Curator Neelam Malhotra questions the human existence through her exhibition Finding Meaning while urging the world to stop and think about its actions. By Chahak Mittal
Why do we exist? Why do we do whatever we do? Does it make sense to only think of our own survival and happiness and let the world be in its own miseries? Are we here for a purpose or do we exist accidentally?
Curated by Neelam Malhotra, Finding Meaning is a group art show that aims to explore human existence through art. “It is based on an intellectual and philosophical query that since everything is centred around our lives and it is only us that we are going to talk about for the rest of our lives, why are we here after all? Is it not important to find a meaning in our existence?,” asks Malhotra. She believes that it is always important to stop, think and question our actions and ourselves.
It is said that self-transformation commences with a period of self-questioning. She believes that curating and working for art shows for a long time has made her feel connected to creation. She believes that it is something that lets you “dream, imagine, understand and most importantly, realise certain things. It manifests emotions and wonderful feelings.”
Art has transformed her over the years. She feels that there is a certain level of tranquility and peace that she has journeyed into. “It makes you think. It doesn’t just bring out your inner thoughts, but your imagination and forces you to know yourself in a much better way than ever,” she adds.
Through an array of colours, shapes and patterns, paintings by artist Navakash fuses abstract forms with near transcendental cohesions forming kaleidoscopic impressions. One of his paintings with water colours showcases two figures with innumerous colours, questioning, “Where were all the colours?” His painting celebrates the recently-discarded Section 377, and says that with decriminalising of homosexuality, the colours have also returned and the meaning of life has been found — love.
Malhotra gives another example of artist Pradeep Ahirwar’s paintings, who “works with spaces showcasing a very spiritual kind of work. It is one of those works staring at which makes you think and retrospect. It has a poetic and mystical touch to it.” One of his paintings, Harmony, acrylic on canvas, uses a texture of colours, especially blue and black, which is the artist’s interpretation of nature that paves a meta-path of imagined experiences — flying through the sky and flowing along with water. It touches our direct perception of being human.
Praveen Kedar’s works, with gauche on paper, evolve from endless energy of spontaneous imagination. The paintings give away an impression of mysterious astronomical activity as if comets are leaving a luminous trail. Malhotra describes his art as something that evokes a spiritual collective energy in beings.
She shares her inspiration behind taking up such a theme for her curation. It is important to realise how our actions are not contributing to the society in any way, she says. She urges people to understand that it’s high time that we understand our responsibilities and start looking at things with more simplicity. She adds, “Even on the political forefront, we need to unite and not being self-centred and selfish. Self-survival cannot be the only thing that should rule the mind.”
An example of the concept was Devidas Agase’s painting, The King Who Dominates the Mind, where a Raavan-like ten-headed creature sits on a round-shaped, black and white-checkered table with multiple hands and legs and tied through various strings. The painting tries to tell the story of the dissipated, overwrought and teetering individual in an increasingly complex and exacting world where he the man is a puppet-like figure, being pulled from every end.
While Malhotra calls art a visual language that makes you think, evokes an emotion and leads you to self-realisation, she believes it has also kept on changing over the years. “It’s back and forth. Earlier, art used to be symbolic, minimalistic and very basic. Today, it is more realistic and abstract and always hinting at something that you already know, but hardly realise.”
Work by artist Shobha Broota replicates the very concept. Her “minimalistic” work, through dry pastels on paper, resonates with palpable energy with a patterned arrangement of strings on canvas, showing her intensely intricate musings, creating an all-new language of abstract art.
Among the other artists were Ashok Gulati, Bhuwal Prasad, Kavita Jaiswal, Pratul Dash, Ravi Morya, Shahenshah Mittal, Surajit Biswas, VB Harilalkrishnan and Yashwant Singh.
(The exhibition is on display till November 14 at Ampas Art Gallery.)