Abirpothi

Iftikar Ahmed

Iftikar Ahmed is a New Delhi-based art writer & researcher.

The History of Fan Art?

Two superheroes in vibrant red and black costumes sitting on a wooden boat in a serene turquoise lagoon, surrounded by lush palm trees and overwater bungalows in the background, exuding a fun and adventurous vibe.

Fan art is a curious thing, a sign of fans’ limitless creativity and unending desire to pay tribute to their beloved characters, stories or public figures, sometimes with amazing talent and other times with a “well, they tried” energy. But where does the charming cocktail of admiration and artistic fervour come from? Spoiler alert: fan […]

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Manish Solanki Revives Nostalgia Through His Artistic Tribute to Traditional Games

A painting of a boy sitting on a textured ground, holding a wooden stick, with a background of abstract yellow and gray patterns and minimalist geometric shapes.

It is a deep desire to create art that does not just punctuate gallery walls, but that evokes a visceral emotional and cultural response that is the axis upon which Manish Solanki’s artistic journey intersecting these two distinct realms pivots. Based out of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Solanki derives inspiration from childhood games, a common thread that

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Why Is Western Art Defined by “Isms” While Indian Art Is Rooted in Regions and Traditions?

A composite image featuring vibrant traditional Indian artwork depicting Krishna playing the flute alongside mythological figures, juxtaposed with a classical European painting of Jesus surrounded by disciples, showcasing diverse artistic styles and cultural storytelling.

Introduction Art mirrors society, with its cultural, historical and philosophical underpinning. One of the organising principles of Western art history has been the categorisation of the development of the arts into movements or “isms” such as Impressionism, Cubism and Surrealism, which represent identifiable styles, philosophies, and historical phases. Indian art, by contrast, is usually named

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How Does Aryan Nandakishor Patil’s Art Explore the Connection Between Dwarf Figures in Indian Temples and Social Inequality?

A sculpture by Aryan Nandakishor Patil featuring a red, dripping figure seated on a traditional base, juxtaposed with a black-and-white portrait of the artist standing amidst a bamboo structure.

Aryan Nandakishor Patil is an artist whose practice dug deep into the rough soil of our social issues rooted in labor rights and social inequality somewhere out of Indian traditional temple architecture. His inspiration also comes from the dwarf figures often represented in Indian temples that are depicted as holding beams, platforms, etc. Although these

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How The Lonely City Misses the Mark on Artistic Motivation

The Lonely City by Olivia Laing is an exploration of loneliness in the modern city, and the connection between solitude and creativity through the lens of iconic artists like Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, David Wojnarowicz (and Nan Goldin), Henry Darger, Vivian Maier, Klaus Nomi, Josh Harris and Zoe Leonard. She explores Edward Hopper in the

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Why Hyperrealism Isn’t Dead: Reflections on Parag Sonarghare’s Art

When pretty much every thing in the world today seemed possible with AI, internet, and cameras ever cheaper, one may wonder the point of creating images by hand; particularly hyperrealistic paintings. Why paint what you can photograph with someone quickly? These questions quickly faded when I found the work of Parag Sonarghare and suddenly, it

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Caged in Fear or Facing the Moment of Truth? The Art World Responds to Trump’s Election Victory

Donald Trump has officially won the recent elections and is set to become the next President of America — leaving many sectors in their wake including that of art. His presidency has been hotly debated for the past four years by artists, collectors and critics — his return seems set to reignite those often fiery

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