Expressions of a falling earth

Cinema Verite Redux, an exhibition curated by writer Shaheen Merali, comprises works by seven national and international artists and includes short films, installations, paintings and photographs. Merali says the works explore “a context led by strong statements about the social concerns of the artists on a ‘falling earth’.”

Cinema Verite Redux engages the audience in diverse thoughts and a changing world through works which are strikingly apart in their expression.

Bangalore-based artist Ravikumar Kashi’s photographs question where one might find the original Gandhi by placing a figurine of Gandhi (that he bought in Bangalore’s chor bazaar for Rs10) in a hall of mirrors. “Gandhi, in my work is lost in a hall of mirrors. The original Gandhi is nowhere to be found,” says Kashi in his concept note. Moving to a more physical concern, Prasad Raghavan’s Decalogue, a set of 10 inkjet prints of digital collages, concentrates on the excesses in today’s world. Collages of plastic bottles, cars, images of under-clad men and women are all put together to create a visual of what Raghavan describes as the insatiable and directionless conquest of man to attain glory.

“I believe artists, like all of us, are contemplating how to announce and act on change. It is no longer advantageous to hide in ignorance, as the pace of disintegration in our environment is affecting all of us; we are together in this and artists are part of the unified voice asking to work on challenging the malaise and greed which has led to so much damage, prejudice and ill on the world and its occupants,” says the London- and Berlin-based curator, referring to the variety of themes in the show.

Atilla Richard Lukacs displays a set of portraits, oil paintings done on panels of wood that Lukacs collected from different places. The portrait of a man wearing a baseball cap with “Abu” printed on it has been painted on a plank the artist picked up from Mount Abu.

The other works on exhibit are video installations by Charly Nijensohn and Marina Roy, cut-out paintings on canvas stretched on wood by Subba Ghosh, and black and white drawings by Parvathi Nayar.

Cinema Verite Redux is on till 30 July at Gallery Sumukha, 24/10, BTS Depot Road, Wilson Garden, Bangalore.

pavitra.j@livemint.com