Touch of Brand

So,if in one frame,men are picking up blocks with the ‘Adidas’ logo on them; in another one,a woman is pulling a television set with ‘Sony’ scribbled at the bottom. It is as if in 28 frames,Phillips is initiating a social dialogue on development and the multinational culture. “These brands connect the world,impact people and also play a developmental role,” he says. Phillips has travelled around the globe and so,the old world charm of London is as much a backdrop for his work as is the modernity of New York.

His exhibition also depicts life in the hi-tech,media-driven and globalised society of today and brings to fore India’s transformation from a traditional nation to a modern one — while focusing on the Capital. Eight of his works,in water colour paintings and pen-and-ink drawings,portray his understanding of Delhi — with its customary shops,rickshaws,multinationals,malls and tall buildings. “I stayed in Delhi’s Paharganj area for two months to get the real feel of the place and also traveled by metro,buses and rickshaws to zero in on the sites that would serve as backdrop for my work,” says Phillips.

The exhibition is a part of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi’s initiative ‘Beyond The Borders’,under which the organisation is also inviting artists from Pakistan,France and the US to host interactions,workshops and exhibition. “We want to explore the international art and sync with artists of international repute.

Through these activities,the effort is to understand global art and take our art outside India,” says RN Singh,Secretary,Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi,adding that the primary aim of the project is to promote interaction between artists from across the globe. Prior to Phillips,French artist Martine Le Cam hosted an exhibition,lectures and workshops in the city under the same initiative.

The exhibition is on at Punjab Kala Bhawan,Sector 16,till January 7