Arts_Illustrated_-_February-March_2016

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T

here isn’t much in common
in them except for the fact
that they are all visual artists
of repute. Pairing two artists is a tricky
affair, even if they belong to different
generations. But we thought it would
be interesting to look at artists in
juxtapositions, particularly when they
belong to different generations – their
inspirations, thought processes and
research for their work, and, of course,
the innovative ways they have used the
tools and materials available to them
to address the aesthetics and socio-
economic issues of their times. We look
at their style, practice, medium and
methods and their visible, and not so
visible, contradictions in themes and
issues tackled and modus operandi. All
of them, who are part of India Art Fair
2016, are all well known for their work
and mostly are familiar with each others’
works even if they are reluctant speakers
about the other. They all admire each
others’ works, and criticism is something
that doesn’t bother any one of them.
In fact, it inspires them. In the words

of TV Santosh, he is ‘his own worst

critic’. Most artists we spoke to for this

feature looked like they all were. Vivan

Sundaram and UBIK have been paired

for their tryst with conceptual art and the

way they treat the medium they work in

and the high intellectual quotient of their

works. A Ramachandran and TV Santosh

have been paired for their narrative

paintings. KP Reji and Surendran for

the wit and sarcasm in their works.

Anjolie Ela Menon and Mithu Sen for

being artists from two different periods

working together in various formats but

also dealing with gender issues and clear

feminist views. Arpana Caur and Seema

Kohli emerged in Delhi at different

times with a similar approach to their art

practice, although Seema moved to more

conceptual works. Pierre Legrand and

Parvathi Nayar for their very distinct but

different abstractions. Atul Dodiya and

GR Iranna for the inherent sarcasm in

their works.

Here are some nuggets from what each

artist thinks of the other and about their

art practice.

IAF - Delhi Connecting Art/ FEB 2016 - MAR 2016 / ARTS ILLUSTRATED /^47