through colors,mud,canvases etc. They confidently throw their thoughts to the world and give them knowledge of universe to open up their eternal range living experience.Since last 3 years Shital has trained more than 500 children for creative vision.

Shital is successfully working in interior and architecture projects at her associate office in Banglore “design centre” to bring society close to heritage,art and culture through conceptual designs and execution. 

Shital,as a creative leader and columnist is expressing her thoughts on “Kala,Culture and Mind” at Lokmat Times every week. 

A true champion of women empowerment who has been recognised with out-of-box concepts and creative executions,Shital has often cited as an example of hard work and knowledge

Show Modarator by Heen SK and Artist Shieital Sonawane _ JAG -Kala Ghoda

"Chitra-Reshha"  exhibition by Shieital Sonawane - Ugale Artist Architect

Date: 21st August to 27th 2023

Time: 11am to 7pm

•Modarator by Heena SK 

• Instagram: @chitrareshha 

Jehangir Art gallery, 161B, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001, India.