Journalism of Courage
With an aim to give a boost to art and culture and the artistic community, Bengaluru-based art gallery Art Houz is launching ‘Art Illustrative 100 or AI 100’, a coffee table book consisting of 39 artworks that chronicles contemporary and cultural features of several artists across India.
According to Jayanthi Shegar, curator and gallery manager of Art Houz, ‘AI 100’ is an attempt to record the dialogue that the artist has with his/her canvas. “Artistes have put together artworks that reflect upon their place of upbringing and the cultural narrative they have grown up in. AI 100 is an amalgamation of artists who are coming together to launch the book in different platforms and cities. We want to bring back the visual impact of artwork which took a beating during the pandemic,” says Shegar.
The show also explores the artists’ curiosity to express and preserve their culture, identity and connection to the land and their community. The book showcases the artistic range and creativity through a deep dive into the world of artists who have explored the fleeting motion of their lives and ideas on canvas.
Some of the artists who are a part of ‘AI 100’ include Dhan Prasad, Laxman Aelay, Manjunath N Wali, Rahul Mhetre among others. Dhan Prasad’s artwork ‘Fortune Teller’ denotes the temple series inspired by the vast number of worship places in Telangana. His artwork includes the paintings of godman, fortune tellers and people who sit outside places of worship claiming to be the one ‘sent by God’.
Uttam Manna, a Kolkata-based artist, has worked on a painting called ‘Folk Dance’ that describes the festive season Kolkata celebrates every now and then and the kinds of traditional dance they do. Manjunath Wali, Bengaluru-based artist, is displaying his work titled Vasantharuthu. The artwork is a depiction of the scenic landscape of Kalaburagi, the place where Wali grew up in and the elements that he misses seeing in his surroundings.
Some of the guests who will be present at the book launch include artist C S Krishna Setty, who is the former chairman of the Lalithakala Academy, New Delhi and Prof M J Kamalakshi, artist and former chairperson of Karnataka Lalithakala Academy.
Venue: Art Houz, 63, Palace Road, Vasanthnagar, Bengaluru 560052.
The coffee table book launch and the art show will be inaugurated on June 3 at Art Houz, Vasanthnagar. The artworks will be on display till June 18.
