Brush with Sports

Mukesh Panika,director,Religare Arts.i,says Kasturba Gandhi Marg will turn into an art street,with exhibitions at the British Council and the Max Mueller Bhavan. Among the 20 biggies who will be displayed at his gallery are N Pushpamala ,Subodh Gupta,Riyas Komu and NS Harsha. “The best of young contemporary India will be represented. The exhibition will reflect the role of artist as a mediator and interpreter,” says Panika.

Since India is the clichéd fount of spiritualism,gallery owners are working around the theme to attract crowds. “Foreigners associate India with some aspects and art reflecting these would attract them,” says Payal Kapoor,director,Arushi Arts,who has Kolkata-based artist Bratin Khan working on the theme of spirituality for a solo. A sculpture garden is being planned outside her gallery on MG Road,with installations of Arunkumar HG and Venkat Bothsa’s kitsch fibreglass sculptures. India is also Kama Sutra poses and Khajuraho’s licentious stone men and women,so Bhavna Kakar of Latitude 28 has artists reflecting on “Love is the Devil”. This will be love in the modern times,by artists like Chintan Upadhyay,Farhad Hussain and Manjunath Kamath. A funny performance art will also be staged across the city,with Vadodara-based artist Siddhartha Karawal dressing as a joker and travelling across Delhi with a cart of fibreglass donkeys.

Dhoomimal and Delhi Art Gallery put their money on the masters. “While travelling,people like to see works of artists who they have heard about,” says Uday Jain of Dhoomimal Gallery,who will host an exhibition featuring M.F. Husain and F.N. Souza. “We cannot predict the sales,but there will be a lot of buzz and it is a good time to increase art awareness. The footfall will be high,” says Ashish Anand,director,Delhi Art Gallery,whose biannual art show “Manifestations” will feature,again,the masters.

Lessons are lined up. A rtists will hold talks at Delhi Art Gallery while workshops will be held at Arts.i and Dhoomimal. Jain will have guided art tours for Rs 500. The stopovers include Crafts Museum ,National Gallery of Modern Art,National Museum and private galleries. And if original artwork is heavy on the pocket,take back souvenirs. Parul Vadehra promises additional stock of prints at Vadehra bookstore and Anand is designing memorabilia. At Art Alive Sunaina Anand is collaborating with authors for publications.

Looking for a literal link between sports and art? Anu Bajaj of Gallery Art Positive,has commissioned artists to depict sports in their art. “It’ll celebrate the honour of hosting the Games,” she says.

Marigold Fine Art will place towering metal sculptures of Mexican-Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn outside stadiums,and showcase Picasso sketches and Warhol acrylics

Dhoomimal will have guided art tours for Rs 500

Delhi Art Gallery will show the masters such as Souza and Husain,while Religare plans a contemporary show of 20 artists,including Subodh Gupta,N Pushpamala and Riyas Komu

Siddhartha Karawal will dress as a joker and travel across Delhi with a cart of dead donkeys in fibreglass

In an ironic first for graffiti,they will be commissioned by the Delhi Urban Art Commission