“If you walk through an exhibition of six artists’ work you need to feel that it has been a journey — not that you have been bombarded,” says Amrit Zelnick.
Zelnick is curating the work of six artists at an exhibition titled ‘Patterns’ beginning at Kala Kendra in Auroville on Thursday.
The event, which is on till January 27, brings together the work of artists from around Auroville — Audrey Wallace-Taylor, Dharmesh Jadeja, O. Ramesh, Shinso, A. Sathya and Marco Feria.
Though diverse in their style and approach to the art, the artists share a penchant for presenting patterns as indicators of so many things in life, from mathematical formulae to geometric shapes to emotions.
Some works have been produced specifically for the exhibition. Others have been selected from the artists’ existing body of work, according to Radhika H., Auroville Art Service.
Wealth of talent
The exhibition showcases an extraordinary wealth of talent in Aurovillians, who might not describe themselves predominantly as artists. “I’ve lived in this community for most of my life, and this is still a surprise to me,” he says.
Wallace-Taylor’s paintings, most of which are acrylic on canvas, are grouped on the theme of ‘natural arches’.
Jadeja’s work draws on his training both as a calligrapher and as an architect. It is primarily in the medium of Japanese ink on paper, which is usually shown in a very traditional, formal two-dimensional manner but is displayed here three-dimensionally, for instance, along the inside of a cupboard drawer.
Ramesh is a classically trained sculptor, whose work here is a mobile that uses several elements of sculpture in a manner that is both abstract and provocative.
Shinso is exhibiting a set of framed works on canvas and plywood — both acrylics and coloured pencil — all inspired by crop circles, while Sathya, who comes from a small village around Auroville and works on Solitude farm, draws his inspiration from European painters of the late nineteenth century but blends this with south Indian shapes and colours and scenes. Feira, an art collector, has produced some very modern work of bright colours on stretch plastic.
“I guess there is a fusion point, but they are different trajectories of artists, moving towards each other and streaking past,” says Zelnick. “It’s about realising how many different forms and walks of life come together to form a bigger picture, and how enriching that is.”
A jazz combo will perform at the vernissage for the show at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
