7 Artists from Gujarat Paint Relationships, Politics and War in a New Light

From bloodshot spots on canvas that decry war, to tender romance, this exhibition stirs up a host of emotions. Make the most of this Sunday by visiting the ‘Saptwarg’ group exhibition by 7 emerging artists from Gujarat.

A work of art, being the brainchild of the artist, says so much about the creator’s thought process – expressing much about his own journey and viewpoint about the social and political world. The seven emerging artists of Saptwarg group exhibition express all of these facets in their art. Inaugurated on May 4 at Hutheesing Visual Art Centre, the exhibition houses 21 artworks by seven emerging artists hailing from diverse places in Gujarat. The inaugural ceremony was graced by art proponent Umang Hutheesing, veteran artist Vrindavan Solanki, senior architects Hiren Patel and Jayant Gunjaria and Gallery Director Mahendra Kadia, along with young artists of Ahmedabad who gathered to seek inspiration.

The journey begins by looking at Sheth C.N. College of Fine Arts’ graduate Mavesh Chaudhary’s gigantic artworks. They depict graffitied messages of racial discrimination that often adorn public walls, which help to stoke a prejudiced political system. His portrayal of a headless elephant and a human-shaped graffiti somehow reminded me of eminent photographer Jyoti Bhatt’s glimpses, which exhaustively capture murals and wall posters from around rural India. Further into the exhibition, the first of independent artist Rudra Majithia’s watercolour paintings explains the violence of war through bloodshot spots on canvas. His second piece of art is a massive creation with various messages about war atrocities.

Ajay Gohel and Hardev Jethwa, who hail from the coastal areas of Porbandar, have drawn interactive artworks related to the area’s geography. In one of his works, Gohel addresses the problem of local fishers being captured in neighbouring counties when being mistaken for breaching borders. Jethwa depicts an intriguing concept of keeping things safe by drawing Nazar battu (‘evil eye’) and door locks in his paintings.

In the second half of the gallery, the theme of intimacy takes centre stage, with artist Priya Pariyani and Ravindra Savaiya taking relationships as their primary subject. Pariyani, who generally takes a feminine approach to her subjects, portrays the selfless relationship between a mother and daughter. Sarvaiya, on the other hand, suggests the romantic relationship between a man and a woman by tying two bicycles together with a single-strap lock. Mital Gorecha, meanwhile, depicts how children these days are losing touch with nature by not playing outdoors.

The exhibition is on display till Sunday, the 6^th of May, from 4PM to 8PM. Art lovers, stopping by here will be the surest way to spend your weekend well.

Photographs : Himanshu Nainani