Emami Art presents Bhu - Tatva / भू – तत्व: Elements of Earth

Tsuktiben Jamir

Emami Art, a contemporary art gallery in the city of joy, Kolkata is showing an exhibition titled ” Bhū-Tatva / -: Elements of Earth”, one of their most recent shows. Started on 24^th February, 2023, the exhibition will continue till the 15^th of April. This exhibition features ceramic pieces by numerous modern artists who used their art to investigate the topic of the earth’s components. This is Emami Art’s second edition of the contemporary ceramics exhibition in collaboration with Falguni Bhatt and the show addresses the fundamental qualities of the material and acknowledges ceramic art’s recent renaissance.

This exhibition will showcase works of 13 talented contemporary artists from India as well as from outside the country: artists like Anju Paliwal, Falguni Bhatt, Graham Hay, Khanjan Dalal, Mudita Bhandari, Neha Gawand Pullarwar, P R Daroz, Rakhee Kane, Sarban Chowdhury, Shilpi Sharma, Shitanshu Maurya, Souvik Das and Vipul Kumar will be gracing the exhibition through their unique and thought-provoking works.

The term Bhū is connected to the beginning of the universe; the Pūrana, an epic poem that describes the cosmogony, relates the breaking of the Anda (the primal egg or seed) and the birth of the sound Bhū. One of the 53 synonyms for Dharani (earth), Deśa (country), and Bhūmi, it also refers to the earth (land). The word ‘Tatva’ stands for the five basic components that make up the human body: earth, water, fire, air, and sky. Each Tatva has related symbols, colours, and chakras attached to it. Accordingly, the exhibit’s artworks examined a range of the earth’s elemental themes, including its physical characteristics, its significance in diverse civilizations, and its effects on human existence. Several of the works emphasised sustainability and the need to save the planet’s natural resources, while others looked at how people and the environment interact.

‘Chimera II’ by Anju Paliwal
Courtesy: Emami Art

“My recent series of work is based in the hybrid forms; forms that are a mix of human, animal or bird parts. We have lots of references to hybrid forms in our mythological stories. I am taking references from our heritage and trying to create contemporary forms. The drawings on the work are inspired by the Gond style of painting and forms are chosen very carefully and I am trying to create the balance between the traditional and the contemporary,” said Anju Paliwal who is one among the Abir artists.

Souvik Das, another Abir artist who will be showcasing his work at the exhibition said, “The name of my work is ‘Resurrection’ and I have used broken and discarded parts of architecture and given them new life in a different form, shape and aesthetic, while also adding some colour; through this, I wanted to bring life to broken parts and portray the beauty they still hold. In another piece, which is a bird-eye-view of an island, I have experimented with the colour green and this is the first time I have used so much colour in a piece but I wanted to go all out with this one as I want to portray the island as luscious and alive. I hope that in the future, my art will continue to live on and hold a special place in people’s hearts.”