From artists showing their work in India for the first time to legacy showcases, these five exhibitions offer art lovers a wide spectrum
It’s been a busy month for most galleries across India, buoyed by art weekends and a festival-packed calendar. While some, like Experimenter in Kolkata and Method in Mumbai, are showing the works of their respective artists for the first time, there are legacy exhibitions being presented by Prinseps and Masha Art. Plus, Kolkata’s Emami Art brings forth a stellar sculpture exhibition. Here’s more on them.
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Skin to Skin by Bhasha Chakrabarti
For the New Haven-based artist’s first solo at Experimenter in Kolkata, Bhasha Chakrabarti looks at the intimacy and energy exhibited as beings come into contact with each other–both skin and body. While her practice, spanning oil paintings and textile art, underscores the relationship between body and cloth, through her works such as the The Intertwining I (2022) and Handfeel I & II (2022), she looks at the raw intimacy and the tangible energy that emanates from this sense of contact.
Where: Experimenter, Ballygunge Place, Kolkata
On till: March 25
The Prinseps Exhibition: Legacy of Bhanu Athaiya
Showcasing the legacy of Bhanu Athaiya and her contribution to culture through art and cinema, this exhibition tells the story of costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, the first Indian to have won an Academy Award for the film Gandhi (1982). Apart from her journey as a designer, her time as the only female artist as part of the Progressive Artists’ Group, her personal tales of starting her work in Kolhapur, along with her treasure trove of personal, archival items have all been carefully assimilated in this exhibition, offering a holistic view of Athaiya’s journey and contribution.
Where: Living Traditions Centre, Bikaner House, New Delhi
When: January 28 to 31
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Interdimensional Hypnoses by Demsky
As ‘Neo Futurist’ Spanish visual artist Demsky opens his first show in India, he tries to awaken his audience to the possibility of an interdimensional journey, asking us what the future might hold. Having a self-taught practice rooted in graffiti, Demsky is now breaking his own mould by merging practices and mediums.
Where: Method, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai
On till: February 12
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Muzaffar Ali by Masha Art
This exhibition covers the artistic practice of Muzaffar Ali, spanning his paintings, collages, sketches and furniture and object design over the last 40 years. Possibly better known for the success of his films such as Umrao Jaan and Gaman, Ali is essentially a painter. His inspiration is rooted in Sufism, enabling him to merge the ideals of aestheticism and humanism. In this exhibition that took over a year to curate, Ali’s wide body of work is on display under one roof, perhaps for the first time.
Where: Bikaner House, New Delhi
On till: January 21
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The Crowd and Its Avatars: Sculptures by K. S. Radhakrishnan
Celebrated sculptor K.S. Radhakrishnan returns to Kolkata after 15 years with an exhibition showcasing 50 life-size bronze sculptures, among other objects. He prefers working with clay, by hand, as he reproduces the human form. The recurrent figures of Musui and Maiya run through this body of work as well as through multiple iterations of the two. Singular figures in solitude, some performing acrobatic ,and bodies in unison all try to capture the depth of Radhakrishnan’s sculptural practice.
Where: Emami Art, Kolkata
On till: February 12
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