A rich repertoire of expressions

Bringing together the art practices of five renowned contemporary artists of our times — Moti Zharotia, Ananda Moy Banerji, Dattatreya Apte, Kavita Nayar, and Sushanta Guha — a one-of-its-kind ongoing group show titled ‘MARKS’ explores how an artist’s journey can be discovered from the mark they make, both literally and figuratively, on their medium and the world.

The exhibition runs at The Art Route Gallery, Gurugram from September 17 – October 8, 2022. The show is curated by art curator, consultant and researcher Lubna Sen. 

Spanning different mediums, themes and approaches to their work, “MARKS” delves into the practice of this group, known to the art world as ‘Multiple Encounters’, which has been engaging in many collaborative projects around the world with a singular commitment to creating a deeper dialogue in art. 

“A mark is a perceived anomaly created on a surface, born out of the gestural activity of its maker. These anomalies or impressions are made, not accidentally, but with intention. It bears the distinct personality of its maker and a unique context behind its creation. The exhibition explores the practices of five contemporary artists through this lens. Though vastly different in style, they converge at one point – their single-minded commitment to the evolution of their craft,” says the show’s curator Lubna Sen in her note.

The nuances of life, nature and spirituality are the central ideas behind Moti Zharotia’s ‘Purush and Prakriti’ and ‘Tree’ series, where the artist digs into its vivid dimensions and comes up with innumerable possibilities. Refering to his works ‘River Sutra’ and ‘Orange Moon’ Ananda Moy Banerji says he is getting ready to take a plunge in a deep sea of ‘human landscape’.

For artist Dattatreya Apte, creating a print is like recording the happenings around, while the printmaker plays any role he desires.” Apte’s ‘Still Life’ and ‘Reflections’ series are quiet contemplations of the unseen and unacknowledged world around us. 

About her series of etchings and works on paper, ‘Pathless Path’ and ‘Mayhem’, Kavita Nayar resonates with the struggle of those who are an inherent part of our metropolitan ecosystem. “My drawings are an extension of the emotional experience conveyed in an intuitive manner leading to these visuals”, she says.

Sushanta Guha’s vivid and detailed critical commentaries, ‘His Magical World Series’ and ‘Time Traveller’, deal with global issues emerging from the endless human desire of this materialistic world, which has led to a loss of human sensibilities and an increase in individual suffering. 

Where: The Art Route Gallery, Sec 42, Gurugran

When: Till 8 October, 11 am to 6 pm