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| Erasing Borders: Passport to Contemporary Indian Art Feb-June 2008 |
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theindianstar.com
Exclusive art exhibit for Indian Diaspora artists in NY
The Indian Star News Service
Posted: Saturday, March 15, 2008, 04:19 am EST |
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| Ajanta Cave Panel – fingernail relief drawing by Suhash Tavkar. |
Exclusive art exhibit for Indian Diaspora artists in NY
New York: An exponent of the rare fingernail relief drawings, it has been tough for Suhash Tavkar to be recognized as an artists in the United States where he has lived since 1977.
So does, other Indian artists here even at a time when Indian art has been gaining recognition world over and art-lovers are spending millions to buy some of its paintings.
This is because, argues Aroon Shivdasani of the Indo-American Arts Council, the galleries in the US concentrate on bringing the big names from India and do not think about Indian artists who are right in front of them, even though they at times can match the best of those.
As such in an effort to recognize the rich talent of Indian artists living in the US, Indo-American Arts Council has started an exclusive exhibition for the Diaspora artist. Christened “Erasing Borders”, the exhibition into its fifth year has now gained popularity among the talented Diaspora artists who are struggling to seek recognition from the mainstream community.
“It is a great boost to all of us. We need such platform,” said Tavkar, whose fingernail embossing on a white paper attracted a large number of art lovers as the exhibition opened in Brooklyn March 12.
“If I approach galleries here representing Indian artists, I think they do make a distinction between who is coming from India and who is coming from the Diaspora,” said another participating painter Antonio Puri, who came to the US as a student in 1984.
“I think that is unfortunate because you know that should not be a factor. It should be about the art, it should be about the integrity of a particular artist and the fact that they are of Indian origin should be good enough,” he observed.
This year Erasing Borders attracted 270 submissions, of which about 40 were selected -- now on display at the Tabla Rasa Gallery in Brooklyn New York from March 12 to 27. “There is a greater need to give space to the Diaspora artists. This is just a small beginning,” said curator Vijay Kumar, who himself has been struggling to get recognition.
Agrees young Varun Narula, who was born here. “The Indian artists living in the US definitely need a platform. It is a strong voice of the Diaspora as well as individual artists,” he said. His paintings reflect the new realities of the post 9 / 11 world. His painting on display shows how after an explosion in the temple courtyard, Kathak dancers put on their gas masks and perform in narrative dance.
This painting, Shivdasani said can match the best. Because, brand India sells, every one now goes to India and buys the arts from there, while it is also available here. “People are not even looking at it. I want people to at least look at it,” she argued.
It is an exhibition for those Indian artists who live and work in the US. It is an exhibition to celebrate and showcase their art, she said.
Based on his experience of past years, Puri was quick to characterize himself and other Diaspora artists as misfits. “We are not completely embraced by the society where we live and not embraced by the society which we left,” he argued.
Agrees, Satish Joshi, who came to the US in 1969 as 23-year old to explore the western world. Indian galleries now have exploded all over the world, but the people who are here, a lot of them are still struggling artist, he said.
From here the exhibition would move to other parts of New York, before ending in Queens in the Fall.
URL: http://www.theindianstar.com/index.php?uan=4117 |
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