Aligning with nature's rhythms

A landmark exhibition in Ahmedabad pays a powerful tribute to Earth through the language of art. Curated by the renowned art historian and critic Uma Nair, the immersive exhibition features sculptures, installations, ceramics, drawings, printmaking, and paintings, bringing together 40 distinguished voices, including modern masters, celebrated sculptors, ceramicists, and award-winning installation artists.

“Purusha Prakriti is a universal credo of love for the rhythms of the earth. These artists unconsciously celebrate the threads of harmony within their own practice. While traditional representations have meant artworks featuring gods and goddesses, interpretations have also looked at animals and birds; some have even unearthed symbols from the lexicon of a language,” said Uma Nair.

Among other things, the show pays homage to modernist sculptor Himmat Shah, leading with his iconic ‘Head’ from his London series. The exhibition features sculptural works by Dhananjay Singh, Karl Antao, Ankit Patel, Debashish Bera, as well as international artists such as Jesús Curia, Simon Max Bannister, and Gillie & Marc.

Mustang Sally is a mesmerising portrait of a horse by Arzan Khambatta. “The most aesthetic of beasts, I love crafting horses in various materials — iron, copper, wood, bronze and resin,” he explained. Other highlights include Ram Kumar Manna’s two small terracotta Ganeshas, Arun Pandit’s Thinkers and Arun Kumar HG’s recycled elephant. “The choice of the material itself can convey complex multiple messages; that’s the power of art,” said Arun Kumar HG.

Apart from these installations, the exhibition includes a centenary celebration of KG Subramanyan through his rare prints and drawings, and features works by acclaimed artists such as Rini Dhumal, Jyoti Bhatt, Muzaffar Ali and Bhajju Shyam. 

The ceramic section features leading names like Keshari Nandan Kumar, Vipul Kumar, Vineet Kacker, Leena Batra, Shampa Shah and Saraswati of Auroville. “Geometry and beauty are often lurking in plain sight, in objects which we do not look at even twice,” Ankon Mitra said, referring to his trio of origami butterflies.

Another notable installation is Harsha Durugadda’s award-winning Topo. “The work is inspired by an Indian toy that is juxtaposed with pyramidal structures resembling the urban architecture we live in today,” said Harsha.

The paintings section is led by Thota Vaikuntam and Arpitha Reddy, along with Rini Dhumal’s Devi and Muzaffar Ali’s pair of calligraphic wonders. “My work is born of the richness of experience, of loving my people in my village as well as observing the beauty of rituals and lifestyle,” explained Thota.

Also featured are Sudip Roy’s Benares, Neelesh Vede’s stellar canvas and Bhajju Shyam’s trees. “According to the ancient mythology of the tribe, during the day, trees nourish and protect; at night, they have a life of their own,” elaborated Bhajju. Patul Dash presents The Lost Prince II, a painting of an elephant in a landscape of flowers. “For me, the landscape in an iconic story of Meerabai as well as Lord Buddha are highly mediated spaces where many forces are at play,” said Poonam Bhatnagar about her works. Then there is Phaneendra Nath Chaturvedi’s modernist painting of a human form with butterfly wings. Among drawings, there are Sanjay Bhattacharyya’s Durga and M Narayan’s Ganesha.

“This exhibition reaffirms the objectives of spurring humans to protect trees and artists to create works that draw attention to the preservation and conservation of our environment and spark inspiring dialogues. We hope to create a sort of ecological echo all over the world,” added Devin Gawarvala, Founder, Bespoke Art Gallery. 

‘Purusha Prakriti’ will continue at Bespoke Art Gallery, Ahmedabad, till June 10.