Exhibitions at Jehangir – Week 46 of 2023

November 18, 2023

Installation view: 'Through the Radiance' by Amol Palekar

Mumbai – 17^th November 2023

Week 46 of 2023: 14^th – 20^th Nov 2023

The exhibition plan at Jehangir Art Gallery this week has a lineup of seven new solo shows, with a rich and diverse bouquet of paintings, sculptures and photographs. The artists are from diverse locations of Pune, Kolkata, Rajasthan, Mumbai, and UK each one representing their own diverse styles and themes in their artistic expressions. Here is a brief on of all these captivating shows.

Auditorium Hall

‘Through the Radiance’ – A Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Amol Palekar

Through this show aptly titled ‘…Through the Radiance’, veteran Actor – Director Amol Palekar presents his abstract creations on canvas made during the pandemic lockdown. Majority of the canvases used are black, resonating with the mental frame during that dark period, while the colourful strokes give out the radiance of bright creative energy, giving out a powerful message to overcome the gloomy fog of grief and embrace the new future. A Fine Art graduate from Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai, Palekar has started his new inning in the creative pursuit through this series. He has pledged some of these paintings for various social causes.

Apart from the two dimensional canvas and canvas boards, the artist has experimented with another idea which brings out the colourful radiance into a three dimensional format. Traditionally known as ‘Kavad’, it is a wooden structure akin to a cupboard with two doors which is a traditional story – telling format. Every surface of it is painted over and together all those painted surfaces can be folded or unfolded into numerous three dimensional formations that generate endless possibilities of vivid visual experiences. Writer – Director Sandhya Gokhale beautifully captures this experience in her curatorial note as ‘One can experience seeing thoughts pass by through the hidden surfaces.’

Exhibition Gallery 1

‘Elucidating the Obscure’ – A Solo Exhibition of Sculptures by Sandip Chakraborty

Sandip Chakraborty is practicing sculptor and pedagogue, focusing on refinement of sculptural forms and idioms for more than three decades. He is currently the Head of the Department of Sculpture at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. He has had several solo shows and is considered one of the foremost artist engaged in public sculptures in portraits and statues.

The works of Sandip Chakraborty are manifestations of a meditative process on one hand and on the other involves the romantic idea of ‘I feel, therefore I am’. Quintessentially a sculptor, he endeavors to take a deep dive into the ‘essential form’. A variety of motifs including the human forms, bird, animals appear in his sculptures which are resultant of this quest which begins with conceiving forms as a realist and then exploring the essential form through the act of internalization.

Exhibition Gallery 2

‘Virasat’ – A Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Vijay Joshi

Vijay Joshi is an artist from Shahpura, committed to Phad painting, who has earned numerous accolades including National Merit Award, Fellowship and State Bronze Medal from Govt of Rajasthan. He is son of Renowned National Awardee Phad Artist Shanti Lal Joshi. Phad painting is a traditional art form that originated in the district of Shahpura, Rajasthan in India dating back to 700 years ago.

Phad paintings are living narratives painted on long rectangular cloth canvases measuring upto 6 meters and one and a half meters wide. They have been cherished ‘Bhopas’, the wandering bards of Rajasthan as backdrops while they engage the audiences in lyrical renditions of legendary heroes. This show titled ‘Virasat’ is a continuum of Shahpura’s Phad artistry to offer glimpses of this rich cultural tapestry, where art and storytelling blends seamlessly.

Exhibition Gallery 3

‘Aaradhya – the Deity’ – A Solo Exhibition of Paintings and Sculptures by Omswami

Omswami is a Mumbai based self-taught artist is presenting his debut show in Mumbai. Through this show, the artist explores the infinite possibilities of abstract forms of Ganesha in his paintings and sculptures. He gets inspiration from his childhood memories of captivating images of Lord Ganesha – the elephant headed deity who is supposed to be the remover of all obstacles and bestow blessings upon the worshippers.

Through years of dedicated efforts and practice, Omswami created his unique style by blending calligraphy of Ganesha Mantras & Shlokas. In this show, he explores Ganesha’s abstract forms coupled with calligraphy in earthy rustic tones inspired by nature, thus reinterpreting Ganesha that evoke deep emotions and spiritual connection. Omswami’s sculptures blend fluidity and geometry while inviting viewers to explore the essence of divinity.

Exhibition Gallery 4

‘Alekhyamangal’ – A Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Siddhartha Sengupta

Siddhartha Sengupta is an eminent painter from West Bengal, with an artistic journey of four decades. He is well known for his paintings of Krishna and Benaras series which he has exhibited widely in India. His canvas is soaked with the light of spiritualism. The soul of his paintings rely upon the true characters of Puranas those who pray for light, knowing that darkness is not the end.

This philosophy of these devotees become the basis of his paintings Through his paintings, Siddhatha Sengupta endeavors to find ‘the face behind the face’ of true Indian culture.

Through this show titled ‘Alekhyamangal’ supported by the RPG Art Foundation, the artist presents his latest series depicting Krishna and other works showcasing creatively presented scenes from the spiritual landscape of India.

Hirji Gallery

‘Matsyangan – Fusion of Realism and Fantasy’ – A Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Chandrashekhar Shravan Kumavat

Chandrashekhar Shravan Kumavat is Pune based artist who has received numerous awards and accolades. Kumavat’s distinctive approach has garnered attention on both national and international stages. His unique artistic style is characterized by a blend of pen strokes, dots, lines, and bold black circles, which delicately weaves a vivid tapestry of visual experiences. Kumavat imparts his knowledge and expertise as a lecturer at Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya in Pune.

In the present show titled ‘Matsyangan’ has the central narrative lies based on the story of ‘Matsyagandha’ and her lover, who is brought to life by the artist through intricate details and a dreamlike backdrop. Kumavat’s mastery lies in striking a harmonious balance between materialism and fantasy, exemplified by the simplicity of his central characters against the backdrop of water ripples and aquatic imagery.

Terrace Gallery

‘I Went Back to See Them’ – Solo Exhibitions of Photographs by Nancee Singh

Nancee Singh is a young artist based in UK, who has devoted her artistic odyssey to the investigation of avant-garde moving images and photography. She has completed BA (Hons) in Fashion Communication from Middlesex University and subsequently Media studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. Nancee believes that every individual composition is an invitation to a lesser-known realm, harbouring a storyline awaiting revelation. This belief takes her onto journeys leading to an extensive array of experiences spanning from the vibrant cultural milieu of Lucknow to the bustling metropolises of London.

‘I went back to see them’ is a photographic and installation series inspired by the Nancee’s experience as a first-generation migrant, of moving ‘away’ from the so-called ‘home’ and the feeling of ‘home’ but is depicted from the perspective of women who reside there. What they are experiencing as the subsequent generations move out to farther places. Hence it focuses on the mental impact of ‘displacement’ on these women and ‘home’ being a complex entanglement of cultural, economic and psychic processes.