Events of the week

Uncertainties on canvas

What: For the past decade, Thukral & Tagra have been exploring issues such as internal migration and emigration, the nature of ephemerality, the social realities of the Indian populace, and the strategies of survival of the dispossessed. Their newest body of work titled ‘Conjecture’, on display at Nature Morte , looks at the multiple levels of uncertainty that are now our collective reality and articulates feelings of vulnerability, immediacy, imbalance, and uncertainty. New large-scale paintings depict synthetic landscapes which seem to be caught in a cataclysm. Gravity is non-existent, parameters are dissolving, infinity is the given norm, and the only inhabitants are either robotic or generated from an immaterial digital realm. These planetary supports are reminiscent of table-tennis structures, implying a sense of both play and constant motion to these scenarios.

When: 2 September – 1 October

Where: Nature Morte, Vasant Vihar

Looking back

What: What really went on at the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi, how did it get its awesome reputation and why is it still influential today? Michael Scott of Cambridge University uncovers the secrets of the most famous oracle in the ancient world. India International Centre presents ‘Delphi: Bellybutton of the Ancient World’, directed by David Wilson. A vital force in ancient history for a thousand years, it is now one of Greece’s most beautiful tourist sites, but in its time it has been a gateway into the supernatural, a cockpit of political conflict, and a beacon for internationalism. And at its heart was the famous inscription which still inspires visitors today – ‘Know Thyself’.

When:  6 – 12 September

Where: Website of IIC

Landscapes

What: Todo Paintal has had an eventful and momentous life, and yet her work exudes a rare warmth and joie de vivre which reflect not only her zest of life but her inner strength and an ability to face life head on. Married to a war veteran who has fought the  65’ and 71’ wars, she turned to painting as a cathartic release. Having spent her childhood in Dalhousie and a larger part of her life in far flung army cantonments, she celebrates the experience of solitude and spiritual refreshment afforded by pastoral retreats in idyllic portraits of contented self-sufficiency. These portable mementos representing visual experiences are on view at ‘Looking Back to The Future’ which shows us a wonderful energy of her artistic engagement, great fascination and love with the mountains.

When: Till 15 September

Where: Threshold Art Gallery