‘Fantastic Realities and Beyond’: Art exhibition commemorates CIMA’s three-decade journey

The Center of International Modern Art (CIMA) is concluding its celebratory 30-year journey with a grand exhibition titled 'Fantastic Realities and Beyond' at the Visual Arts Gallery from February 29 to March 10, 2024 (Source: PR Handout)

Featuring artworks from artists spanning generations, the exhibition invites viewers to explore the diverse world of artistic evolution and diversity across India (Source: PR Handout).

Founded in Kolkata in 1993, CIMA aimed to redefine artistic boundaries and provide a platform for Indian artists to showcase their brilliance (Source: PR Handout).

Throughout its existence, CIMA has played a crucial role in shaping the narrative of Indian art, challenging conventions, and pushing creative expression to new limits (Source: PR Handout).

To mark this milestone, CIMA hosted a series of exhibitions over six months, reflecting the rich cultural landscape of artistic masters (Source: PR Handout).

Rakhi Sarkar, the Director of CIMA Gallery, says, “As CIMA completes three decades, we aim to revisit earlier concerns and pose new questions, broadening the cultural spectrum for the current generation. This exhibition is an opportunity for today’s youth to witness and experience the evolving visual history that shapes and unravels new territories" (Source: PR Handout).

The exhibition features seminal works by around 50 artists, including celebrated, young, and anonymous ones, covering 12 decades from across India. It also includes a musical excerpt from Satyajit Ray’s famous comedy, 'Goopie Gyan Bagha Byne' (Source: PR Handout).

Works of renowned artists such as Bikash Bhattacharjee, Shobha Broota, Jitish Kallat, Sudhir Patwardhan, Goutam Pramanick, Arpita Singh, K.G. Subramanium, and more will be on display (Source: PR Handout).

'Fantastic Realities and Beyond' aims to capture elements of fantasy beyond surrealism by infusing postmodern, futuristic ideas into oriental storytelling (Source: PR Handout).

The exhibition showcases a wide spectrum of art from across India, from early 20th-century miniatures to contemporary augmented reality, transcending from figurative to abstract expressions (Source: PR Handout).

It reflects profound psychological dilemmas of the contemporary world, exploring existential questions with irony, humour, and occasional shock (Source: PR Handout).