The first thing that strikes you is the riot of colours. You need to recover from that before you begin to revel in the myriad stories — ranging from the surreal to issues of sexuality and identity — that leap out at you from the large canvases.
What adds to the interest quotient is the sheer array of media used by the participating artists.
Sangita Chopra, of Art Musings Gallery, says, “These are the choicest works by artists like Raghava KK, Shibu Natesan, Sudarshan Shetty, Bose Krishnammachari and Gopikrishna. The beauty of exhibiting these artists together is that the works ricochet off each other in terms of the underlying concepts yet accord ample space to each other’s individuality.
“Also while the art is high on visual pleasure, we have chosen these works for the intellectual streak running through them. For, we believe that art should not just please the eyes but also stimulate the brain.”
Shibu Natesan’s photo-realistic works look so similar to the real thing that the viewer is startled by the degree of realism. Sudarshan Shetty’s life-size installations are a fusion of the real and the abstract. Baiju Parthan’s large prints on gleaming metallic surfaces and video installations using 3D objects are also displayed.
Gopikrishna’s vibrant works tell stories derived from mythology and philosophy that talk about the ordinary and the unique in the same breath. Bose Krishnammachari’s psychedelic works derive from Western concepts of image-making while young multi-disciplinary artist Raghava KK’s works comment on the issues of identity, sexuality and how the interpersonal connect is fast getting rarefied in today’s increasingly virtual world.
Bottomline: Vibrant and intellectually stimulating
Six Artists
Where: Art Musings Gallery, Colaba Cross Lane, Mumbai
When: Till August 25
