Art historian Bhavna Kakar will be showcasing the works of various artists in different mediums at the much awaited India Art Summit that opens at Pragati Maidan here this Wednesday.
Kakars art gallery Latitude 28 will exhibit works of veterans like Jogen Chowdhury, Bhupen Khakhar and Nasreen Mohamedi as well as new-age artists like Surekha and Prajjwal Choudhury.
The curator-turned-gallerist, who had her art education in Vadodara, has chosen to represent interesting works by young artists from her city in the summit that concludes this Saturday.
While both Bhupen and Nasreen were associated with the M. S. University in Vadodara, the latter in the capacity of a teacher, the aesthetics in their work is unique to each.
A self-taught artist, Bhupen started his career by depicting the bustling streets and households of Gujarat. Later his paintings increasingly turned towards the theme of homosexuality in a largely conservative Indian society.
Unlike Bhupens bold figurative canvases, Nasreens style is known to be subtle and abstract. The exhibition will feature black and white geometrical drawings from Nasreens body of work which beautifully complement Bhupens colourful palette.
Categorized as Women Exposing her Teeth Jogen Chowdhurys wok depicts his mastery of of the unbroken line. His ability to juxtapose contrary emotions, the real and imaginary and the known and unknown, make his art a reflection of a collective and subjective consciousness.
While these exclusive paintings of veterans are aimed at attracting attention of art connoisseurs, video works from the younger artists are expected to invoke similar response. The videos will be showcased in the video lounge.
Thi Trinh Nguyen from Vietnam will present a video work titled Spring Comes Winter After 2009 that observes the funeral of Le Dat, a Vietnamese poet who was part of a literary and intellectual movement in Northern Vietnam.
Explains the artist: As the avant-garde artists like this poet were forced to be silent, Vietnamese art and literature suffered decades of decay. In this short documentary film, the camera focuses on the grief of those in attendance of the funeral of this celebrated poet, many of whom are Vietnams contemporary established writers and intellectuals.
A joint video projection by Vietnamese video artists Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Phu Nam Thuc Ha that explores their countrys shifting landscapes and also questions the reality of change will also be showcased at the summit.
Exploring the similar genre of video art is Three Fragmented Actions of Silence by Surekha that depicts an autobiographical transition from the real self to image.
