The messengers of love may be the cloud, swan, dove, Malyani (Flower woman) or a portrait , Art Exhibition Review

VERMILION VERSES a Solo show by Baladev Maharatha , held in Indian Capital Delhi,  showing Indian classical Art like wash paintings, tempera and acrylics on canvases at India Habitat Centre Venue: Open Palm Court Gallery Dates: 22nd - 26th Dec. 2010  , inaugurated by Ms Sangeeta Bahadur, Deputy Director General, ICCR on 22nd December 2010 at 5.00 P.M. Exhibition has been organized by Ashok Art Gallery in association with Art India International attracted a healthy crowd and became most discussed show of the year.

The Chemistry of creativity is the outcome of the ripples created at  the cerebral sphere.  The creator imbibes the nuances from various avenues and his creativity is catapulted to such a height, which is called colossal. When the creation reaches colossal heights, the creator becomes a colossus. His masterly uniqueness receives rave views. At times he tries to transform one avenue to the other and the visual media is acutely susceptible to that. Such is the truthfulness with Baladev Maharatha who has been quite meticulously transforming the great poetic lines on to his canvasses, Bucking Ford Paper and the poetry is heard to mind and soul of the viewer, with jugglery of colors and balanced space. His iconology is as per the lines of the poetry and at places, the same surpasses the lines even.

            Baladev is not a novice to this type of transformations. He had already so  many magnums opus poetic work form Kalidas to Kavi Samarat Upendra Bhanja the pioneer of medieval Oriya  Poetry.

Baladev stepped into the particular avenue by vividly osmotising the finer elements  of imagery, iconography and form and the essence would provide him to paint the woman, the Nayika in so called poetics.

            The mediaval poetry has been mostly embracing the “Bhakti Bhaba” and “Shringari Bhaba” (State of Amorous passion ) and are so touchy and lively by depicting the lucidity in love, the ballad of parting for love, exile for love, punishment for love and even death for love that the master painter has been deeply moved by all these descriptions. So the outcome is creation of visual poetry from poetics through palate to paintings.

            The painter compares the gracefulness and the aesthetics and femininity as depicted in the medieval poetics with the psyche prevalent with the feministic attitude of the contemporary women.“Sringar” happens to be the first  “Rasa” for which it is known as the “Aadi Rasa” Beauty and Sringar are having tremendous impact on human mind from times immemorial. The medieval poetics has profusely embraced such “Rasas” . In the poetry of Kavi Samart Upendra Bhanj rhetroric frame makes of medieval Oriya poetry, there are enormous depiction of “Maithuna” and  Sringar but still the women has been kept with highest esteems.

            With the medieval poetics, nature plays a pivotal role. The women are described with the imagery from the nature. The narratives are so lively that the painter finds it quite feasible to transform it to visual medium. Be it the God or Human beings all decline before love for its state of eagerness and belongingness. Hence love is the main bone of contention in medieval poetics. Both animate and inanimate objects are taken as the love messengers here with many texts of medieval poetry.

            The messengers of love may be the cloud, swan, dove, Malyani (Flower woman) or a portrait  of the lover or beloved all solve the same process of communication in love in a figurative shape.

The painter conglomerates all these nuance to classic  contemporary visual art. The aesthetics is a perennial phenomenon with the humanity which connotes the “Bhava”  the psychic emotion and the soul which intermingles the classicism attaining  the contemporanity. In the contemporary Creativity the depiction at times becomes individualistic but with the conventional themes it caters to vast socio-cultural canvases.   

            Baladev’s personals believe is that, art should communicate the over all aesthetics and need to be positive with a reflection of soul searching. Aesthetic, inclination and humanity is some how other necessarily required to tell the tale of the truth embedded within the verses

He also experiences, to create the invisible visible and to paint poetics in his own way is a thought provoking job absolutely. To make the time backward and to coincide with contemporary time,  is only possible by a creative painter.The pictorial theme which one  can conceive form Indian medieval literature, that must be acknowledged globally. So Baladev is glorifying the great poetic elements through his paintings. The poetic depict the creative pursuit gracefulness, ability, surrender, sensitivity, generosity, love for nature changing  life style, spiritualism, envy, revolutionary mind, wisdom and the eternal love of womanhood.

            Artist has very perfectly imbibed the images from the lucid the poetic lines with various visual descriptions like, the lucid body curvature of the female form as well as the gracefullness and the grief stricken facial gesture

Here the Shnigar Rasa depicts the foreplay lorry signs of the union and the nail marks are visible on the body of the Nayika is never obscence rather  realistically depicted.

            With some descriptions the pearl necklace of the Nayika is dismantled because of Viraha (parting  suo-motu and the doves take it as  food gnains and such unique description s have been accutly  conceived and painted by the painter.

            The depiction of natural beauty scape i.e. the mushroom beads spronting  on the ground in series has been portrayed  as the pearl Necklace of the nature as described by the medieval poets and so painted by the painter.

            The blood  red colour of the bathing pond, where red lotus blossom, there the petals spread over the water is a lucid colour jugglery for the painter

            Baladev has used the earthy smelled colour scheme suitable to Indian psyche and befitting to the concept. i.e. the geographical scape, architectural ambience and situations with his paintings. He believes that his paintings are the illustrative poetry which narrates or recites poetry in visual form and shape. The dominating vermilion  red back ground of the paintings narrate the detoriation  and degradation of the value based clarity that we did have in our past.

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, we became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India 2008, 09 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

The painter compares the gracefulness and the aesthetics with the feministic attitude of the comtemporary women

VERMILION VERSES a Solo show by Baladev Maharatha , It will exhibit Indian classical Art like wash paintings, tempora and acrylics on canvases at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
Venue: Open Palm Court Gallery Dates: 22nd - 26th Dec. 2010
Art works showing women, birds,flowers trees & mountains captured in intricate detail have been a beautiful reminder of Indian rich traditions of loving the Nature.That’s the beauty part... of it, and what also keeps alive the business of looking, the flip side of this business being how money and fame can sometimes make dreamers or opportunists out of even the most scrupulous experts & institutions...
With the mediaval poetics, nature plays a pivotal role. The women are described with the imagery from the nature. The narratives are so lively that the painter finds it quite feasible to transform it to visual medium.Be it the God or Human beings all decline before love for its state of eagerness and belongingness. Baladev stepped into the particular avenue by vividly osmotising the finer elements of imagery, iconography and form and the essence would provide him to paint the woman, the Nayika in so called poetics....
Show will be innaugurated by Ms Sangeeta Bahadur, Deputy Director General, ICCR on 22nd December 2010 at 5.00 P.M.
see you there



The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, we became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India 2008, 09 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Contemporary Classics by Baladev Maharatha from 22nd to 26th Dec 2010

Coming Show Updates: VERMILION VERSASE
Solo show by Baladev Maharatha , will exhibit Indian classical Art like wash paintings, tempera and acrylics on canvases at India Habitat Centre
Venue: Open Palm Court Gallery
Dates: 22nd - 26th Dec. 2010
invitation and all other updates will come soon


The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, we became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India 2008, 09 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Present-day Art Trend Colours of Orissa, An article by Kasturi Ray @ The New Indian Express

Krishna, in azure blue, as the commander with the timeless conch in one hand and the strength of horses and wheels in the background, summarised power. One among a series of paintings on Krishna by Baladev Moharatha, this one arrests attention at first glance. The theme, composition and concept have all the elements of a contemporary art piece that is rooted in tradition as much as in modernity. Dictated to by an inner voice, Moharatha put his creative genius into art and the piece speaks a thousand stories. Like Moharatha, there are many artists in Orissa and beyond who have given their creations their individual identity and are making that the contemporary trend. But the state has also been witness to a negative trend where many artists resort to imitation and follow the diktats of art galleries in their craze for overnight success. A state that traces its art history to traditional stone craft, temple murals, palmleaf manuscript paintings, Osakothi folk paintings and patta and palm leaf engravings and to date takes pride in it, had, at one point in time, seen the effects of the Bengal School of Art emerging as a major trend with the establishment of the Khallikote Art College in 1959.

It was in the 1960s that traces of modernism sprouted in some parts, largely due to the colonial influence. The trend continued until the 1990s after which the global contemporary style and the pan-Indian style took over most canvases. All these influences came together in diverse, eclectic, yet sustaining ways to shape the contemporary art scene of the state.While Mukunda Moharana, Raghunath Prusty, Shatrughna Karan and Dharinadhara shaped the traditional arts scene through their palm leaf engravings and patta paintings, it was Sarat Chandra Debo, Ananta Panda, Bipra Mohanty, D N Rao, Gopal Kanungo, Bipin Bihari Choudhury, Muralidhar Tali and Bimbadhar Varma who made the modern art scene extremely sprightly through paintings based on surrealism or impressionism. But it seems all is not well in the present day art scenario, with imitation finding its way into art more than originality; with the Internet proving an idea bank instead of personal experience and with financial considerations taking precedence over involvement and commitment.

Modern contemporary art brought with it a lot of scope for experimentation and provided tremendous liberty to artists. Some who did not find the state the right place to give vent to their creative urges left in search of greener pastures. But there were many veterans like Dinanath Pathy, Ramahari Jena, Baladev Moharatha and Siba Panigrahi and others who felt contemporaneity did not necessarily need an artist to sever ties with his own surroundings. “Moving out could give you a broader viewership since there are galleries galore in metros but it is the way you conceive of a subject and its analysis in detail that gives an artist’s creation its relevance. These days, Oriya artists are doing good jobs in New Delhi and their art is considered global now due to their reach but not many of them are thorough in the literary and artistic traditions of their state to give that traditional touch to their creations,” says Moharatha. To give a piece of art its Oriya identity it is imperative for an artist to know its history, art and culture and then translate it into art,” adds Moharatha.

For example, contemporary artist Jagannath Panda’s style of painting is in sync with the immediate surroundings of his home state Orissa and New Delhi, the city where he now lives. In fact, the artist whose paintings are mostly landscape-oriented, tends to draw energy from wherever he locates himself. In Panda’s work a routine event or any commonplace object is imprinted with a symbolic stature that is oriented to represent collective aspirations. He collates the best of both Western minimalist features, as well as Orissa’s folk art elements. “It’s very important for an artist to develop his or her individuality. For this, the artist needs to look inwards as much as he looks outwards and there is no point imitating someone. I would much rather be inspired by someone or some piece of creation,” says Panda. A piece of art can appeal if it is highly contemporary in style with strands of tradition ingrained in it, he adds.

Another Oriya artist, Anup Chand, also based in New Delhi, who normally paints on issues affecting society such as pollution, concrete jungles and tigers, feels the artists of Orissa are way ahead of their contemporaries in the country and abroad because of their typical Oriya touch in even the modern paintings. “Somewhere there will be a tinge which will identify an Oriya artist and his roots. And the best examples are Jagannath Panda, Alok Bal and Birendra Pani who are world renowned,” Chand adds. Chand’s pieces have glimpses of pattachitra in their decorative and simplified form and his motifs include birds, bees, animals and buildings.

Dinanath Pathy, an artist, writer and art historian explains the present trend: “These days, most paintings look alike. That is because saleability is the buzzword. Many artists settling outside follow what the galleries ask them to do as per the present demand. This stands for all artists irrespective of the fact that they belong to a particular state. So where is the scope for an artist’s own creativity? Art currently is more about going by what the stakeholders want,” says Pathy who is credited with painting innumerable masterpieces. “I call it the Bollywood syndrome,” he adds explaining that artists now want to be Page 3 celebrities. That keeps them away from painting based on their instinct backed by experience and knowledge.

However, most veterans, impervious to this state of affairs feel the present phase is transient. If Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-90) survived because his heart was in art, even the present-day wavering Oriya artists will return to their roots in their paintings soon. And that will redefine the present-day art trend.
Kasturi Ray @ The New Indian Express


The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, we became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India 2008, 09 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

RAJIV GANDHI INTERNATIONAL PAINTING CONTEST ON ENVIRONMENT'

We are a product of our environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success - or are they holding you back?We generate our own environment. We get exactly what we deserve. How can we resent a life we've created ourselves? Who's to blame, who's to credit but us? Who can change it, anytime we wish, but us?
Here is an opportunity for all to express our feelings towards a safer and cleaner environment..

‎'RAJIV GANDHI INTERNATIONAL PAINTING CONTEST ON ENVIRONMENT'.
Join Right now..!!!

‘Rajiv Gandhi International Painting Contest on Environment’ is an online painting competition for kids, school students and adults around the globe on environment to spread the message ‘Save the Earth’ . The contest was inaugurated by Smt. Sheila Dixit, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi State, India on 5th June 2010, ‘THE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY’ and will be ended o...n 3rd August 2010 (60 days online contest).

Join Right now..!!!

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

01. Entry to the online contest is free for all candidates and is open for all Citizens around the world.

02. The contest will be conducted in different ‘Groups’ for kids, school students and adults as follows:

Group A: Children - 4 to 5 years old. (Coloring with Crayons only)
Group B: Class I : (Coloring with Crayons only);
Group C: Class II : (Coloring with Crayons only);
Group D: Class III : (Coloring with Crayons only);
Group E: Class IV : (Coloring with Water Colors only);
Group F: Class V : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group G: Class VI : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group H: Class VII : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group I: Class VIII : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group J: Class IX : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group K: Class X : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group L: Class XI : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group M: Class XII : (Painting with Water Colors only);
Group N: Adults above 18 years old : (Painting with Water Colors only);

03. The online painting contest was started at 5.30 PM (GMT) on 5th June 2010 (World Environment Day) and will be ended at 5.30 PM (GMT) on 3rd August 2010 (60 days contest).

04. The online contest will be conducted through www.facebook.com only. All interested participants must have an account in Facebook and join the ‘Group’ of ‘Congress South Indian Forum (Delhi State Committee)’

05. All interested participants are requested to send your paintings before 3rd August 2010 by e-mail to: facebook.painting@gmail.com.

06. Along with paintings, attach your photograph (PP size) and please write the following details in the e-mail:

Name of Participant:
Father / Guardian’s Name:
Age & Date of Birth:
Gender:
Name & Postal Address of School (students):
Class & Division (students):
Residence Address:
Mobile & Land Phone No.:
E-mail Address:
(Photograph is compulsory for participation)

07. Please don’t write your name or any other details in the painting.

08. One participant can send up to 3 paintings (together or separate) within the contest period of 60 days time. All these 3 paintings will be considered for competition with different Registration Nos.

09. All participants must send their ‘Original Paintings’ along with photograph and registration details by registered post / courier to our Delhi office immediately. All the paintings will be displayed in the venue of ‘Award Giving Ceremony’ which will be conducted in Delhi. Send your paintings to: Mr. Rajeev Joseph, 19/502, N.R. Complex, Srinivaspuri, New Delhi-110065, Mob: +91-9873278090.

10. We will upload your paintings with Registration Nos. to the contest page as soon as we received your paintings and other details by e-mail.

11. All paintings will be uploaded in the group page of ‘Congress South Indian Forum (Delhi State Committee)’.

12. If there is any malpractices in the paintings and registration, those participants will be disqualified from the contest any time.

13. Copyright of all paintings sent to this online competition is to be assigned to the contest organizers (Congress South Indian Forum).

14. Painting that have already been shown elsewhere or accepted for another contest will not qualify for this competition.

15. Paintings that show a particular person, an organization or a brand name will not be accepted in the paintings.

16. The management of ‘Congress South Indian Forum’ has the right to reduce the duration of the contest or extend the contest period, if necessary.

17. The ‘10 Member Team of Judges’ will be declared the winners of ‘Each Group’ on 7th August 2010.

18. The winners will be awarded with ‘Merit Certificates and Trophies’ in the ‘Award Giving Ceremony’ which will be conducted at Delhi on 20th August 2010, the 66th Birth Anniversary of Late Shri. Rajiv Gandhi, Hon’ble Former Prime Minister of India.

19. All the participants will be awarded with ‘Participation Certificates’ in the Award Giving Ceremony’ or it can be posted to the participants who pay the postal charges.

20. The organizers has the right to change the ‘Terms & Conditions’ any time for the smooth running of this contest.

21. If there is any disputes regarding contest results, timings, groups etc. the decision of ‘Congress South Indian Forum’ will be final.

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, we became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India 2008, 09 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Celebrated Odishan Master Painter Baladev Maharatha

 

His forefathers were operating with the weapons the Paik (warrior sect of Odisha) militia has been using in order to combat atrocities and to prevent intruders. The swords and daggers are still preserved in his household as the objects of worship which reminds the past warrior jugglery. But he left the weapons for worship and replaced them with paint, brush and palate. He also imbibed the nuances of the earthy smell of his village soil, the soil once smeared with the blood of the enemy. What he exactly imbibed? He osmoticised the forms on to his mind and his creative pursuit could metamorphose in to various realistic creations with the fluidity and mastermind. The outcome is nothing but his heightening of expressive capability. Periods of crisis especially seam to produce an artist like him and he could channel the anxieties of his time in to his work. Once the personality of an artist is admitted as a factor determining the character of his work of art is well defined. His creativity could function more and more openly as a means of self revelation though he opts for a formalist aesthetics, he could reverse the modernist evolution towards increasingly pure form. His realistic look towards his art is always having a postmodernist sub current within beyond. He is none other than art educator, painter, poet and visualizer. As Baladev’s paintings are having lucid lines and soothing paints some of his literary friends opined that his drawing and pointing are purely poetics so his creations are nothing but lucid poetry. One of his literary friends named him as Chitradev a befitting alias.

His mind never stepped in to endemic sphere, rather he is always exploiting the vastness and magnificence of Indian art, architecture and culture at large. He always creates the established notions and concepts that the piece of art achieves a universal appeal. His distinction is his Odishan flavor with the contemporary mullein and his strokes are dedicatedly distinct and meaningful.

The evolutionary process of Baladev Maharatha have passed through several phases like portraying the Shakti or Mother Goddess Durga on the suspicious day of Durga Mahastami in Dussehera festival day every year from which his creative pursuits could gather tremendous momentum. His profiles of Sadhus(sages), Mother’s with the supreme creations, transforming the verses of medieval poetry like Kalidas’s Ritu Samhara, the male chauvinistic attitude towards the devadasi cult and 108 forms of Lord Ganapati are some of his important series.

His training in art started with Khallikote Art college in Odisha and Then he made his masters in History from Utkal University. He had his special training in fresco painting from late Prof. Sukhamay Mitra, Viswabharati. But his first teacher in art is his mother who could allure him to lines and colors when he was only 5 years old. Her mother was her first admirer of his creation. When he topped the list of the entrance examination to be a student of art in khallikote Art College his family could fell his potency. As he was born and brought up in a rural set-up so his inclination towards the mundane things of life are acute and authentic. He observes conceives and depicts which are the three phases for any creativity, be it performing, visual or plastic art. His mindset could acutely imbibed the rural conceptual motifs and his depictions are always smelling earthy.

His Sadhu(sages) series is the outcome of his intimately intermingling with Indian and Odishan sages. It is not the iconography depicted it is the inner psyche culminated in to well crafted canvases.

His mother series transforms the motherly rearing in to a stupendous convention and his woman takes the form of Janani ( the mother), Bhagini (the sister) and Jaya (the wife).

Baladev is having deep acquaintances with Vedic literature, philosophy and medieval poetry. He took the finer elements from all these texts and transforms the calligraphy in to visual art. His renderings are so exact and soothing that the poetic lines are enlivened with paint and brush. The onlooker assimilates the jugglery of the poetry through the vibrantly colored canvases . He has transformed the poetic lines of Kavi Samrat Upendra Bhanja, the colossal medieval Oriya poet and his Kavya "Koti Brahmanda Sundari" could give vent to exclusively painted canvasses. With a deep sense of Kali Das’s poetry he could thought of the projection. So with magnanimously painted canvasses on Ritu Samhar and Meghadoota Kavya he had his solo exhibition in Orissa Modern Art Gallery where he had his mind and soul put together to provide vigor and strength to his superb creations from where one can feel the poetic fragrament. He is so meticulous that he portrayed the black mole on the check of the Nayika to the long drooping drapery so eloquently that the intricate poetry gets transformed to visual art from. Here the poetic nuances are bewitchingly depicted without any inhibitions. This transformation of these lyrical interpretations on to canvass was first of its kind for the viewers. Hence the literary personalities, intellectuals and critics had rave reviews for these creations as the interpretation is as powerful as the original Sanskrit verses created by great poet Kali Das

Baladev then looked in to portraying Ganapati on to the canvasses. He has manifested Ganesh with many a from in to his canvass on board. Here he has experimented with variety of textures, figures and forms taking the mythical antecedents in to account. Ganesh icons has not been transformed in to total abstraction rather the forms are akin to realistic but never realistic. The sources of inspiration for the painter are meticulously taken from the mythical renderings. So also the space at times encloses the artistic creativity quite effectively with the texture of the subject.

In the year 2007, Delhi based Ashok Art Gallery has showcased his works at the National Capital, in India Habitat Centre New Delhi entitled Dejected Dusk. The theme was Deva Dasi tradition taken as a symbol of femininity temple dancing tradition and a male chauvinistic attitude towards the Devadasis. In a review of the said exhibition, Thea Walstra from the Netherlands commented like this. Over all I am very much impressed by the art of this very talented artist. Hi is able to introduce the world with the symbols of the ancient, incredible India in a very interesting way. At the same time his work shows the globalization of the world and that times are changing, the world I understand and know. I think he has built a bridge in his art connecting, the present India with the modern world. At the same time he is introducing the rich tradition of the ancient India with all the symbols and visual glory.

In the human psyche the male chauvinistic attitude is a perennial concept. In the epical descriptions, the female has always been portrayed as a commodity of enjoyment and the beastly lust always engulfs the feminine sector. Never she has been regarded as the part and parcel of the supreme creation literally but regarded proverbially. But she is always forgotten as the sculptor of life embodiment. In the historical depictions, though there are feministic heroism still the exploitation is optimum. With this current bazaar culture femininity has been commoditized. So Baladev kept the above in mind and he could present the exhibition as a soothing heal for feminism and the real attitude is depicted with paint and canvasses. The exhibition got rave reviews.

Baladev is the only painter who had collaborated with the other avenues of art with his painting and the simultaneous process is known as Yugal Vandi. He had his brush swiftly draw the strokes on canvas while Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia had his music recital with flute. Baladev also painted to the recitation of the popular odia poem Kadanba-Katual by Prof. Dr.Ajay Swain. Then he also painted to the recitations of the poems of Vidyapati a Medieval poet of Mithila in Bihar. It made the spectators spell bound by seeing the use of the brush with quite speedy acceleration. As spiritualism is his soul, he also had another Jugalbandi with Odishi dance recital by eminent dancers and vocal music of "Gita Govinda". on the stage, the visual art form slowly but caringly transformed the performing Art on to a huge canvas in a very limited span of time in the esteemed presence of Gajapati Divyasingh Dev and Sri T.K.Mishra, The chief Secretary, Govt. of Orissa and the huge gathering could applaud this joint venture of creativity.

Baladev Maharatha teaches in B.K. College of Art and Crafts in the capacity of a Professor. He is the head of department Painting in Indian Style. Many a students of his are now established artists. He takes his pupils as friends or brothers and under his tutelage the pupils get a chance to learn the intricacies from their Master Teacher. Many a students of his are not beyond his super influence.

Baladev, not only a lover of poetry, but he is a poet himself. His flowing lines of poetry could allure his readers like his paintings.Baladev is a person with a love for nature and he has planted number of trees and also participated in many a plantation programmes

He believes in. hard work as there is no substitute for hard work, "One needs to have dedication, inspiration and love for the work, make it a way of life and most importantly – seek divine blessings to be an artist. I am inspired by God and my studio is my home" he says.He has received Odisha Lalit Kala Academy award and also many golden feathers have been added to his silvery Cap.

The philosophers say that to paint is nothing but a yogic practice. The superb elevation of Baladev is due to his embracing the spiritual milieu intimately. His creations are therefore having the concealed spiritual norms and for which his paintings are noting beyond soul searching. A spiritual mind can only achieve this type of supreme creativity, he believes.

Baladev is a super human being who cares for all the living things and nonliving in this universe and passionately he loves the human being most. So his creation is always collectively humanitarian. His works are available at Ashok Art Gallery and next solo show will be organized at Delhi on December 2010.

Suresh Balabantray

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India Mumbai and India Art Summit Delhi

The objective of this workshop Renewed Intensity was to reach out to the urban mass in a meaningful manner, involving the public and their useful connect in Art

 

B.K.College of Art and Crafts, is an art institution that is responsible to bring innovative curriculum into art education in Odisha. Along with art education it has considerably propagated art in the state and beyond. The college is celebrating its Silver Jubilee on the completion of 25 years of its inception in the state. To commemorate this event, a national workshop on Public art and Site Specific art was curated by Jagannath Panda, alumni of the college and illustrious artists of Odisha.  

The objective of this workshop Renewed Intensity was to reach out to the urban mass in a meaningful manner. Many such attempts are made in recent years, involving the public and their useful connect in art, but here, Bhubaneswar is approached with intent to interact rather than reach out alone by artists those, in some way, relate to the situation. The approach was to evolve and propagate providing the continuum in mind to mind overplaying the skill. Renewed intensity is all about focusing on the creative passion and commitment to art by the artists, who once were trained here and practiced art in the national and international forum. They are purposefully brought back to their home (Odisha), re-inventing themselves and re-locating their art in the changed situation.             

The participants of the workshop focused on the collective ideology in expressing the content of theme in context. Paribartan Mohanty, Pratik Sagar were invited to the workshop while the BKCAC alumni was represented by Anjan Kumar Sahoo, Helen Brahma, Kanta Kishore Moharana, Nityananda Ojha, Sudarshan Biswal, Sujit Mallick, Sambit Panda and Veejayant Dash. 

Anjan Sahoo proposed a site specific work on the eternal journey: a physical transformation with help of clay pots, 108 in number, defining the sahatsra ghatak [pots] with filled water as sent that passes through to attain moksha while Nityanand presented the search for a golden bone referring to simultaneous death of two artists few years back, one at Bhubaneswar and other at Baroda. The memory and pathos were compared quite near to the rituals with incense sticks put around the grave.  

Helen Brahma intelligently dealt with a subject on woman nexalites titled `surrender’ that clearly reflected the psychological and physical torture leading to surrender of the self and the male counterpart. The happiness of the familial unity is mentioned in undertone. Kanta Kishore Moharana’s incarnation was a video projection/presentation, allowing the public to pass through the light on screen emphasizing the internal body matter reflected in projection, thereby re-inventing the human body, few subjects with designated choreography.                       

Sudarshan Biswal and Veejayant Dash performed public art on Green devastation [Rickshaw] and once there was a true respectively. Both of them caught the public attention by motivating common man through participatory dialogue. Sudarshan’s concern of conversion of farm land to growing property enclosure and the harmonic disorder found effective viewers while Veejayant had a radical and direct message. Tree or no tree, infrastructure and life, both are need of time. His concern focused on planning rather than preaching lone. A truncated tree space in form allowed the public to pass through and experience the space-form relationships. Sambit presented a chappal, common man’s footwear pressed against defined garbage, including housefly. House fly is a common fault finder and thus ignored in life. His concern of `can me follow’ seems meaningful through philosophical transformation of the subject. Sujit Mallick, a young artist was a little shy for his appearance in public was for the first time. But he carried a dynamic subject, `hati ne ghoda ne mo pehenkali bajei de’, reflecting the mood of a village shrine and its durative terracotta horse and elephants, commonly found in Orissa and inspires people to forget the communal bias that divide people.    

The guest artist Pratik Sagar has successfully experimented in site specific art in the past and his work True sad space God was just another trial in the continuity. The most interesting part lies in his in-definitive result, which increases the curiosity. He tried to definitive/predictable this time involving natural interception. Paribartana Mohanty’s imagery based on a novel titled `Dasyu’. The composition is a transformation of verbal to visual-re-looking at the city that has grown up to the day. The characters, infrastructures, mentality of city as one of the character have witnessed the change-a critical depiction.                     

The evening of 25th January was devoted to a critical discussion and presentation by artists. All the participants presented themselves through video art, art documentation in AV and announcing their concept. The artist presentation began with initiator Dr. Pradosh Mishra briefly questioning the curator of workshop Jagannath Panda about the origin of concept and its transformation in the urban context. Prof. Deba Patanik, a veteran literature and art connoisseur discussed the public and site specific art in the global context. Dr. Ramkrishna Vedala, Shri Ramhari Jena and Adwaita Gadanayak presented their views on the emerging art trends and local adaptability. The public-artist interaction was ably coordinated and initiated by Dr. Pradosh Mishra introducing the local young artists to a fresh mode.  

The young artists assisting the participants were felicitated by alumni BKCAC, while Prof. Deba Patanik did the honor. The AlumniBKCAC also handed over a contributory amount of Rs.5000/- to Shri Ashok Das(class-3 employee at B.K.Art college) who is undergoing treatment after a heart surgery. Shri Subrat Mallick, the secretary AlumniBKCAC presented the formal vote of thanks. The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Pradosh Mishra, Ashok Nayak (Ashok Art Gallery, New Delhi), Sudarsan Biswal, Veejayant Dash, and Anjan Kumar Sahoo. The workshop was supported by the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art, Gallery Sanskriti , Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi and stage sponsored by Ashok Art Gallery, HYTONE and Immagery. The event continued from 20th to 27th January 2010 at the Lalit Kala, Regional Centre, Kharvela Nagar, Bhubaneswar.

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India Mumbai and India Art Summit Delhi

Several aspects of creative communication were discussed with regard to literature and art, Silver Jubilee celebration of B.K.Art college a Review

B K College of Art and Crafts has completed its twenty-five years creative journey in Odisha and its existence resulted in the paradigm shift in art education and propagation both within the state and beyond. To commemorate the success, AlumniBKCAC and B.K. College of Art and Crafts are celebrating its silver Jubilee in Bhubaneswar.

The celebration begun with the inauguration of a public art and site specific art workshop, curetted by Jagannath Panda on the 20^th of January 2010. This National workshop was organized at the Lalit Kala Regional centre, Bhubaneswar along with various other public sites by the participating artists. The participating artists are Paribartan Mohanty, Prateek Sagar, Anjan kumar Sahoo, Helen Brahma, Kanta Kishor Moharana, Nityananda Ojha, Sudarshan Biswal, Sujit Mallik, Sambit Panda and Vejayant Das. This workshop would continue up to 27^th of January 2010.

The college event started with a national Symposium on Creative Communication. Prof. Kanchan Chakraverti, Art Historian from Santiniketan, inaugurated the symposium on 22^nd January 2010. Prof. Ganeswar Mishra, Prof. Sourindra Barik, Dr. Dinanath Pathy and Convened by Dr. Pradosh Mishra. Several aspects of creative communication were discussed with regard to literature and art. The participants focused on methods of communication and its relevance to art and how art needs to be communicated to the audience/viewer. The afternoon session was devoted to the audio-visual presentation by select artists like Ashish Pahi and Kanta Kishore which was coordinated by Dr. Pradosh Mishra.

On the 23^rd of January, an exhibition by the alumni of BK College of Art and Crafts was organized at the college campus on the foothills of the ancient site Khandagiri and Udayagiri. The Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, who not only thoroughly viewed the works, but also had an intimate dialogue with the artists, inaugurated this exhibition. Dr. Pradosh Mishra briefed the Chief Minster about the displayed art works, present state of art and trends, while Jagannath Panda explained him of the national and international issues related to art. The curator of the show, Sovan Kumar assisted the Chief Minister to release the Exhibition catalogue. Ashok Nayak accompanied the Chief Minister to the annual Art Exhibition of the College. He also felicitated the Former Principal, Kala Bhawan, Santiniketan, Prof. Kanchan Chakraverti, for his contribution to the art historical studies in the eastern subcontinent, Dr. Dinanath Pathy, the first Principal of the college and Shri Adwaita Prasad Gadanayak, President, AlumniBKCAC for collaborating to the cause of art in Odisha. In his address, he emphasized on the rich cultural and art heritage of Odisha and its application in the contemporary art, defining a new approach of continuity. He appreciated the effort of the AlumniBKCAC for the entire event.

This programme was followed by an interaction by the faculty and alumni of the college, with the students under training, under the event title, My College: My Art. Dr. Dinanath Pathy, Shri D N Rao, Shri Baladev Maharatha, Shri Ramahari Jena, Shri Siba Panigrahi, Shri Adwait Gadanaik, Shri Jagannath Panda and Shri Ashok Nayak. As a continuation to the event, many of the passed out students and participating artists showed their creative video short documentations. Both the academic sessions was coordinated and convened by Dr. Pradosh Mishra.

In the evening, His Excellency the Governor visited the exhibition hall and was accompanied by the participating artists. His keen interest in art motivated the young and dynamic students for an intimate interaction. The Governor also felicitated the Teachers and staff of the college for their valuable contribution to the art education. The Governor graced the cultural programme at the college campus at the newly prepared amphitheatre, where Sakhinata, a traditional dance form of Odisha, Odishi, the classical dance form, and Sambalpuri, another folk dance form was presented before him.

The Silver Jubilee functions were supported by Subrat Mullick, Anjan Sahoo, Tarakant Parida, Veejayant Dash, Meenaketan Patnaik, Pratap Jena, Aparna Ray, Bidyutlata Patasahani, Sangeeta Mohapatra, Ramakanta Samantray, Sangram Moharana, Sudarshan Biswal, Projesh Mohapatra, Kirti Kishor Moharana and many other well wishers of AlumniBKCAC.

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India Mumbai and India Art Summit Delhi

‘Renewed Intensity’ is an idea to bring back serious passion and attitude towards a new art form, public and site specific art.

Renewed Intensity

On the occasion of the silver jubilee celebration of BK College of Art & Crafts, we are attempting to broaden our own horizons by re-introducing some of young and talented artists who are earlier graduates and have earned recognition. Some guest artists are also participating the event by invitation.

The city of Bhubaneswar has become a busy metropolis where both modern and traditional art and culture co-mingle. It has undergone vast developmental changes, shifting the historical & ecological map of the city in the last few years. The point here is to understand the coexistence of the past and the present.

‘Renewed Intensity’ is an idea to bring back serious passion and attitude towards a new art form, public and site specific art. Worth noting inherent in local culture lies this notion. This is first of such a workshop that we have planned: where artists will create the works with multiple approaches and u different medium, exploring art out of unconventional forms or ideas. It will also explore the possibility of varied aesthetic influences and expressions based on Interactive, Performance, Installation and so on. These artistic activates will attempt to understand inter-relationship of nature, culture, city, politics, fictional text and vital inner life. This workshop will create an environment of diverse art forms for the new viewer/audience. In these eight days, artists will produce art works in relationship between ecology and art in public spaces.

While engaged in the workshop, the participating artists will respond to collective cultural needs, developing active roles in environmental and social issues. Some artists will focus on the role of art in encouraging ecological awareness and social activism amongst local people. We sincerely hope our efforts will bring about a constructive change in the art situation in Odisha.

Jagannath Panda

Public art fits a much broader definition than art in a gallery or a museum. In simple terms, public art is any work of art or design that is created by an artist specifically to be sited in a public space. It can tower several stories high, or it can call attention to the pavement beneath your feet. It can be cast, carved, built, assembled or painted. Whatever its form, public art attracts attention. By its presence alone public art can heighten our awareness, question our assumptions, transform a landscape, or express community values, and for these reasons it can have the power, over time to transform a city’s image. Public art helps define an entire community’s identity and reveal the unique character of a specific neighborhood. It is a unifying force.

The impact of public art on a community is priceless and immeasurable and once experienced it only appreciates. Public art has the power to energize our public spaces, arouse our thinking, and transform the places where we live, work, and play into more welcoming and beautiful environments that invite interaction. It enhances the quality of life by encouraging a heightened sense of place and by introducing people to works of art that can touch them and generations to come.

Site-specific art is artwork created to exist in a certain place. Typically, the artist takes the location into account while planning and creating the artwork.

More broadly, the term is sometimes used for any work that is (more or less) permanently attached to a particular location. In this sense, a building with interesting architecture could be considered a piece of site-specific art.

In 1966 Robert Barry said:

“(site installation) is made to suit the place in which it was installed. They cannot be moved without being destroyed.”

In 1989 Richard Serra said:

“The works become part of the site and restructure both conceptually and perceptually the organization of the site.”

But later, the concept and relevance of the artwork in relation to the site have evolved.

The artwork in a specific site still explores themes and relationships with its surroundings. However its site can be moved and the artwork can still be relevant.

It’s a battle between ‘what is Public Art’ and ‘what is Site Specific Art’. The art can become site relevant in a conceptual way, yet it doesn’t have to be physically nailed to that exact place. The concept plays a big part, because it can be a very wide subject/theme, which could be relevant in many places. Most importantly it involves the viewer of the work, as they are present on this ’site’. Site Specific Art then becomes audience relevant.

But, this workshop intend not to define the meaning of the terms but more relevant to the celebration and prepare and produce work of art along with the community.

Participating Artists:

Guest:

Paribartana Mohanty (Delhi)

Prateek Sagar (Delhi)

Alumni of BKCAC:

Sujit Mallick (Delhi)

Sudarsan Biswal (Delhi)

Veejayant Dash (Bhubaneswar)

Assisted by

Satyabhama Majhi,

Samarjeet Behera,

Niroj Satpathy,

Satyajeet Das

Nityananda Ojha (Baroda)

Anjan Kumar Sahoo (Bhubaneswar)

Bujing Rao (Bhubaneswar)

Kanta Kishor Moharana(Bhubaneswar)

Assisted by

Smrutisai Mishra,

Manas Moharana,

Somnath Rout

Sambit Panda (Delhi)

Helen Brahma (Bhubaneswar)

Information:

Activity: Public Art and Site-specific Workshop

Commemorating Silver Jubilee Celebration of B.K. College of Art and Crafts (BKCAC)

Concept: “Renewed Intensity”

Date: From 20th to 27th January 2010

Artist Presentation: 25th January 2010 at 5.00 pm

Initiator: Dr. Pradosh Mishra

Chief Guest: Prof, Deba Patnaik and Dr. Dinanath Pathy

Guest of Honor: Ramakrishna Vedala,Ramahari Jena, Adewata Gadanayak

Public Display: 26th to 27th January 2010, 11am to 8pm

Venue: Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre, Unit III, Bhubaneswar,

Coordinators: Sudershan Biswal, Veejayant Dash, Pradosh Mishra, Ashok Nayak, Anjan Shaoo,

Curator Jagannath Panda

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India Mumbai and India Art Summit Delhi

Review: Commentary in Three Dimensions by Himali Singh Soin

KANTA KISHORE MOHARANA

Ashok Art Gallery

D-1/31, Rear Portion, Model Town-II, 110009 New Delhi, India

December 11, 2009 - January 11, 2010

Eerily realistic, thought-provoking, rebellious and skillfully crafted: Kanta Kishore Moharana’s mixed-media installations refreshingly bridge conceptualism and formalism, birthing work whose message is embossed within the geometry of the marble, fibre, and bronze of which it is made.

The magic of Moharana’s works is its uncanny realism despite his use of permanent, heavy materials to depict that which is perishable, light, and functional. He sculpts, for example, newspapers from marble—an everyday, perishable item made permanent, heavy—and chisels out real headlines to shape a commentary on society’s ills: words literally ‘set in stone.’ In ‘Restoration,’ he carves a cardboard box being eaten by cockroaches from marble. The weightless, disposable quality of paper and cardboard is ironically effaced by its own depiction as the artist crafts immovable objects from perishable subjects.

This confrontation of our conventional perception of material objects urges the viewer to come closer. But this is an online exhibition, thus hindering the interested from really finding the desired detail in form. Kanta Kishore remarkably does not see this as a disadvantage. “I think it makes my work universal,” he says, “and accessible worldwide.” His background is humble: born to a family of stone carvers in Orissa, he has learned form and technique from his forefathers, yet injected his own ideas to appropriate the work into today’s socio-political and artistic context.

Kanta Kishore’s work with marble is not a traditional sculptural practice that mimics reality. Instead, he utilizes other media to make installations that comment directly on poverty, globalization, exploitation, hunger, and revolution. In his piece, ‘Exploitation,’ Kanta Kishore presents tiny bronze men who are trampled by a giant, red, 6-foot long, ornamented, Arabian shoe. The bright scarlet shoe comments on our contemporary classist society, on capitalism’s fissures in distribution, and on the inhumane manner in which workers, children and adults are treated. Compositionally, each element is carefully balanced in geometry, size, space, weight, color and concept. The specifically Arabian identity of the shoe, however, also implies a potentially provocative interpretation of crowds trodden under the force of the Muslim world.

“There are two aspects in nature:/ The perishable and the imperishable./ All life in this world belongs to the former;/ The unchanging element belongs to the later,” says the Bhagvat Gita. In flipping our perceptions of that which is permanent and that which is temporary, Kanta Kishore provokes us to think more deeply about the meaning and importance of the Absolute in a cruelly relativist world.

-- Himali Singh Soin

(Images from top to bottom: Raw Vision 3; Truth 1; Exploitation. All images courtesy of Ashok Art Gallery and the artist.)

SOURCE: Art Slant


The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India Mumbai and India Art Summit Delhi

Nicholas Forrest's prediction is that art investment will continue to gain credibility and new avenues to invest in art will open up

I have been watching the art market very closely over the last year and have to say that I was actually quite pleased with what I saw. The more scholarly and connoisseurial approach to fine art that emerged in 2009 has temporarily re-focused people’s attention on the historical, cultural and artistic value of art as opposed to the social and financial values that dominated the contemporary driven market of the boom period. I say temporarily, because although the glitz and glamour of the contemporary art market has taken a huge hit, and there is no doubt in my mind that the phenomenon that is contemporary art will shortly return to the position of power that has made it a force to be reckoned with in the past. Perhaps sooner than we may think!!

The scholarly and connoisseurial trend of 2009 still has a bit of juice in the tank and should continue to play a major role in the 2010 market. Take for the instance, the work of the rather mysterious Dutch Baroque still life painter Adriaen Coorte, whose work is little known outside the scholarly world and went largely unrecognized until he was rediscovered by a Dutch art historian in the 1950s. Works by Coorte rarely comes to market so when two small paintings came up for auction at Sotheby’s on the 2nd of December of 2009, it was predicted that there would be considerable interest, but not anywhere as much interest as there ended up being. The first painting, a still life of strawberries in an earthenware bowl was fought over by six bidders who pushed the sale price to 1,520,750 Euro which was not only more than ten times the 150,000 euro high estimate but was also a new auction record for the artist. Next on the block was the second work by Coorte which broke the auction record set by the previous painting when it sold for 1,576,750 Euro against the same estimate of 100,000-150,000 Euro. Both paintings were acquired by the same European collector.

Marcus Aurelius Root, Anthony Pritchard, 1850, quarter-plate daguerreotype

Another artist whose work is little known outside the scholarly world is that of Marcus Aurelius Root. An early work by the renowned Philadelphia daguerreotypist of Anthony Pritchard was a feature of the October 8 Miller-Plummer Collection of Photographs sale and reached the astonishing world auction record price for the artist of US$350,500 against an estimate of $20,000 – $30,000. The sale of this work by Root is another example of the current trend that has seen connoisseurs and scholars drive up the demand for works of cultural and historical significance. Root’s photo of Anthony Pritchard is not the only example of antique/vintage photography that has exceeded price expectations; the whole market for antique/vintage photography has experienced a continuing surge of interest as the importance of photography in an art historical context is further realised. 2010 should see a continuation of the interest in antique/vintage photography as collectors and museums vie for the top works in a niche that is still in it’s infancy, and that still presents opportunities for collectors and connoisseurs to acquire works of major cultural and art historical significance at potentially bargain prices.

As a result of the reduction in the demand for contemporary art, emerging markets such as South Africa, Indonesia, Turkey, Poland, Singapore, Iran, Greece, etc. have become a focus of dealers and auction houses in an attempt to generate new revenue streams. A deciding factor in the decision of which emerging market to penetrate has been whether or not there is a strong enough force of wealthy European/Western expats to fuel demand for souvenirs of their temporarily adopted homeland. Former expats of emerging markets are also being targeted by market forces in an attempt to encourage a sense of nostalgia that will result in the purchase of a memento of their time abroad. 2009 saw a concerted new ground being broken with region specific auctions, particularly with those of emerging markets such as Greece and Turkey – a trend that I predict will continue gaining momentum in 2009.

With owners of what are considered to be the most desirable and valuable works of art tending to sit on their assets while the art market bottoms out I predict that 2010 will see the slow return of those modern and contemporary works that tend to send the market into a flurry of excitement. Another prediction I will make is that art investment will continue to gain credibility and new avenues to invest in art will open up. A sign of the continuing acceptance of art as a viable alternative asset is the fact that Israeli billionaire Arnon Milchan recently told Forbes magazine that art is the best investment to own. In his words “If you have triple-A art, I’ve never seen it really go down. Great art is the best thing to own. We’ve seen recently the art market picking up fast. The last Sotheby sale broke records.”

Wishing everyone a great 2010 !!

Nic Forrest

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications

The Ashok Art Gallery is internationally known for one of its most important holdings: more than 2000 major works by the world's most significant Artists.Over the past years, as Ashok Art Gallery has become a major centre for contemporary visual art, the Gallery has built a strong collection of contemporary work of different artists, became a sponsor of the STANDUP-SPEAKOUT Artshow, Organized by Art Of Living Foundation and United Nations.Organized an International Contenmporary Art Exhibition including artists from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India.We have also participated at Art Expo India Mumbai and India Art Summit Delhi.