Linear volumes

The latest exhibition by Narayan Sutradhar (CKP, October 25 to 31) was quite different from the previous one which had smallish works in stone that in a basically modernism manner, oscillating between the effects of mass and opening up, captured essential rhythms of organic growth and human tenderness.

The new series departs from the same aesthetic sources, however, taking the element of openness onto space in sculpture to an extreme. The artist is a long-time, dedicated teacher at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath with his own educational background at Santinketan. He comes from a family of idol makers in West Bengal. 

These two factors have determined the character of his recent endeavour. The former has assured that Sutradhar relies primarily on well-established modernist paradigms. The latter enters as homage to and a personal interpretation of the traditional skill of building armature for icons which becomes then incorporated in the classic modern mode.

His figures presently are made of metal wires that so combine the function of outlining the silhouette of a body and its structure or traces of its dynamic musculature and emotions with that of binding such contours and twirling around them. 

By exposing the figural outlines Sutradhar wishes to, on the one hand, reveal their vital role in sculpture that, even if usually less visible, can equal their contribution in painting. On the other hand, he demonstrates the evidence of human vulnerability and being set in one's existential condition through the somewhat literal metaphor of binding.

To achieve the impact he refrains from the method of welding that dominates metal sculpture. Among his "Sculptures of Binding" is an image of a man caught in a globe-cage. Most others are simplified reclining and seated figures meant to evoke loneliness and fragility. If this may not be always recognised, one responds better to the tighter as well as freer of design instances, like "Man without Hands".

Between colour and space

The two local artists, who passed out of the CKP college a few years ago, had a joint exhibition there (October 20 to 24) that contributed to a gracefully authentic and quite complementary togetherness.

One appreciated their simplicity of approach which spoke of reaching for basic, personally received images, impressions and recognitions from immediate reality as well as of retaining a realistic foundation while relating it to contemporary aesthetic ways.

This unassuming genuineness may not have resulted in a ground-breaking spectacular impact, but refrained from forced complexities for their own sake. These qualities could be seen as a more natural and cogent blend in the work of Shilpashree.

Her smallish close-ups of plant fragments finely marry a direct tactility of the actual with its photographically enabled clarity which brings some distance. On the other hand, a degree of smoothing and simplifying merged gentle design with a lyrical, intimacy held in the live, plastic vibrancy of the forms and the flowing tonalities of the acrylic.

Arranged into a vast grid with same size squares of empty wall in-between, the paintings induced a feel of nature being observed with attuning but in a scattered way against urban circumstances. The artist's appeal to "Add more…" trees was not perhaps entirely understood, but the image did suggest a disrupted yet enchanting pervasiveness of vegetation.

The large canvases kept a memory of this structure in the fleshed out density of foliage and flowers.  Nidhi took a more conceptual but equally rooted path linking her environment and art. A number of square foot format paintings with fragments of actual reality - the sky, cake, child's face or a classic painting were juxtaposed with expansive square canvases covered by a related monochrome colour.

The intention to expose the neutrality of "Colours" as a potential by itself, independent of form and flexible under individual purposes could be grasped. This, however, happened in a slightly too simplified manner because of the well-rendered and sometimes moving but slightly obvious, detailed realism and the pronounced patterned texturing of the abstract pieces.

The sculptural installation with three-dimensional canvases as several wooden blocks painted in red and one blue underscored the concept while formally connecting with the oils that were painted also on the sides.

Ethical issues

Simplicity is employed by another young painter - Chintamani G.G. in a different - laudable for its aim but aesthetically maybe disjointed way (CKP, October 18 to 24).

He appeals to our moral backbone against the confusion and distortions of the commercialised urban circumstance, with irony yet with warmth invoking the ethical emblems from Mahatma Gandhi to childhood innocence and love. The formative elements of his background from Shimoga to Bangalore and Baroda must have contributed to loose mix of the imagery behind it.

A literally descriptive mode, a vaguely essentialist one and almost straight story-telling are combined with a symbolic use of the naïvely didactic textbook style and the presence of many objects and figures whose proximity and juxtaposition yield meaning, while the artificially cerebral titles verbally explain as well as obfuscate the content. Unfortunately, much of it stays on the not so masterly rendered surface without creating an expressive whole.

Cultured cuteness

Samir Aich's new canvases at Gallery_g (October 25 to 31) have turned to figuration after a long period of modernism-based abstraction indicative of moods, structures and dynamism in space. Aiming at an evocation of a playfully erotic hybrid state between human and animal beings, in actuality they indulge in comfortable, rough-cute designs of a cultured but decorative character. The supposedly expressive awkwardness of the silhouetted turns out merely pleasant enhanced by the multitudes of dotted lines and fields.

Weaving paint

The works of C Nilesh, a self-taught painter from Gujarat (CKP, October), are meant to express diverse emotions. What comes through, yet, is a somewhat predictable play with colour fields, abundant drips and vertical and horizontal lines of a few kinds. As such, in the vicinity of the craft display at the time, they recalled the design of fabric weaving without its palpable warmth.