Exhibition of paintings: Melange – One for the Senses

Expecting a discussion, heated or subdued, at an art exhibit is not expecting frogs to fall from the sky. But witnessing someone passionately instruct someone on how to hang a canvas for display in an art exhibit once the exhibit is open is something else. And when this person who was barking orders was not one of the featured artists, one wonders what the curator meant by the name of the bold brushstrokes when the art show claimed to be one for the senses…

Many of Blend’s works stayed true to the claim to inspire the senses. Featuring more than 20 artists from across India, exhibits include watercolors, oil on canvas, and a handful of sculptures, some of them by relatively lesser-known artists. Just like the definition of its title, the show is multi-layered and evokes countless emotions with some of the works demanding extended viewing.

On some level, there is hardly a big difference between art shows and when the artists on display don’t remember, many of the shows end up looking the same. This is a notion that could be very unfair not only to the artist but also to the concept behind the exhibition, but sadly, this is the truth. Skipping Melange based on names would be a huge disappointment, as there are more than a handful of works that more than make up for the effort.

Instantly evocative and refreshingly classic, Gautam Dey’s palette infuses watercolors with a new energy. Her strokes transcend the limits that her colors can impose and it is this facet of her urban landscapes that captivates the eye. Dhiren Sasmal’s oil on canvas titled ‘Me and Butterfly’ reflects a similar transformation the subject is undergoing. Infused with a barrage of vivid color, ‘Me and Butterfly’ is some of the best work you’ve seen in recent times.

Indian artists worth noticing at Blend

An overwhelming number of exhibits can tend to detract from an exhibit, but aside from Gautam Dey and Dhiren Sasmal, there are a few more that stand out. Swapan Maitey’s great works full of lines, colors, strokes and allegories are very reminiscent of Picasso’s Guernica; Basudev Ghosh’s skill with oil colors brings his interpretation of ‘Ghats of Benaras’ to life, as does Samik Dey’s ‘Raas Leela’.

Works by some artists from Germany, Canada, Bangladesh and Pakistan are also on display. Mixture has a few sculptures dotted around the hallway and it’s the works of one artist that make it an exceptional find. Soumen Pal’s ‘Nirvana’, a head with a part made of leaves and ‘Power of Sword’, a huge sword with a charging army carved into its blade nothing short of extraordinary.

Like an artist seeking to elicit responses to emotions, Mixture manages to do the same for the viewer…although soft elevator music would have sufficed for the ears rather than the titillating outburst from one of the curators greeted by this writer. …this is undeniably a treat for the senses.