16 August,2012 12:02 PM IST | | Soma Das
While Mumbaikars may be familiar with Italian artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, art lovers will now get a taste of new-age ideas as three artists will descend upon the city, come August 26. Sakshi Gallery is hosting Made in Italy, an exhibition showcasing artworks by Antonella Aprile, Azelio Corni and Giovanni Frangi; the event is curated by Caterina Corni.
Meet the artists
One of the highlights of the exhibition is Aprile's video animation, titled The Happening Beyond the Time, where Lord Shiva is depicted explaining the quantum theory as he performs his cosmic Tandav dance. "I am influenced by religion, science and how these two worlds can meet. So, I look for an image, a vision to find them at the same time without a clear distinction between one and the other," she says.
The Happening Beyond the Time by Antonella Aprile
Artist Azelio Corni's mixed media on felt art focuses on the act of creating lines and how it is symbolic of the human process. "I like to experiment with different materials. I have worked with row canvas, paper, glass and transparent plastic. For me, materials are like skin. My inspiration comes from daily life and my memory," adds Corni.
Giovanni Frangi's artworks, titled Fragile, are inspired by natural elements such as rocks, trees and rivers and their sheer unpredictability. "I like painting with oil paints as it is very fluid and certain effects can only be achieved through this technique. That's why it is the most utilised technique by artists for over 600 years. The paintings represent the leaves on the trees when we are lying in a field and looking up at the sky," he states.
Bridge the gap
Speaking about the exhibition, Caterina Corni says the idea came to her a few months back during a trip to India. "While studying the thoughts of Rabindranath Tagore, I was fascinated by his contemporary view on art. He started to create a bridge between Indian and Western culture, which is what I am interested in. This exhibition doesn't underline the artist's geographical origins, but focuses on the sense of universality, which an image conveys."
For the exhibition, Corni has chosen three artists belonging to three different generations. "There may be an age gap but they speak similar languages of art. Italian art is not really known in India; I am keen on spreading it and doing the same with Indian art in Italy," she indicates.
Summing up the idea behind Made in Italy, Corni says, "Art is the representation of a thought that, in our world, is still not expressed. It is the ring that binds the conceivable with what is merely thought. Art is the ability to touch the soul and the mind. An artist is a migrant crossing any boundary (of race, ethnic group, religion) and is able to delete that concept of identity which has become senseless in contemporary society."
