What prompted Russian painter Kazimir Malevich to paint the now iconic Black Square, abandoning realism to explore geometric shapes? What was the initial verdict of Toulouse-Lautrec’s now famous Moulin Rouge posters, painted when the cabaret first opened in Paris? And how does one read perhaps one of the most recognised post-impressionist works, Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh’s oil on canvas The Starry Night. These are some questions that organisers of the multimedia exposition “The Drifting Canvas” intend to tackle. More than 20 HD projectors will be used to bring to life, through sound and light, works of 11 masters, including Claude Monet, Malevich, Henri Rousseau, Gustav Klimt, Paul Signac and Amedeo Modigliani. As one steps into the exhibition area at Select Citywalk in Delhi, a sprawling 12,000 sq ft, the anteroom will present the evolution of painting, from 1860 to 1960. Wearing special glasses, paintings by Rousseau and Malevich can be seen in 3D, making visible the intricate details of the reproductions. “The aim is to enable the viewer to make a journey into the world of art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when culture and society were experiencing genuine revolution,” says N Manikantan, CEO of Esperienza Exhibitions, that has brought the exhibition to India. He adds that attention has been given to record minute facts. So Monet, “one of the founding fathers of impressionism”, we are told, despite a double cataract, did not give up painting, until 1926, when he died of lung cancer. With mounting financial pressure, trauma due to his daughter’s death, and audience hostility, Gauguin even tried to commit suicide. Vincent van Gogh managed to sell only one painting during his lifetime. The anteroom leads to the highlight of the exhibition, the multimedia hall, where each short feature will be devoted to an artist, and some of their most prominent works will be projected on the big screen — from Van Gogh’s The Starry Night to Monet’s Water Lilies, Degas’ Blue Dancers and Modigliani’s The Blue Eyed Boy. The exposition makes a stopover in Delhi after travelling to more than 12 countries, including China, Russia, Berlin, Brazil and Poland. “The aim is to demystify art and take it to the audience, and also initiate those who find art galleries and museums intimidating,” says Manikantan. In keeping with this aim, a children’s area has art experts giving training in techniques such as drawing, collage and 3D composition, and at a photo booth visitors can take photographs with an array of artworks in the backdrop. The exhibition will be held at Select Citywalk, Saket, from April 19 to June 15. It will travel to Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore later in the year. The tickets for adults on weekdays are priced at Rs 499 and on the weekend at Rs 850. Tickets are available at BookMyShow
