Fascinating artwork from across the globe

With expectations to encounter the quirkiest of things in the name of art, as Metrolife ventured inside Hall No 1 at India Art Fair (IAF), it was a pleasant surprise to see innovative installations, beautiful sculptures and engaging multi-media artworks rather than a few brush strokes in the name of ‘modern art’! 

The sixth edition of IAF was brimming with colour and gaiety that bright hues resonate around themselves! Beginning from the jewellery by Nirav Modi that added a glitter to the art scene to the unusual utility furniture displayed as part of Illustratti by Raseel Gujral, there was enough to engross the art connoisseurs who came from different walks of life.

A play of graphic art and illusion stole the show, including the hearts of many a visitor and exhibitor, by enhancing the dramatic effects of graphics. But these were not the only ones as various installations themed around varied subjects were its strong competitors.

One such installation was the Heolophilic Observatory by Nandita Kumar, which, shaped like a bulb, had a much deeper significance due to the copper plates used in it that changed its colour with time --- like the dynamic nature of landscape. Another intriguing piece was the pink-dominated installation ‘Denture Venture Brushes’ by Siddharth Kararwal, that comprised a number of brushes that are used for various purposes.

Adding more colour to these was international artist David Gerstein’s works in steel which were cut and put-together in three layers to give a 3D effect. “These are inspired by nature and movement of people from one place to another,” informed Aleksandra Lis, gallery manager at Bruno Gallery.

Not to be missed, the fascinating sculptures by International and Indian artists, did rule the minds of all. First in the list would be Anna Barlow’s ‘I’ll Bring You Everything’ which  carved in the form of a huge ice cream sundae, triggered off the hunger pangs! ‘The Last Supper’ by Sudipta Das made from paper, water colour, coffee, ply wood and wooden blocks brought alive the last supper Christ shared with his disciples.

‘Turning the Wheel’ or ‘The Doll Museum’ by Paula Sengupta showcased marvels of serigraphy on acrylic to narrate stories of migrators in Ladakh. Encased in a glass box, the miniature mannequins were faceless - denoting their universality. Equally philosophical was ‘Birth of Respect’ by Karl Antao which talked about value systems that passed on from a mother to the child. Another, titled ‘Couple on Sofa’ by Loknath Sinha on painted fibreglass looked colourful and appealing.

Sculptors even showed their concern for the environment by modelling their works around themes of nature. While Nantu Behari Das’s work ‘How Green is my Future?’ an all-pin creation explored the importance of nature, the bronze sculpture from the series ‘Birds Home Coming’ by artist Asurvedh raised concern over disappearing of the ‘house sparrow’, in a creative manner.

Though the paintings didn’t capture much attention amidst other engrossing artworks, few unusual pieces such as ‘Idols’ by Humra Abbas -- modelled on miniature sculptures made in plastic and then photographed to be monumentalised, were eye-catchers.

Almost every nook and corner of the venue at NSIC ground in Okhla was filled with artwork making it difficult to list all of them in one go.