‘Caught by Freedom’, the just concluded art exhibition presented by The Standard Art Room at The Stainless Art Gallery in New Delhi brought together the works of two upcoming contemporary artists, Ajay Lakhera and Prathap Modi. While Lakhera is a painter, Modi uses the rarer medium of woodcuts.
On the use of seemingly contradictory terms in the exhibition name, the artists say their work too symbolizes “freedom of expression caught by the society”.
Though their mediums are different, they feel the use of dark colours by both of them as well as the innovative approach that make them appropriate partners in the exhibition.
“My art portrays the condition of society and people in it. I want people to get the message which I want to deliver through my art,” says Prathap, who aims for “people from all walks of life” to see his works. Ajay, however, says, “I just express my feelings through this medium. I don’t care about its impact in the minds of audience. I leave it to the audience to derive meanings out of my work.” For that though, he realises, his viewers have to be “art literate” and he feels this necessarily limits the kind of people who can understand his works.
