It's a narrative in paint and colour. At the Tilting Art Gallery in Ishanya Mall,the group art show 'From Pune With Love' reflects an energy that's typical of the city. A collection of artworks by 13 artists depicts their interpretation of Pune. From dilapidated wadas and Ganeshotsav celebrations,the canvases move on to more urban stories. In the corner of the large room,one spots artist Ajay Deshpande's paintings - Rangbhumi 1 and 2. They artistically depict the play Ghashiram Kotwal (1972) by Vijay Tendulkar. The artist,who has been working on canvases since 1992,wanted to capture the theatrical brilliance of the city. "Pune has a vibrant theatre culture. When I saw this play,the presentation and art direction was so good that I immediately imagined how it would look on canvas," says Deshpande. Like Deshpande's work,most paintings in the exhibition give a cultural commentary on the city's art and charm. Displayed at the other end of the gallery are two paintings titled 'Sukh Nidra' by artist Milind Phadke. "They are about childhood memories - Puneites' love for an afternoon nap or a 'sukha nidra'," he says. With the backdrop of a cobalt blue sky,the painting of Mandai by artist Dinkar Jadhav stands out. Then there is the series of paintings on 'Doors' by artist Dhananjay Sastekar. Sastekar has tried to capture the history of the city for posterity. "I think the identity of the city needs to be chronicled," says Sastekar. A lecturer at the Abhinav Kala Vidyalaya,Sastekar's series shows multi-hued doors,characteristic of Pune. Every door depicted in the series is painted ajar. "Earlier,doors in the city would be open. Now they are all heavily locked," says the artist. Another interesting collection is the 'Chaha' (tea) series by Prasanna Dhandarphalle. Consisting of six paintings,the canvases depict different characters and what that cup of tea means to them. A placard placed at the corner of the gallery talks of the history of postcards. Six paintings selected from the exhibition are also available as postcards. (The exhibition is on till November 30 at Ishanya Mall)
