June 21, On This Day Queen Victoria reigned over the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 20, 1837 (shortly after she turned 18) until her death in 1901. This 63-year-long Victorian era was longer than that of any previous British monarch and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire...
The emotions of togetherness, loneliness, trust, endurance and love are depicted in the works of artist Rashmita Kanojia, and the realities of the ongoing pandemic inform her creative efforts of the moment. This reflective woodcut oeuvre, ‘Silent Conversations’ showcases a pandemic reality, wherein distancing is a truth often ignored, even as humans in the rat...
Artist Pallav Chander professes that he likes to “observe society’s quirks in abstraction”. Rendered via mixed media on paper, this artwork of his — ‘Untitled 7’ — is a flash of abstract expressionism with an incredible eye for colour, clarity and chaos, all distilled into one space. Using warm fuchsia pink juxtaposed with scribblage of...
There’s a bold vibrancy and sureness that seeps into the Expressionist strokes expertly rendered by Ramesh Garawad, such as in this ‘Untitled’ piece of oil on canvas. We see scarlet hues stand out from a muddy, non-descript brown background, as if clearly symbolising the earth. The shades of red blossom from germinating seed into dense...
‘No Need To Think For Me’: The title of this art work is both starkly clear and literally emblazoned across the canvas, manifested by using watercolor and fabric on paper. Artist Sonali Laha, who produces some fine self portraiture, depicts a strong female voice via this piece, which showcases a somber young woman’s face blending...
Rendered using mix media on paper, this artwork titled ‘Life is a game III’ by artist Vitesh Naik depicts a conservatively and sophisticatedly dressed man, heavily caricatured, performing what looks like sleight of hand with two deeply symbolic playing cards — the much coveted King of Diamonds, and The Joker of the pack. The risky...
Revisiting Memories (watercolour and ink on paper, 36X48 inch) by Pratap Ranna This work by Pratap Manna is an expression of how memories function. He works in charcoal, ink and watercolours mostly. He brings a multi-layered world before you. He believes that reality as you observe it comes to you in many images. He juxtaposes...
While it may appear to just depict an unattended pile of junk in sepia tones, the artistry of this artwork rendered in etching — aptly titled Shukrawari — shines through in its fine detailing and the inevitable pull to symbolic nostalgia. Artist Keerti Pooja professes to a fascination with the processes underlying bazaars, and the...
Intriguing and somewhat preternatural, Open Window was created using mix media on paper, and is awash with the bold charms of red and black mingling into shadows and dim lighting. Artist Arup Naskar often explores how loneliness is a reminder of a loved one’s existence, to which the figure in this artwork is perhaps an...
Artist Vasavi Medisetty manifests snapshots of routine life from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, capturing the beauty of human existence in unexpectedly stark ways. In Raagi Sangati, we see a depiction of unassuming, essential diet of finger millet, rice and water blended to make dough balls, served with piquant greens and other sides in a quintessential, humble...