Events of the week

Bangladeshi landscape

What: The poetic qualities of Bangladeshi artist Rokeya Sultana’s artistic compositions reside in the mythical figures embedded in nature amidst harmony. The exhibition Rokeya Sultana traces the artist’s fascinating trajectory from when she worked in Santiniketan as a student under the guidance of Somenath Hore to her artistic career  in Bangladesh with Safiuddin Ahmed and Mohammad Kibria as mentors–  where she straddled diverse mediums and experimented with different narratives that were a unique expression of her own moods, emotions and intuitions. Bengal Foundation will release their recently published monograph, which has been produced in close collaboration with the artist. Since this is the year that Bangladesh celebrates its 50th year of liberation, this exposition becomes even more valuable to people across the border.

When: October 23 – November 21

Where: Lalit Kala Academy

Quirky take

What: A quirky and modern reinterpretation of the story of Lord Ganapati ‘Elephant in the Room’ is a play based on a story by Yuki Ellias. Master Tusk is a young boy, who has been given a new head ‐ an elephant’s head. Confused and bewildered, he finds himself lost in the forest. Danger lurks at every turn. He encounters a motley couple – Makadi (spider) and Moork (poacher), a clumsy duo in search of a big‐ticket ransom. They kidnap Master Tusk, but their scheme goes awry when a prophecy is revealed and changes everything. Inspired by the world of Indian mythology, Elephant in the Room pays homage to the beloved God, Lord Ganapati, in this quirky and poignant reinterpretation of his story.

When: October 23

Where: India International Centre

Sculptural works

What: For his fourth solo show with Nature Morte, Asim Waqif brings together a group of new sculptures and his latest experiments with photography under the moniker of “Material Scars.” Materials have always been the starting point for Waqif’s works: whether objects with which he has long, complicated histories, detritus he has collected from various sources, or plant forms he has nurtured into being. Before delving into the meanings and messages of his sculptures, the viewer is confronted with an aggressive material presence in his work, usually fusing incongruous elements together and harnessing an improbable sense of balance. This new body of work continues to employ bamboo, one of Waqif’s most characteristic materials, synthesized with man-made components that belie their original functions. Experimenting with different types of papers, Waqif crumples and creases, exposes and blocks, diffuses and compresses to capture fleeting traces which resemble the movement of a shadow, the recurrence of a memory, or the fluctuation of a breeze.

When: October 8 – November 13

Where: Nature Morte, Vasant Vihar