How the canvas speaks

Group of three girls, Amrita Sher-Gil

The tragedy of contemporary Indian art is that while a painting may have been created by someone who lives right next to you, by the time it reaches a gallery, the same painting assumes an air of intellectual superiority that is alienating to you, the intended viewer," says visual artist Vaibhav Raj Shah, founder of ArtHistory+ and Endocrine Films, a video production house dedicated to Indian artists, Indian arts, and contemporary culture. In the absence of meaningful conversations and resources about art appreciation, people without an arts-based background often regard art as intimidating or irrelevant, he adds. Consequently, many talented Indian artists are denied the recognition they rightfully deserve in their own country and are compelled to look abroad for recognition.

Shah's YouTube channel is an attempt to democratise art, by interpreting prominent pieces in simple language and with the help of contemporary examples. The process, he says, is far simpler and much more intriguing than it actually appears. Having founded the ArtHistory+ channel during the lockdown, Shah is now eager to replicate the same format of simplifying art interpretation to a live audience. Attendees will view and interpret four paintings, with insights from the artists who created them. The four paintings in question, are being kept a secret to ensure that attendees view them with an open mind.

Vaibhav Raj Shah

A few tips on how to understand art better

1 Spend time with the art: "Apart from aesthetics, art pieces are a culmination of the artists' thought process. There are nuanced conversations in each painting. To understand and process these, you need to spend time engaging with the piece," says Shah. Pay attention to the subject matter, use of colour, the framing, how realistic or otherwise the appearance of the painting is, and other minutiae.

2 Examine the subject: In a video on his channel, Shah dissects the well-known Amrita Shergill piece titled Three Women. Although the title seems quite self-explanatory, Shah urges viewers to look at the women's expressions and body language, which indicate resignation and contempt. He questions whether the women were willing models for the painting or if they were told to do so.

3 Look for symbols: Artists' use of materials can also be telling, in terms of the message they're trying to communicate, says Shah. In another ArtHistory+ video, he discusses artist Prabhakar Pachpute's The Relic of Our Time.

The theme of the piece is industrial mining, and the leading motif is a vulture with its wings splayed, as though obstructing the viewer's gaze. "The artist has used charcoal to depict the dark reality. The vulture is a symbol of power. This is power that seeks to manipulate. There's also an oddly shaped rock in the piece that looks much like Lady Justice with her arms chopped off and a blanket cast over her face,"
he explains.

On November 8, 5 pm
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