An exhibition on the theme ‘Solitude Of The Human Hive’, featuring works of nine artists, concluded recently at Chitrakala Parishath. The paintings, by Dnyaneshwar Jagadale, Emilie Moreau, Rajendra Dagade, Deepali Sarde, Uma Krishnamoorthy, Girish Urkude, Srividya GS, Sana Khan and Mark D’Cruz, touched upon ideas linked to spiritualism, society, isolation, relationships and nature. Their aim was to ignite a sense of solitude in the minds of the viewers, giving them a much-needed respite from the humdrum of modern existence.
“In today’s fast-paced world, we find ourselves lonelier than ever despite being connected with others through social media. We live under a false sense of community, confined to our own little worlds, like bees in a beehive,” says Mark D’Cruz, founder and curator of GrÜne Elefant Art, who organised the event.
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French artist Emilie Moreau’s street art-influenced paintings speak great volumes about animal welfare, environmental issues, and social subjects. Her painting ‘Machli’, is a tribute to the famed tigress of Ranthambore National Park who acquired her name due to a fish-shaped mark on her forehead. Artist Sana Khan’s painting, titled ‘Lest we forget Childhood’, is a thought-provoking piece, where a young girl is shown sticking her tongue out in the rain in order to quench her thirst in the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Dnyaneshwar Jagadale’s interpretation of Radha and Rajendra Dagade’s depiction of everyday, commonplace characters brings out the underlying themes of social order and religion.
Inspiration can come from even the most mundane things in life. One of Mark’s paintings were inspired by the sight of clouds looming in the sky, making way for a shaft of light during a road trip to Pondicherry. Speaking of what got him into the art scene, he says, “I have been interested in art for as long as I can remember, being in the corporate field for a long time I did not get the creative satisfaction I yearned for, so I decided to pursue my passion as a full-time career.” His goal is to make art accessible and understandable to people and to break the stereotype of art being looked upon as a niche category. “The focus of the paintings here is that they should not appear run-of-the-mill, but rather aesthetic and appealing,” he adds.
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The company, in its mission to bring greater recognition to artists, has an online gallery in order to make it more reachable to the masses and also conducts workshops to build an interest and wider appreciation among them. Mark believes talented artists must receive adequate recognition, only then will they be encouraged to pursue their dreams, which is currently not the scene in India. On the digitalisation of art, he adds, “With technology, art can be viewed by people from any corner of the world, which is a great feat indeed, but there is nothing more surreal than experiencing it in its purest form, it can inspire you in ways nothing else in this world can.”
