India on show

Bengaluru artist Ranjani Shettar is making major waves in the West. Last month, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ran a solo show with the artist, on the heels of similar shows in Fort Worth and Boston. Her work will now also be included in a sculpture garden opening alongside stalwarts like Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly and others in San Francisco. But that’s later in May.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Chatterjee & Lal’s Suspect and Mint Condition will be shown throughout April at Kala Ghoda Café, the former a collective of poets, filmmakers, anthropologists and photographers dedicated to dignifying everyday objects, the latter a collection of works produced from found photographs and discarded videotapes.

And Valay Shende’s second solo show (see Rate of the Art below) is on at Sakshi Gallery till April 12.

In Delhi, video artist Sonia Khurana’s video installations on transcultural encounters are on at Max Mueller Bhawan till April 10.

Graphic designer Sanjay Nanda’s photographs, Lost in Time & Space, recreate a nostalgic world of urban — abandoned? — beauty. At Indipix Gallery, Vasant Vihar, till April 19.

Two interesting group shows — With the Best Intentions by Anant Art Gallery, at Triveni till April 9, and Body As Vessel curated by Geeti Sen for Art Alive Gallery, till April 25, round off the peak art season.

A critically important show of drawings by eminent artists that brings back the focus on this form, has been organised by Dhoomimal Art Gallery at India Habitat Centre. On till April 9.

And in Gurgaon, at Epicenter, Parul Airen’s Urban Hues, in oils and charcoals, explores urban lives.

And in Kolkata, Art Against Terrorism is a collaborative effort by eight galleries, on view at Emami Chisel Art. Don’t miss it.
 

RATE OF THE ART
Valay Shende
WHO'S IS HE?	An artist with ambition, someone to look out for with his socio-political views. Though Shende may have strong convictions, his interpretation is far from maudlin
SUCH AS?	Well, he’s reacted to our apathy to the Vidharba farmers suicides by using their ashes in salt and pepper shakers as centrepieces for an elaborately laid out dining table, and chooses to highlight the dichotomy between modernity and tradition
IS HE AFFORDABLE	His limited edition buffaloes are for between Rs 20-25 lakh, and his dabbawalas are for between Rs 25-30 lakh
THAT'S EXPENSIVE	So is his production process and materials in which brass discs are cast together, welded, polished, buffed, lacquered. And for his dabbawalas, each life-size person is composed of up to 7,000 working watches!
HIS STRENGTHS…	He’s young, he’s angry, and he’s here  for the long-term
…AND WEAKNESSES	Liquidity is scarce, so Shende may have to settle for more interest than buyers. But then, that’s the way artists have always survived