Indian Art fair: on the surface

Rahul Kumar’s installation Circle Uncircled (Oinam Anand)

While Maity’s work, Procession, a 240”x 240” installation comprising 50 ants made from Royal Enfields, supported by Art Alive Galley, is a “tribute to the resolute character of ants”. Veer Munshi’s life-sized replica of a wooden Kashmiri house is a reminder of the havoc caused by the floods that hit Kashmir last year. Called Serenity of Desolation, the 20-feet long art project lies toppled on its side. The project is supported by Popular Prakashan, and one can walk into it to admire the handcrafted interiors, as well as see the 100 water colour portraits of local men and women who were affected by the floods.

Rahul Kumar’s installation Circle Uncircled is a medley of 101 differently-coloured and differently-sized ceramic plates. Supported by Gallery Alternatives and India Foundation for the Arts, the challenge here lay in crafting some of the larger-than-usual plates in the 24x10ft ceramic installation where Kumar’s experiments with scale and texture have clearly paid off.

Another piece that cannot be missed is street artist Daku’s 100-meter long stencilled text that welcomes visitors. Etched onto the asphalt, the text on the road livens up the walk from the gates to the exhibition halls, and Daku assures the viewer in writing that “this is commissioned vandalism.” The artwork, that can’t be sold, is an indicator that the fair isn’t only about green paper, and that street art is no longer limited to the side lanes.