JOIN USTo celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, Gallery Espace is hosting one of the most ambitious shows featuring artworks by over 100 Indian contemporary artists.
Titled ‘Drawing 2014: Seven Decades of Indian Drawing’, the show is curated by Prayag Shukla along with Annapurna Garimella and Sindhura Jois.
“Drawing is the foundation of all art and the basis of all disciplines,” says Renu Modi, director, Gallery Espace.
“It was the legendary MF Husain who introduced me to the finer nuances of drawings which has remained a personal favourite with me ever since. The smoothness of a Jamini Roy drawing, the performative nature of Husain’s own works, drawings by Laxma Goud and Manjit Bawa – these were part of my initial introduction to this genre,” she says.
“We held a show on drawings as far back as 1994 and it’s only natural that its 25th anniversary show should celebrate the genre on a larger canvas. Apart from this expansive show, there will be several events that will reflect on the significance of drawings in art and other disciplines,” Modi informed.
The exhibition is showcasing artworks by more than 100 artists from India dating from 1947 to the present in which ‘drawing’ is presented as a broad and inclusive practice.
Along with works on single sheets of paper, there are artists’ books, studies for other projects, laser drawings, animation and more.
Drawing as a visual artform has several meanings. It can be a form of communication, a sign, a plan, a design, a map or a mark on the surface.
Drawing is regarded as an essential part of training for any artist whether they are painters, sculptors or designers.
But a drawing can also stand as the final artwork too.
In recent years, the methods and meanings of drawing have been rapidly transforming as Indian artists continue to participate in the global circuit of exhibitions and art fairs as well as residencies and site-specific projects.
‘Drawing 2014’ spans a broad expanse of time and seeks to evaluate modern and contemporary art through the medium of drawing.
The exhibition also questions about art practices.
What is Indian art today? What are the possibilities that drawing offers? How does an artist perceive drawing as a work of art and how does he or she distinguish drawing from any other work of art?
By asking such questions, the exhibition seeks to document, analyse and celebrate several artworks which have historically distinct approaches.
The exhibition is on till November 28 at the Exhibition Hall, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) from 11 am to 7 pm.