Exploration of nature in contemporary Indian art
Hyderabad: Nature has been a perennial theme in visual art. However, in contemporary times, artists are not just merely depicting nature in its pure simplicity but are also using their art practices to comment and critique the relationship between man and nature in a highly modernised world. While some artists depict elements of nature drawn […]
Hyderabad: Nature has been a perennial theme in visual art. However, in contemporary times, artists are not just merely depicting nature in its pure simplicity but are also using their art practices to comment and critique the relationship between man and nature in a highly modernised world.
While some artists depict elements of nature drawn from the memories of their childhood, others portray the effect of rapid urbanisation marked by environmental degradation. With the experimental nature of their art practices and the use of unique mediums, each of these artists brings an idiosyncratic approach and perspective to the world around us.
The proximity to nature has always been an inspiration for sculpture artist Lakshman Rao Kotturu. Brought up in the scenic coastal city of Srikakulam, he spent his childhood amidst the lush beautiful rivers, beaches and forests. The manner in which these natural themes convey his thoughts is helmed with an organic and raw approach to grasp and portray nature in its glory. Lakshman’s use of materials transpires brilliantly. The thought determines the kind of material he decides to adopt.
Lakshman Rao Kotturu, ‘Limited Branches’ 30.5 x 44 x 19.5 in (77.5 x 111.8 x 49.5 cm) GI fencing wire, steel & black mesh.
Ratheesh T is another artist whose works are greatly inspired by his native hometown of Kerala and its people. He often paints self-portraits set against a luminescent backdrop of forests and lush greenery. His images are at once a reflection of his present, metaphorically narrating a story plucked from his life experiences. He describes himself as ‘not telling big stories, not pulling images from the air, but detailing what is happening right here in my small life’.
Senaka Senanayake is among Sri Lanka’s most important living artists. Senaka’s works are mostly inspired by the lush landscape of his home country. His colourful and vibrant canvasses often portray the beauty of Sri Lankan rainforests with brilliantly-coloured scenes of lush, overlapping jungle fauna and vegetation.
Pradosh Swain’s work generally portrays his concerns of the world we live in, drawing attention to the issues relevant to our lives in today’s time. His works are generally executed in a vibrant and expressive palette that oozes romance and magic. Nature is a recurrent theme of his works along with frequent imagery from his childhood. Swain’s images have a surrealistic quality. His work emphasises the power of imagination, rendering his images with a dreamy and mystical quality.
Artist Nabibakhsh Mansoori’s works also draw from villages surrounded by rivers and farms. As a child, he would observe the natural world with fascination, painting and knitting stories of the world around him on his canvas. His images, often layered, are surrealist in nature and driven by multiple points of focus. His works are designed to intentionally pull the viewer’s attention and draw them to a world that is private, elusive, colourful and vast. Dramatic use of light, unconventional perspective and bold crisp colour are a hallmark of his paintings.
Mousumi Biswas has been experimenting with fibreglass to create sculptures painted in high gloss. Her choice of colour tones and subjects is the most striking and aesthetically appealing aspect of her works. She often uses birds and animals as recurrent subjects for her sculptures.
Works by artist Dhananjay Singh stand on the crossroads of forms of man and nature and endorse the inseparability of the two. Amalgamating the medium of bronze and stainless steel, Dhananjay Singh creates sculptures in the form of faces and tree trunks and branches.
Works by these contemporary artists and many others will be showcased in the upcoming ‘Present Future’ contemporary art auction, scheduled to be held on February 10-11.
Ankita Talreja, Senior Specialist, AstaGuru.
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