Bold and behold!

If it's in your face, it's in your mindspace. Manthan, an ongoing art show in town, is all set to hit your senses with strong, sensual numbers

Desi art is never out of fire. Manthan, a spanking new multi-media art exhibition in town, combines irreverence with restraint in a way that'll make you go all waah-waah. We took a peek.

There's no dearth of forms that have been explored through this project. The collection encompasses photography, narrative and abstract painting on canvas and vinyl, drawings on paper, sculptures and textiles, some spontaneous and others mediated. But all of them, in terms of subject, composition, texture, palette, media, techniques and perspective, have something new to offer, with a refreshingly different viewpoint. Above all, it is the artists' originality of mind, and freedom of expressions that makes it an especially interesting exposition.

Painting the globe

Curator Sushma Bahl presents an engaging mish-mash of senior and younger artists. While painter Shuvaprasanna turns to the beauty of the Swiss landscape, Delhi-based Satish Gupta's works stand in absolute contrast. "Western contemporary art is all about negativity, whereas the purpose of art is not that. The whole population of Europe is ageing, may be that is the whole fear that is reflected in their art. It is very depressing to see all this," said Gupta, sparking a hot debate that lends the pieces their energy. Julius Macwan's works recall his impressions of Art Basel, and Sachindra Nath Jha's photo-imagery gets emboldened by all theu00a0 exposure. A liberating affair.

Where: Nitanjali Art Gallery, Ansal Plaza, Khel Gaon Marg
When: February 19 to March 27
Timings: 11 am to 8 pm

War paint

An untitled work by Ram Bali Chauhan

Here's another show that caught our fancy, and will catch yours, too. At a time when militancy is holding back the zest of urban existence, here comes a solo exhibition that values human life through artistic impression. In his work Terror, painter Ram Bali Chauhan shows terrorism in the form of urban guerrilla warfare, which is place-less and faceless, but at the same time, is global and universal. In another untitled creation, a human structure sits on a milestone to Azamgarh, the artists' home town, and in his bag is visible the handle of a gun. Bang on target.

Voice of Violence

Where: The Mint, E-3, West Wing, Defence Colony
When: On till February 28
Timings: 11 am to 7 pm (Sunday closed)

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