The white heat of the Madhya Pradesh plateau is almost blinding. The sandstone of the Gwalior fort glistens in the heat.
The parched earth awaits the monsoon that is still far away. The town is replete with examples of traditional architecture standing cheek by jowl with modern monstrosities. But then that is the amazing part of India as it lives in several centuries at the same time — be it in food, dress, habitat or fruits of technology.
In the quaint building of the Raja Mansingh Tomar Kala Kendra are 10 artists from various parts of the country, painting away to create canvases that reflect their quintessential styles. Outside, in the blistering heat are 10 sculptors chipping away in stone, wood and metal to create works in the modern idiom. The list is an interesting mixture of figurative and realistic artists and supremely abstract painters of middle level seniority. Same is the case with sculptors.
The works created in the 10-day camp are of high calibre and serious nature, as is the fascinating mix of artists. The delicate detailing of paintings by Yusuf is a joy to behold. He is an artist who stands out for his abstract works, which reveal his amazing understanding of abstraction as a genre. So is the case with Shridhar Iyer, the artist who is almost an ascetic. The very masculine imagery of his abstract works sets him miles ahead of his peers. The frugal choice of metallic colours juxtaposed with deep earthy tones and fine pen and ink detailing that has been inspired by calligraphy is an eyeful.
The dreamlike quality of senior artist J.M.S Mani’s work was so evocative that the flower seller he painted was just a touch away. Only short of the fragrance of flowers, it was as if one was transported to the old markets of Karnataka.
The sculptors whose work stands out for its diverse imagery include P. Rajiv Nayan from Lucknow. The marble work he created is elegant and beautiful and a fabulous amalgam of the figurative and the abstract. Shashikant Mundi’s work was severe in concept, but lyrical in its fine visual detail. Rajesh Sharma’s large body of work is a step forward in his own style and quite a head turner in its impact. Senior artist Mukul Pawar’s work has all the poetic details of an idealist at heart and it shows in his work.
The camp was a perfect occasion to see the work being done by the organisation and as the director of the Kendra, Anil Kumar’s work was not part of the camp, he needed much cajoling before he showed his work. I am glad I made the effort to see it. His work is beautiful, sensitive and speaks of finely honed sensibilities.
This is an interesting time for artists. In the so-called off season, where not too many are willing to brave the heat in North India to visit galleries and shows, artists often take the time off to travel and attend art camps that give them an opportunity to get to know each other, network and expand their visual vocabulary, thanks to the new places they travel to.
A number of camps these days, especially those abroad, don’t expect artists to physically create works, but that is more because of logistical reasons like
air freight. Many artists create work from the studio itself.
My own experience in camps within India is that when artists work together, their colour palette tends to get affected by fellow artists and it is interesting how they tend to instinctively use the same colours differently. The joy and bonhomie of working with your peers is heady, elating and fun. So is travelling together.
To be pitted in foreign environs with colleagues from diverse backgrounds can be quite a learning experience and an interesting insight into their psyche and the reason why they paint the way they do.
Dr Alka Raghuvanshi is an art writer, curator and artist