In the vibrant and dynamic landscape of contemporary art, galleries play a pivotal role in fostering conversations, nurturing diverse narratives, and providing a platform for artists to showcase their work. This gallery recap of recent art exhibitions curated by Jitha Karthikeyan, Satyajit Dave, Girish Shahane, Wendy Amanda Coutinho, and Nidhi Bodana at Gallerie Splash collectively illustrates the gallery's commitment to these objectives. Each curator brings their unique perspective and thematic focus, contributing to a rich and multifaceted program that reflects the gallery's dedication to promoting diverse artistic voices.
@ Gallerie Splash
The art show reviews highlight Gallerie Splash’s vision of engaging with complex ideas and offering a space where artists and audiences can explore, reflect, and connect. Through these recent art exhibitions, the gallery not only showcases the talents of contemporary artists but also encourages dialogue and critical thinking. The curated shows exemplify the gallery's mission to create an inclusive environment that challenges conventional perceptions and fosters a deeper understanding of the artistic and cultural landscape.
Jitha Karthikeyan's ‘Measures of Lucidity’ addresses the complexity and chaos of contemporary life. The exhibition highlights the need to rethink and deconstruct societal layers to uncover the simple and essential truths often hidden in plain sight. By navigating through complex social, political, and economic layers, the artworks reveal the core details that matter for survival and understanding. This exhibition embodies the gallery's commitment to promoting clarity and lucidity in a world increasingly dominated by convolutions.
Measures of Lucidity, show display @ Gallerie Splash
Extracts from the curatorial note
"In a world that relentlessly embraces grander pursuits, the simple and the uncomplicated are sometimes hidden in plain sight. Most often, they are negated. This unconsciously introduces complications that plague our socio-political existence. As a society, are we heading towards a tangled reality? One that revels in constructing layered complexities until the discernible is completely masked and dons the garb of impenetrability in understanding. Ultimately, the consequence of such convolutions is chaos.
The Final Speech, show display @ Gallerie Splash
The Final Speech | 17 Mar - 21 Apr, 2023
Wendy Amanda Coutinho's ‘The Final Speech’ draws inspiration from Charlie Chaplin's iconic address in ‘The Great Dictator.’ This exhibition highlights works by artists like Ratnadeep Adivrekar, Smruti Joshi, and Riyas Komu, among others, exploring themes of love, loss, hope, and resilience. The artworks transform Chaplin's words into visual narratives, creating a powerful testament to the enduring power of art and the human spirit. By conveying multifarious views and sentiments, the exhibition challenges viewers to reflect on their own beliefs and actions. This aligns with the gallery's vision of using art as a catalyst for dialogue, transformation, and social change.
Extracts from the curatorial note
The exhibition manifests inspiring artworks, including paintings, sculptures, and films, wherein the artists have explored concepts of love, loss, hope, and resilience. Both the artworks and Chaplin's speech, facilitate a connection with the viewer on a deeper, more meaningful level, tapping into shared human experiences and emotions. They remind us of the power of art and ideas that inspire change. Evoking powerful emotions in the viewers, and inspiring them to simultaneously retrospect and introspect, the artworks make allowances for the truth to be seen in a new light. This, undeniably, enables a shift in perspective, creating awareness, and thus paving a way for change.
Yaadon Ka Sailaab - Flood of Memories | 29 Apr - 25 May, 2023
Curated by Nidhi Bodana, ‘Yaadon Ka Sailaab’ immerses visitors in the theme of memory and the passage of time. This exhibition highlights the weaving of images of joy and sorrow, evoking repressed emotions and transporting viewers to a shared space between escape and reality. By questioning the impact of memories on present actions, the exhibition underscores the intricate relationship between memory and identity. This contemplative space encourages visitors to reconnect with their past, resonating with the gallery's vision of creating an environment where art facilitates introspection and personal growth.
Yaadon ka Sailaab, show display @ Gallerie Splash
Extracts from the curatorial note
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken, sad, uncertain
Rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me – filled with fantastic terrors never felt before.
- Edgar Allan Poe
The human mind created buildings of the past and present we encounter through various experiences, creating tangible and intangible impressions that fade over time. However, certain memories that are sour, flavourful, or bitter leave a lasting imprint and are often recalled.
This exhibit weaves images of both joy and sorrow to evoke repressed emotions, transporting the mind to a shared space between escape and reality. Conversations between diverse experiences are interwoven amidst the confetti of present, past, and anticipated events. This bridge connects the former self to the present identity search.
Dialogues of being: show display @ Gallerie Splash
Dialogues of Being: Prophecies, Rituals, and Memories of Everyday Life | 23 - 29 Jun, 2023
Satyajit Dave's curation of ‘Dialogues of Being: Prophecies, Rituals, and Memories of Everyday Life’ explores the ontologies of the quotidian. This exhibition highlights the re-contextualisation of everyday objects, events, and rituals within a non-occidental framework, fostering a conversation about the social dimensions of ritualistic practices. The artworks reflect a cyclical process of action and reflection, emphasising the ambiguity, alienation, and sacredness of daily life. By framing these practices within a more relational and ephemeral idea of space, the exhibition encourages viewers to contemplate the multifaceted nature of their existence. This aligns with the gallery's vision of promoting well-being, nurturing relationships, and fostering a sense of belonging through art.
Extracts from the curatorial note
The exhibition explores the ontologies of the quotidian. Western traditions of inquiry have an extensive deep dive into Everyday Life and its relation(s) to the idea of space -from ephemeral to physical to mental to social. Here the theorisation of the Everyday 'mundane' objects, events, and rituals become an important nodality for continental theorists. However, a re-contextualisation of the everyday (quotidian) in a non-occidental ontological framework, allows to open the conversation of rituals towards a new social dimension.
Magic Markers | 6 - 12 Oct, 2023
Curated by Girish Shahane, ‘Magic Markers’ celebrates the resurgence of mark-making in contemporary art. This exhibition highlights paintings and drawings by six mid-career artists, showcasing the enduring value of this art form. Despite historical, technological, and ideological challenges, the artists in this exhibition demonstrate the complexity and richness of interactions between the brain, hand, pigment, and picture surface.
The pandemic underscored the virtues of mark-making, allowing artists to develop their painterly practices without distraction. ‘Magic Markers’ advocates for an art that speaks for itself, transcending the need for ideological justification. This exhibition exemplifies the gallery's dedication to preserving and celebrating traditional art forms while recognising their relevance in the contemporary world.
Magic Markers, show display @ Gallerie Splash
Extracts from the curatorial note
The exhibition Magic Markers features paintings and drawings by six outstanding mid-career artists as a tribute to mark making, which has seen a resurgence in recent years. It is the latest comeback of a form that is constantly said to be dead or dying. Claims for painting’s imminent demise have fallen into three categories: technological, historical and ideological.
Technological: If Artificial Intelligence is the latest existential threat to mark making, photography was the first. Back in 1840, on viewing an early daguerreotype, the French painter Paul Delaroche exclaimed, “From today, painting is dead"!
Historical: At some point in the modern era, art history adopted the idea of progress. The most influential story of progress went like this: Painting is a journey of discovering the inherent qualities of the medium itself. It began with the invention of single point perspective and reached a major milestone with its eventual rejection. The journey ended in the mid-twentieth century with colour field painting and minimalism. At that point, everything that painting could achieve had been achieved, and everything that could be expressed by applying pigment to a few square feet of canvas or paper had already been expressed.
@ Gallerie Splash
Through these diverse exhibitions, Gallerie Splash successfully cultivates various conversations and narratives, providing ample platforms for artists and their works. Each exhibition, with its unique thematic focus, contributes to a broader dialogue about history, identity, everyday life, and the human experience. By showcasing a wide range of artistic styles and mediums, the gallery creates an inclusive environment where emerging and established artists alike can present their perspectives. This approach not only enriches the cultural landscape but also ensures that different voices and stories are heard and appreciated, reflecting the gallery's commitment to diversity and inclusion in the arts.
The gallery recap underscores Gallerie Splash's vision of fostering reflection, connection, and transformation through art. Each curated exhibition catalyses deeper engagement, encouraging viewers to delve into the complex ideas and emotions that the artworks evoke. The thematic diversity of the exhibitions—ranging from explorations of historical events to introspective looks at personal identity—invites audiences to contemplate their own experiences and the world around them. By presenting art that challenges, inspires, and provokes thought, the gallery plays a crucial role in stimulating intellectual and emotional growth among its visitors.
By offering a space where artists and audiences can interact with intricate concepts and emotions, Gallerie Splash not only celebrates artistic expression but also champions the transformative power of art on society. The gallery's exhibitions highlight how art can serve as a powerful tool for social change, fostering understanding and empathy through visual narratives. Whether addressing social justice issues, cultural heritage, or personal journeys, the artworks displayed at Gallerie Splash encourage viewers to consider different viewpoints and engage in meaningful dialogue. This emphasis on empathy and connection aligns with the gallery's mission to use art as a bridge between diverse communities and perspectives.
Ultimately, Gallerie Splash's efforts in curating such thought-provoking shows exemplify its dedication to enriching cultural discourse and underscoring the significant impact art can have on individual and collective consciousness. By presenting exhibitions that challenge conventional perceptions and promote critical thinking, the gallery not only supports the artists it features but also contributes to the broader cultural conversation. The gallery's commitment to fostering a deeper understanding of the human experience through art ensures that it remains a vital and dynamic force in the contemporary art world. Through its exhibitions, Gallerie Splash continues to highlight the essential role that art plays in shaping our understanding of ourselves and our society.
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