Wordless Poetry", Shivanand Basavanthappa's recent exhibition (CKP, December 9 to 15), proved much maturing of the artist even if he has not yet achieved a tight aesthetic language. More importantly, he shows genuine engagement in issues of the world around him and takes a stand. In this position elements of objective reality coexist with those of his personal life as well as with images from cultural history where indigenous references are as valid as international ones. More than commenting on things, Shivanand lets the viewer read and sense his experiences, his questioning of situations and his desire to uphold values, even 'repair' wrongs or at least connect with good emotions and efforts. Here he resorts to a not entirely blended assortment of means - from direct, realistic representation to essentialist figuration and many-layered but literal symbolism, from verbally formulated metaphor to evocative lyricism. As such, his work can be associated closely with the idioms of his young, local contemporaries - Gurusiddappa and, in particular, Sunil Mamathapur.

   The human figure remains central to his large acrylics on canvas. At times, when realistically rendered, it becomes self-portrait. One can appreciate the scene with the painter musing about the violence and hope of Picasso's "Guernica" which has turned into his table, its candle of guidance manifested physically. Simplifying and multiplying the jute sack motif in a significant design come alive, his "Work is worship" combines irony with warmth for the working-class man. In other essential images of people he identifies with one likes the still partly realistic figure of an archaic tribal youth confronting a hill of urban civilisation.

The poetic delicacy of the tree links well with the dense vibrancy of the mountain. Quite successfully too Shivanand expresses his striving to rise above the humble beginnings for the sake of his child. The green of the baby's skin, however, with its meaning of aspiration and mythological allusiveness may be somewhat obvious also because of the not exactly nuanced execution. The latter trait increases in other metaphoric depictions of lovers hovering in the air, the winged artist gathering doves of peace or as a domestic demiurge on a lotus stitching the split globe. The clarity of the message lacks evocativeness under the somewhat loud, too rudimentary handling of the figures and colours. This can be noticed also in the painting about the ambiguous, bonded opposite of Ravana and Rama and its social reference. 

Despite the drawbacks, one should look forward with much expectation to Shivanand's future.

Grounded and graceful

Avataar’, the latest graduation show from the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology (Alliance Francaise, December 10 to 13), once again brought a variety of works where functionality and grounding interacted effortlessly with inventiveness and grace. Whilst formalist excess could be spotted only sporadically, most of the contributions had class as well as unassuming lightness, sometimes wit, otherwise warmth and concern. With too many finishing students to mention their names, one appreciated the knowing simplicity, at times the lyrical flair, of the furniture projects and the cultured subtlety of the tradition-based fabrics. If the single painting cycle suggested sincerity but not sufficient mastery, the photographic works often proved empathic observation with aesthetic sensitivity, like in the series about circus life. Quite a few instances of contemporary appropriation of folk or other past idioms and ways enchanted as well as impressed by reaching for the essence of the sources instead of literal stylisations. Such were the kalamkari-referring illustrations, the toys that mediated origami with folklore and the film with hands and shadow puppets. Yet another good sign was the inconspicuous originality and informal character of many illustration cycles that mingled a dose of roughness with humour. The display held together thanks to the large logos that separated the different areas as well as led the way among them, while brief explanations accompanied the works.

Thoughts and conditions

Concept & Texture’ (CKP, December 1 to 6) had a duo of young painters from Thane with different works that nevertheless aimed at capturing vital states. For Maushmi Ganguly it is basic sensations from desire to satisfaction, which she strives to grasp in dark, red-tinted images of nude figures, their drawing element oscillating between a universal-realist and the expressionistic. If not really good, they are genuine. Akhilesh Kumar wishes to evoke the germination of seeds and ideas with an undertone of spirituality, but comes close to design and over-uses textures. One may prefer the lighter, more pastel and subtle example among those.

Apocalyptic indulgency

Bottomless Abyss", the exhibition by M.G. Raffic Ahmad (CKP, December 1 to 7), aimed perhaps at conjuring an apocalyptic or mysterious vision of past splendour under a deluge where forgetfulness blends with present reality. His paintings collage photographic images of old, sometimes modern architecture, human and angelic figures in dramatic gestures with an abundance of thick, multi-coloured paint suggestive of water and sky expanses, their stretching rhythms emphasised by raised lines and much texture.
   Although the intentions must have been authentic, the results bring some chaos and indulgency, especially that it is not supported by consummate skills.

Designing moods

A second life" was the title of Ajay Chavan's show (CKP, December 1 to 7), which referred to the artistic practice of this designer. Even though the painter sets out to bring out the atmosphere and emotions around diverse occasions in personal interactions and surroundings, he ends up framing them in design-dependent compositions. Be it men at a café, a lonely woman in her interior or a couple of lovers, there is always a simplified, linear contour and often parallel hatching that fills those and the background.
    A rather too simple patterning is employed to excess in the images with masks and folk symbols. Nor yet sure about his options, Chavan elsewhere shifts to a loose realism or an expressionist over-stress, but the effects remains quite the same.