Shades of life

Manpriya Singh 

Whether beautifying the walls or provoking the viewers’ thoughts—under all circumstances, art is meant to stir. Which is what most of the art works do at the annual exhibition put up by Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi. 

For instance one of the first works that greets the viewer, of a semi naked boy sitting next to a trash can, sewing a shirt. The work, reverse painted acrylic on acrylic sheet and titled Trasher of Treasure by Tanvi Rana, features in the Selected Artists Student category. 

Formation of a Dream by Ashima Raizada brings out the complexity of colours woven into each other. And is as abstract as a dream. 

Structures, cities & art works 

There is no dearth of canvases that find inspiration in monuments, places, geometric structures. Starting with Eiffel Tower captured by Sheen Pandita from a certain angle. Then there’s Nakshdeep Singh’s Colaba, an art work in water colour, bringing out the beauty and haziness of one of the busiest areas of Mumbai. Then there’s Flipped Paradigm, yet another geometric structure of a building captured by Shweta Kathuria. 

Forms hard to miss 

As for the sculptures generously dotting the floors of the venue, the more said the lesser. To begin with there’s a working clock titled Bonded Precious Time, in wood, stone and metal. The clock comes surrounded with brushes on all the four sides and big nail structure on top. Then there’s A Sikh Portrait in terracotta by Gurpreet Singh, highlighting the turban and the beard. Artist Mandeep Singh’s black marble structure, Head of Medusa, is discomforting but un-missable. 

Photographs and more 

Who would’ve thought of it! Golgappe by Ravneet Kaur brings out the aesthetics in countless round structures lying inside a rehri. Faith by Ankush Bagga brings out the charm of a wooden door, red bricks and photographs of idols hung on the front door. On a very similar note, there’s artwork in wood cut, titled Door To My Granny’s Place, in green and yellow, bringing out the nostalgia of a house, a verandah, a tree…

On till March 1 at Punjab Arts Council—16, Chandigarh

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