Delhi Art Fair at its absurdity best!

A recent visit to India Art Fair in Delhi, observed as India's most prestigious Art Fair in the country known for its class, scale and presentations of its featured artists who participate with various style and genre at the Art Fair aimed for public viewing. The Fair is significant for creating a sense of curiosity for art lovers and artists across the country. It is considered as one of the motivational event for creative brains. However, it was a bit awkward process this year, where one had to go through series of terms and conditions and security protocols issued in an environment of sensitive expression and emotional belief and intimacy. No doubt, it must have been in the keen interest of security, but on slipping in, there was lot more to be sensed than just security rationale.   

New Delhi Entry for New Hope in Art 
( image wikipedia)

Generally, upcoming artists and art lovers come here to witness the salutary creations of established artists and attend discussion and talks about current and feature art works, curatorial projects, collaboration of galleries with artists, art in public spaces and art education and practices. The initiative taken by the galleries and established artists in the country show a keen interest in development of art and education and bringing new dimension and perspective and verticals in academia of visual practices and initiating public forums as well as creative programs to engage art practices within public space. All said and done! Fair enough, witnessed by a few who could trick themselves in the campus of sensitive, sensible and sumptuous creativity zone. 

The basic idea and hopefully if not mistaken, ‘Art Fair’ is organised in park where there are shows and display of artistic fervour and it is entirely aimed at impressing public and art lovers despite of their financial and social status. It is supposed to be free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules. But this Art Fair has totally changed the concept, it has not at all been fair to many and the idiom 'Everything comes at a price", seemed pertinent to the operation of whole affair of the Fair.

The rates of ticket amounting thousands is an expensive matter for the passionate artists and patrons of art coming from far off places to view, admire and learn as as they can from such Fair. But I think a 'Piggy bank' meant to inculcate good habit in children of collecting and saving money, should be followed by these artists and patrons to collect and save money for the upcoming Art Fair, so that they can get the entry, if lucky enough! More than a layman who is supposed to view and develop appreciation for art, one had the feeling that it was a summit of elites. The pompous socialites were the most sought after and heartily welcomed viewers of the Fair. Discussions were nothing but diplomatic views. Established artists forged elements and textures of verbal expression. Obviously ending up as entertainers of numerous platforms with their directorial ideologies and philosophies. Evidently, the neutrality was completely diluted and farce irked the patrons of art. It was clearly an exaltation of delusory beguiling. The spot turned out to be the resource of placid clandestine deal with the certain class of influence. The art lovers and artists from third estates or masses were rare at the scenario as the invitations were restricted to elites only.

India Art Fair- Photo by  Lawande Vinit

This Art Fair failed to establish connection with novice artists and art buffs among masses and that too ironically at the happening taking place at Public Park. This was a grave mistake; very offensive! It has to be given critical importance, because the neglect of masses for classes can affect the future of Art Fair.   

The only rectification for this mistake is that there should be no viewing restrictions and limitations on entry for viewing art works and getting acquainted with established galleries and artists expressing concerns on introducing programs to engage artists and masses into art practice for development of language and vision of art as a representative culture for all, in common interest.

I believe, that if almost all the established artists of today who vocalize their complain about restrictions, permissions and explorations and quest and queries of art when confronted by institutions and galleries, then why do they go mute in case of restrictions, permissions, explorations and quests that pop up at such events held in the name of Fair, for layman, at public spaces?

Do you think : Kabir can go to today's  art fair ??? ( image wikipedia)

Think : Kabira, are the today's Art Fairs for you?
No glamour and bucks to showoff, but only
awareness and distinctive creativity by you!
Save Kabira, save, just for a glance of the proclaimed few,
'cause your presence and intellectual level will be snubbed ,
Evaluating you on basis of  social and economic view.     
 

Introducing new ideas and new visions is easy to express, but the bitter truth is far tasteless in reality. In recent times or until today I have not seen any collaborative projects being introduced in public spaces or in institution by artists or galleries as they are solely for private circulation. To get into the circle one has to count the price and not just calculate on your art or process. Invitations move within certain circles and not in Art Institutions or for young and talented artist waiting eagerly, ready to work.

Artist :Lawande Vinit

Sadly, such organization of programs are not encouraging, instead these seem to be only an encroachment of public parks. Art Fair at Public Park is moving away from its sublime motto of development in spreading art and its processes among society to promote young talent, introducing them to various platforms of development. This very base has been reduced to secondary consideration. Art fervency is chocked in unfavourable, faith-lacking conditions of such events. If the constant rejection and criticism of masses go point-blank, very soon it will jeopardize the manipulative intentions that are gaining preference.  

 Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890)
 ( image wikipedia)

Being global, is the need this age. Unlike Vincent van Gogh, who had only one exhibition in his life time and sold only one painting, now artists have to display their art and make their art known to the world through various mediums and gallaries, so exposure to knowledge and opportunities is a necessity, so there should be no barriers for strugglers, students and patrons on entry and participation in various forums and talks. As a well- wisher and an art patron I feel, it would be the right move if galleries introduce public forums creating opportunities of art, culture and literature in simple and common language for all and must be patient in the process. If such events in interest of public, have to be made a huge success, involvement of art appreciators from among the masses have to be entertained and encouraged.

By Pankaja JK 

in association with Vinit Lawande.

(2016 - No copyright claim of any image by Writer or Artblogazine.com)

send feedback to JK  pankjajk@gmail.com  /  Vinit Lawande : vinit.lawande@gmail.com

Also Read More on New Magazine website :

http://www.artblogazine.in/delhi-art-fair-at-its-absurdity-best/ 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Art Blogazine  and Art Blogazine does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

POSTER OUT / website www.tathipremchand.com / coming soon

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Amrita Sher-Gil- Pride of Indian Art. Born: January 30, 1913 Today is a day of celebration in Art world- birthday

Today is a day of celebration in Art world- birthday of most prominent first Indian woman painter Amrita Sher-Gil. Amrita proved herself when it was not very easy for an Indian woman to project her talents and skills worldwide. Though she had the advantage of her aristocrat heredity and a Hungarian mother. Earlier stages of her short-lived life was spent in Budapest, Hungary. 

Born: January 30, 1913, Budapest, Hungary( image wikipedia)

She did her art schooling in Paris, none of her earlier paintings were close to Indian context, in fact she was influenced by European painters Gaugin such as Paul Cezanne and Paul along with the influence of her teacher Lucien Simon and some of her artists friends and lovers. While in Paris here paintings were westernised and quiet similar to Bohemian style that was a trend in 1930s.  

Group of Three Girls, Oil on canvas, January 1935 ( image NGMA Mumbai)

But her sixth sense always pulled her towards India. She and her husband stayed in Saraya, Gorakhpur. Her touring in India took her to remote places and village life, women plight grabbed her attention. This was the ultimate destination and fervour of Amrita Sher-Gil. Her paintings had a powerful impact like the maestros of Bengal school of art. Her paintings portray plight of Indian women, villages he the raw and remote beauty of India. Her paintings were similar to Bengal School of art maestros such as Rabindranath Tagore and Abanindranath Tagore. Indian tradition was root of her creation and remained lifelong. 

South Indian Villagers Going to Market, 1937.
( image wikipedia)

Amrita Sher-Gil lived in pre-colonial era. Her family was much influenced by British Raj. But she was the supporter of Congress and Gandhiji’s philosophy. The grandeur of her paintings lie in the poverty, downtrodden people and village life that she excellently portrays with her perfect sense of colour. It seems as if she lived their life. The paintings are empathetic. Her feelings for poor rural India. The paintings impressed Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru when he visited her at Saraya, and he proposed to consider them for the Congress propaganda for village reconstruction. 

Portrait of leading leaders
( image google)

During the Independence period many artists used their art for political propaganda. Many were successful and became famous by drawing portrait of leading leaders. Art was instrumental in Indian Independence. But here it is important to note that Amrita Sher-Gil was most influential woman artists equal to men of the time. Earlier she also had the honour of becoming the youngest and only Asian artist to be elected as an Associate of the Grand Salon in Paris. If we calculate her treasure of paintings in commercial terms, then she is one of the most expensive painters of the world. Her life full of affairs and friendship with men and women makes her life look like a story of novel. Other than becoming inspiration for contemporary artists her life and works also influences works of literature like Urdu play ‘Tumhari Amrita’ by Javed Siddiqi, novel ‘Faking It’ by Amrita Chowdhury and so on.

Truly genius!              by Pankaja JK Art Blogazine

(2016 - No copyright claim of any image by Writer or Artblogazine.com)
(2016 - No copyright claim of any image by Writer or Artblogazine.com)

send feedback to JK  pankjajk@gmail.com 

Also Read More on New Magazine website :

http://www.artblogazine.in/amrita-sher-gil-pride-of-indian-art-born-january-30-1913-today-is-a-day-of-celebration-in-art-world-birthday/

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"JITISH KALLAT: Covering Letter " which opens on the 15th of January 2016.

Delighted to begin this year's programming with 

"JITISH KALLAT:

 Covering Letter " which opens on the 15th of January 2016.

Jitish Kallat is at the forefront of India's contemporary art movement and and his work has been shown extensively across India and the world. 

In 'Covering Letter', he uses a piece of historical correspondence - a brief letter written by Gandhi to Hitler in 1939 urging him to reconsider his violent means. 

It is in line with some of his earlier works such as ‘Public Notice’ (2003), 'Public Notice 2' (2007), and 'Public Notice 3' (2010) where a historic speech becomes a device for contemplation.

The exhibition is part of the JNAF and the CSMVS'  efforts to engage more actively with practitioners of modern and contemporary art and provide audiences an opportunity to engage with their work. 

Please join us for the opening at 6pm at the Jehangir Nicholson Gallery, CSMVS, and thereafter to a conversation between Homi Bhabha and Jitish Kallat at the Museum Lawns.  

Perceptive Recitals : 'Recite a poetry and it hums within the space.'

Perceptive Recitals is a connotation attributed to the collective emergence by artists who have similar artistic socio-cultural background. The sensibilities, that enrich and nurture them, runs parallel resulting in the development of coherent expressions.

Participating Artists: Urvi Chheda, Henal Visaria, Swapnil Godase and  Hetal Shah atArt Gate Gallery, Churchgate, Mumbai. .

The artists bring forth holistic approaches of art devoid of political digressions in their contexts. The artworks reflect the processual features of present and attempt in projecting the virtues of enlivening the moment and exploring the wider aspects of sustenance.

Henal Visaria | Warrior | Concrete and Metal | 24 in

Henal Visaria, graduate from Sir J J School of Art, from the department of Sculpture in 2010, exchanges her role from being a sincere home-maker to a sculptor and deals with mediums that are painstaking and timely that evolves her patience as well as forte. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Mumbai and her artworks are owned by multiple private collectors. Henal continues practice at her studio in the suburb of Borivli, Mumbai. Artist through her sculptural attribution is in the attempting status to withdraw the inner chaos that governs the populace of the present culture.

Swapnil Godase | Emotion | Stainless steel, Mild steel and Brass | 48 in

Swapnil Godase, graduate from Sir J J School of Art in 2010 and an ardent art practitioner jostles his time from setting up large murals to pondering over his personal aesthetic expressions. Adept in metals of Copper, Brass, Mild steel, Stainless steel, etc., he has emerged expertise in building large sized murals at numerous residential and commercial spaces as well as his artworks have become part of many collections. Swapnil Godase assisted by his co-workers practices in a large and active studio space at hustling and buzzing locality of Reay road, Mumbai. The exchange of the contradictory virtues of the besetting surrounding and its play amongst individuals is projected in the huge metal welded portraits structured by the artist.

Rutwika Sawant | Untitled | Acrylic on Canvas

Rutwika Sawant, graduate from L S Raheja School of Art in 2010, delves with great patience as well as perseverance with the subjects she carves onto her canvas. . She has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Mumbai. Rutwika continues to practice at her space in suburb of Dahisar, Mumbai. Spontaneity and the significance of presence acts as strength, for her, to release the tacit movements of conscience. Playing with same concepts she fiddles with her mediums to develop an abstract language of flat width of colour washes on her canvasses.

Hetal Shah | Untitled |Acrylic on Canvas

Hetal Shah, a Graduate Diploma holder from L S Raheja School of Art, Mumbai and Masters in Indology from Tilak Vidyapeeth, Pune, has participated in varied group exhibitions across galleries in Mumbai like Artist Centre, Jehangir Art Gallery and Pradarshak Art Gallery. Switching her roles from being a sincere spouse to a disciplined teacher at NES National Public School (Mumbai), to a bright painter, she squeezes out space and time to regularly paint her canvases and create her world of imagery by dispensing colorful palettes of fluorescent thoughts. Hetal lives and practices in the suburban city of Dombivli, Mumbai. The paintings exhibit a wide spectrum of emotions of hope, love, relief, courage, contentment, relaxation, excitement etc. The artist does not part from what she expresses; she asserts being in oneness with her artworks. 

Deepali Raiththa | Blue Journey | Performance

Deepali Raiththa, graduate from Sir J J School of Art, majoring in Interior Design in 2010 is an optimist by her attitude and brims with zeal to perform and conclude her tasks. On the same grounds of reason, she pursued Post Baccalaureate in Visual Art during 2014-15, from San Francisco Institute of Art, CA, USA, exploring multifarious genres and exclusively developing interest in Performance Art. Execution of fourteen residential sites and numerous commercial spaces in Gujarat and Mumbai to her name through carrying forth her as Freelance professional, Deepali practices at her studio in Vapi, Gujarat. Through her performances and video installation , she is in the process to experience the momentary phenomena that is constantly changing.

Urvi Chheda | Untitled | Poly-urethane coating on Mild Steel | 24 x 23 x 13 in

Urvi Chheda graduate from Sir J J School of Art in 2010 in Metal Work, combines her schedule of research to her expression of sculptural installations. Interested avidly in history and research she has pursued Certificate course in Indian Aesthetics, Ancient Indian Arts and Sciences as well as Post Graduate Diploma in Comparative Mythology from University of Mumbai. Urvi practises at her space in the remote suburb of Nallasopara, Mumbai. Probing deeper in the mediums that the artist grasped from her learning   of  restoration, she fiddles with varied organic as well as inorganic material to emerge with sculptural practices that reverberate with the concepts that are innately relevant to life, living and the cohesion of matrix that conjoins them.

Perceptive Recitals, reflecting on the same grounds, brings forth paintings, sculptures as well as a performance that meanders in the region of 'now' and spontaneity with vigour and zeal. 

 by Urvi Chheda

The exhibition continues from 7th to 13th January at ArtGate Gallery, Churchgate, Mumbai.

Art Gate Gallery- 1st Floor (above Satyam Collection) Chheda Sadan 115, J Tata Road Churchgate Mumbai, India 

“THE SEMPITERNALS” Celebrating creative bizarre in the time of economic slowdown

The very word sempiternal, which is a synonym of the term ‘eternal’ in a more contemporary and earthbound way in www.vocabulary.com, would be apt adjective for the artists of today who still dare to show their creations on a creative carnival as such despite the onslaught of ongoing economic slowdown. A serious question arises here that if the issue of economic slowdown cannot be taken easy in the context of marketing any product of everyday commodity then why it shouldn’t be a serious issue in art and a crucial concern for the art critics too whose role as salvager is of course expected in this difficult time when art ultimately as an aesthetic commodity suffers setback; because a friend in need is friend in deed. 

 “THE SEMPITERNALS” Group of artist at Art Gate Gallery in Mumbai-2015 

The present show “The Sempiternals” is to earmark the spontaneous stubbornness of today’s artists who with their bizarre grey-cell under the very constancy of art as a phenomenon of creative catalyst through the intermittent reactivity of mundane activity, takes up the charge of their self promotion on event of virtual divorce between art and its critics. And that is to commemorate artists’ very eternity in creating despite the gravest odds like existing commercial lows of art market and apprehensive promoters. By now we are aware that autonomy of the flux of art is like autonomy of natural blow of wind; both art and wind cannot be ceased by any consequential force; as both will find its lee-way in one way or other . This show is to celebrate the creative autonomy of today’s artists too who by their own right of karma and by the boon of post-modernism are enlightened enough to know that it is utter foolishness to wait for the art critics to born and show them the way in difficult time as such whereas today’s artists are the critics themselves. Thus they pave their own way to their destiny and the time conspires for their success. Down the ages artists as sempiternal existence have been witnessing intermittent manifestations caused by the changing time and space.

This Group Show is a confluence of seven such artists and erstwhile alter ego who despite their diverse hues of thought process meet to witness the present time offer here a spectacular rainbow of their creations. The result of their perennial witnessing is unusual of the usual, conspicuous from the common and bizarre of the mundane to be relished by the valued admirers. 

Artist Girdhar Gawda with Art lover at Art Gate Gallery- 2015

Girdhar Gawda is an epitome of balance between adoration of cultural tradition and sieved response to dubious novelty of the mundane as with his minimal colour yet deft lines if on the one hand he draws contemplation towards creative grandeur of Indian miniature painting while he withstands the blind emulations to visual influences on the other. 

Recent work  by Artist Girdhar Gawda at Art Gate Gallery- 2015

The very inspiring intricacy and depth in the medium and process of miniature painting had led him to the very roots of cultural ethos of Indian Miniature Paintings that transformed him permanently to devote himself to redefine its style as substance. The arresting compositions of his paintings themselves are self explanatory of why he has developed an immense interest in stories, poems, socio-cultural phrases and historical legends right from his childhood. The elated novelty of spatial dynamics of his pictures don’t lie for his approach towards those historical legends not as religious, superstitious stories but as priceless epics and a treasure house of wisdom.

Recent work by Manoj S Art Gate Gallery- Mumbai

When it comes to another dimension, art of Manoj S. manifests it in rather abstract manner. Manoj, in his sculptures, adroitly blends wood, stone and metal with an semi-abstract dialogue through their obdurateness and softness corresponding to exploration of volume, shape, mass and form. The culmination of all that is a fine visual statement about growth; germination of nature is quintessential of Manoj’s art and sensuous energy is the forerunning pun of his language. Manoj’s art is précis of inseparability of abstract from concrete manifesting the ‘abstract’ semantic of ‘representation’. A remarkable note that one might not ignore to make about his expression is that it is one of the best examples of visual dictions in sculptural abstract minimalism as in response to the ever growing cacophony and verbose of the today’s narration-savvy world. 

Recent work by Ramesh Kandagiri from New Delhi

Then the existence of energy takes rather cosmic action in Ramesh Kandagiri’s acrylic on multiple layer of rice paper pasted on canvas as according to him he paints the ‘act of experiencing’ of existence to an extent where both the ‘experience-r’ and ‘experienced’ are lost. For him abstraction doesn’t mean ‘no real’ or ‘devoid of representational forms’ but it means ‘more real’ rather…to the extent of ‘para-real’ which means intuitive ‘empirico-transcendental’ understanding of deeper realism beneath the surface towards the occult or the atomic element even. Ramesh sets himself to his self imposed voyage of revisiting abstraction in an equanimous zone in his own ‘innermost self’ between his own pulse and impulse as liberated from all established notions of abstraction. Ramesh’s uncanny pictorial space is not an embellished surface of a closed plane but ‘act of experiencing’ of infinite cosmic space rather with unpredictable momentum of energies which he attains through transcendental meditation on the ‘occurring in the instant’ during the conjunction of idea and medium. Here is where this Zen practitioner believes the ‘innermost self’ of an artist is transformed. 

Recent work by Rajasekhar Pendurthi

Rajasekhar P. is a brilliant example of how a positive time-travel towards an artist’s nostalgia can endow both essence and element to his thought and expression. Thus became the memoirs of Rajshekhar’s childhood his source of inspiration. His figures, be it men celebrating ‘cock-fight’, an introvert adolescent deeply engrossed in his thoughts, an old women vending fishes or three fishermen at work, apart from declaring his unparalleled territory of skills in rendering the corporeal reality yet humbly establishes the diligent care in handling his medium which ultimately is his personality trait. One will not disagree with the fact that the meticulous vision of the backdrop of his subjects plays a surrealistic role for his realistic figures; perhaps this is an open secret and strong undercurrent inherent in this silent visual narrator that alarm with premonition a breathtaking range of oeuvre might be released by his adroit hands in future. 

Recent work by Sandhya Shankar Patnaik

Sandhya explores her ‘feminine self’ through coeval incarnation in many individuals while sensuality becomes salient trait in terms of lucid chromatics as the metaphor of feminine grace as if being thawed up through chilly predicaments of feminine social identity. Thus her bright canvases speak about her elated self and her vivacious returns to her surroundings. She has a flair of exploiting the chromatic greys in combination with various chromatic hues to evince typical tenderness through meticulous colour texture; the calm process of doing this is typical of feminine resplendence. Sandhya’s compositions are though innocently simple however tickles deeper sensibilities. The human figures in her compositions whether it is a sitting sensuous-shy lassie, lovers in amorous state or a flamboyant next door damsel all seem to be delving into deep self absorption endeavouring to locate the self in various individuals.

Recent work by Karaka Venkat Rao

Venkat Rao’s pragmatic concerns about social life have inspired him to react to the environmental disasters caused by very human follies as he playfully draws his satire on the ongoing blind stylization of life with reference to techno-modernism. Venkat’s angst reaction to the human’s savage flaws has miraculously transformed his form into gargoyles; partly human and partly animal form. But his compassionate concerns to human have flipped his verdict on them turning them into gorgeous gargoyles rather; just unlike the Gothic horrific gargoyles. Metaphorically as if this compassionate artist has pardoned even their fatal flaws. However, well justified is his this conditional pardon with a lesser punishment to his gorgeous gargoyles that despite being sculptures they are positioned in a confined space; this is perhaps metaphorical of metropolitan human’s convoluted life. Often Venkat prefers arranging his sculptures even with no pedestals which certainly is intentional in order to share the viewer’s space. Thus a close relation is established between the sculptures and the viewers’ life. He uses materials like bamboo, paper, resin and fabric to construct his sculptures. Most interestingly he paints the sculpture giving it a semi-realistic appearance. But most of his methods can be viewed as an influence of sculptural forms of traditional Temple craft of Andhra Pradesh.

Rcent works by Vasant K. Velapuri

Vasant K. Velapuri’s sculptures depicts his journey towards himself; his struggle to realize the omnipresent within himself. Devotional path to self realization has influenced him and his sculptures. Experiments with various shapes and forms helped him depict the spiritual introspection and relate himself to the real by deviating from the unreal. The real-unreal dichotomy is so conspicuous in his sculptural assemblages as he juxtaposes the meticulously handled real-unreal form with day-to-day real devotional commodity. However his real-unreal dichotomy, which though has a devotional flavour yet projects arrestingly occult form, thus displays a spiritual-religious narrative often with portrait of sadhus (sages) in deep self absorbed trance. These creative bizarre collectively admit that if only art is ceased by an economic slowdown then it is not art but something else and not at all autonomous. Thus it is established that autonomy of art endows spontaneity to artists with a reward of position as “The Sempiternals”. 

By Artist Ramesh Kandagiri


Exhibition details: 23rd to 29th Dec 2015-11am to 7 pm

Art Gate Gallery- 1st Floor (above Satyam Collection) Chheda Sadan 115, J Tata Road Churchgate Mumbai, India 

Hema, may your soul rest in peace. We shall miss you deeply.

Hema, may your soul rest in peace. We shall miss you deeply.

( copyright©anne maniglier)

When we take leave, I feel that the dialogue reverberating in the air, “Raj, naam to suna hoga.” - by JohnyML

Sitting at the large window sill that brings February’s cool sunlight and air into his spacious studio at Akurli Om buildings near the Lokhandwala complex in Mumbai, artist Raj More looks at the sprawling slum below him. Named Kranti Nagar (Township of Revolution), the matchbox like concrete and tin structures spread all over with a peculiar order in its apparent chaos and end up at the foot of a hill which has a forest cover lining the adjoining reserved forest called Sanjay Park. Raj points at the pale brown hutments at the edge of the hill and tells us, myself and my fellow traveller, that though those dwellings look closer in fact they are located quite far. “There is no electricity and no water supply there. Life out there is an ongoing fight against the odds. Yet, children from those slum clusters come to the school below here and occasionally I work with them,” Raj says. “People from my clan are also there in Kranti Nagar,” he continues, “and I go there often, meeting people, participating in community activities and even giving some art lessons to the young people.” Raj seems to be quite earnest in his acts. Does he do this because he has got his clansmen living there? “No,” says Raj emphatically. “I do it because these slum clusters reminds me about my own past life in this big city called Mumbai and it tells me about the indomitable spirit of human beings not only to struggle and survive but also to win and live a life of their own.” True to his words, Raj is one of the rare painters of Mumbai’s life, its people and all what makes Mumbai the maximum city.

Artist : Raj More

Raj More is a well known artist and his fame is heavily depended on his perennial interest in the chosen city of his life, Mumbai. Television channels and newspapers have featured Raj for his ‘Mumbai’ works. His face is familiar even to the ordinary public in Mumbai because he gets featured in the page three columns of newspapers whenever he attends an art do in the city. Raj is stylish in a very peculiar sense; his style, the curly mop that he has and the tough dark complexion give him the charm of the black singer James Brown. Closer to home, he looks more like a serious version of the Bollywood comedian, Johny Lever. The name Johny seems to be his lucky charm as the major liquor brand Johnnie Walker recently featured him in their short film series that highlight ‘inspiration’. Fame has not touched his core leaving him tipsy and making him forget his roots. Calling himself an ‘accidental artist’, Raj too had his share of slum life where once he had lived and worked in an one room tenement. “You can take slum life in two ways; one, you could take it as a breeding ground for your future thoughts. Two, you can get steeled by the circumstances and become one of the slum dwellers. I was lucky to bring the essence of dreaming and toughening in the right proportions in my life. Today, when I look at the slum clusters from here, from this vantage point, I feel the same energy of survival. I do not regret having gone through that experience,” muses Raj.

Artist Raj More and Johny ML from New Delhi

“Raj, naam to suna hoga’ (Raj, you might have heard of my name)- this is one famous dialogue that most of the Shah Rukh Khan characters speak as an introduction to his love interest in many of his early movies. The name Raj is self referential. Raj is king. Raj is one who is born to win and rule. So the name, when it comes to a Khan character, is a metaphor. Our Raj, Raj More too had come to Mumbai to become a film personality. In fact his destination was not Mumbai. It was Pune. After his school education he managed to escape from his town Akola in Vidarbha district in Maharashtra, where he had a comfortable life in a well to do family. His mind was not in academics and he had the ability to draw. More than drawing he had the ability to mimic and act. Pune was the nearest destination where he thought he could nourish his big screen dreams by joining the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). In Pune he worked with theatre groups and earned his name as an actor and team leader. But the FTII dream was not becoming true. Nothing to hold him back, Raj reached Mumbai and tried to join the film industry. It was then someone advised him to join Sir.J.J.School of Art to pursue a degree in fine arts. Raj did not want to become a ‘painter’ as he knew how to paint and working with technicians in the film industry painting sets had become a play for him. He wanted to learn visual communications and he obtained admission in Applied Arts at JJ School of Arts. But in the Applied Art department he was more like a painter and with the unfulfilled desire to join FTII in mind he took photography as an optional subject. To cut the long story short, Raj did not get admission at the cinematography department of FTII. This was a turning point in his life. He now wanted to devote all his time to paint.

Art Writer :Johny ML from New Delhi

As a student Raj was a nonconformist. When J.J. School was all out there to support abstraction in art, Raj decided to stick to the figurative genre. He thought that abstract art was a sort of eye fooling and texture making than making real sense to the artist or to the viewers. But then he understood abstraction as the essence of things and he felt that even in the figurative work there is a tremendous sense of abstraction. It was then he started loading his brushes with colours. He was not looking for a clean and shiny painterly surface. He wanted to build the surface of a painting layer by layer. Soon he found his tool too; the palette knife. He started working like a mason, making brick like layers on the canvases though due to the pressures of the then existing market (and fast moving market) Raj was painting the conventional subjects; Buddhas, Hanumans, Lotuses and so on. A solo exhibition in 1999 at Jehangir Art Gallery, immediately after his graduation, was a super success. Suddenly a new artist was born in Mumbai’s art market. Everyone wanted a Raj canvas but the artist was not ready to go by the demand. The growing dissatisfaction with his own art language, especially the themes, sharp criticism from the peer group and an energetic art scene spearheaded by seniors like Bose Krishnamachari, Jitish Kallat and so on, helped Raj to evolve as an artist with a larger mission and a sharper focus. Mumbai became his pet theme, slowly but steadily.

“I am a Maharashtrian but I could not have called myself a Mumbaikar at that time,” remembers Raj. Negotiating Mumbai, the maximum city with minimum material circumstances for him, was excruciatingly painful for him. “Anyone would have fallen either for lobbying or bootlicking. I did not follow the suit. I just kept on working against all odds. People started recognizing my works slowly for their textural values and then slowly for their thematic orientation. Mumbai had already started enchanting me. I had fallen in love with Mumbai.” Raj started working with Mumbai images in an effort to understand the city and its people. Architectures, BEST buses, taxis, local trains and landmarks were the first images that came to him as dominant features of the city. He started bringing all these images as reflections. Sometimes these images are autonomous in his works and at other times they are interdependent. A BEST bus could reflect a commemorative statue and the heritage architecture while a car wind screen could become a ‘window’ to see the city through. Raj’s obsession with the city went further to a metaphorical level where he started viewing the city as a bull; charging down to attack. It could be his reflection on the sheer energy of the city of Mumbai or even he could be metaphorically speaking about the bullish run of the stock market. But soon we see his bull images wearing dark shades or cooling glasses. These glasses started reflecting the city and its peculiar visual emblems. Then came the helmeted head where the identity of the rider is obfuscated with the city reflecting on the helmet.

Raj More at LokhandWala Township Kandivali(EAST) MUMBAI.

These paintings are mostly red, black, blue and yellow in colour. One cannot say that Raj’s works have cool colours. They are all hot colours and highlight the sanguine nature of the city. The loaded strokes literally weigh the works and we could see the architectural features merging into a sort of abstraction in his works. These works could be called odes to the city of Mumbai. And each loaded stroke could also be seen as the building blocks of the same city. And if one tries to break it down to the constituent part of this city, one would reach a single slum cluster from which the city has metastasised into innumerable edifices and verities. Mumbai cannot be Mumbai if one avoids the cultural narratives created by the Bollywood movies. Raj pays tribute to this aspect of the dream city by painting eternally remembered scenes from cult movies and also by painting the images of the super heroes and heroines from various periods of India’s film history. Sometimes they are dominant in the pictorial frames and some other times they are seen reflected on the other emblems of Mumbai. In yet another manifestation they are seen submerged in other multiple layers of paints. Raj, like this also has paid rich tribute to Delhi also in his solo show titled ‘C for Delhi’ though his first and foremost love remains to be the city of Mumbai.

In his studio one comes across a huge painting with a crowned crow as the iconic central imagery. The background is created by thick strokes of red in a symphonic pattern. A closer look reveals that the colour patches are nothing but the miniature version of the slum clusters that he sees everyday through the window of his studio. “Crow is a survivor and also a cleaner. Sometimes I feel that human beings in this city fringe are like crows; they clean the city and survive.” Raj cannot just get over with the slum clusters. “They are not my reality anymore. But they are there always as a reminder. They for me look like memento mori,” confides Raj. At the other end of the studio one could see an old Godrej Shelf. A second look tells you that it is a painted shelf. The olive green sheen is partly fading and the stickers on it are quite telling. Each sticker on the shelf speaks of the political and aesthetical choices of the owner. “It is one thing that every slum dweller wants to possess. You go to any slum house, you will see a shelf like this,” says Raj. Therefore, this shelf, in Raj’s works become an icon; an icon that the people there worship as the central image of their belief in life.

Raj does not work with any particular gallery. Nor does he approve of the kind of hierarchical structure that exists today in the gallery system. Many well meaning collectors and curators have helped Raj to build up his career successfully. He fondly remembers the names of Nisha Jhamwal, Yash Birla, Niyatee Shinde and so on for supporting him during the formative years of his career. In Delhi Ibrahim Alkazi helped him to root. United Art Fair One and Two directed by this writer and Peter Nagy respectively consolidated his position in Delhi further and today there are many collectors for his works and Rohit Gandhi of Palette Gallery is a promoter of Raj’s works. International fame came in form of the Best Asian Art Award in 2010. It was just a fun application for Raj and even he had forgotten he had applied for it. He was adjudged as the best Asian Artist by EM Gallery in Korea and ever since Korea is a second art home for Raj. In 2012, he received the National Award by the Central Lalit Kala Akademy.

  Israeli curator Ya'akov McMillan and Raj More in Mumbai 

What happened to his ambitions for big screen? Yes, Raj has not forgotten it. He is already on his way to make his first short film. He himself has written the script and soon the shooting will start. As Raj seems to be reluctant to divulge further details of this film, I choose not to press on. Raj, however does not want to wear too many hats. “I want to be known for my works and through my works. There is no artistic self separated from my works,” he asserts. He is critical of the ongoing art scene in India. “There are coteries everywhere. Young artists lose out not because of these coteries but because they themselves become the worshippers of these coteries. One has to find one’s own path but unfortunately many are not doing it,” Raj opines. He says that he could become an abstract artist at any time now, but he is seriously critical about the kind of abstract art that our artists are doing these days. “I would call them seasonal abstract artists. The present flavour is V.S.Gaitonde. Everyone wants to do a Gaitonde act. But he has done his work and gone. Why can’t we think about our own abstract art?” asks Raj. A floor down in the same building, Raj has a spacious house where he lives with his wife Sangeeta More and two children, Lucky and Krish. Sangeeta does a lot of bag designs and decorative works and she has established a business platform for herself with her friends from the same building. When we take leave, I feel that the dialogue reverberating in the air, “Raj, naam to suna hoga.” 

by Johny ML