International Art Exhibition in India, Drawings Paintings Sculptures Prints Photographs and Installations

Ashok Art Gallery would love to invite you for our coming exhibition in Temple City Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India starting from 27th February, 2009 to 5th March 2009 timings11:00am to 8:00 pm at Lalitkala regional centre gallery, III/4, Kharavela Nagar, Unit-3 Bhubaneswar.

This exhibition is an international art exhibition including art works from USA, The Nederlands, Pakistan and India. Exhibition will show more than 100 works of 84 artists.

All Participating Artists are:

Adwaita Gadanayak,Ajay Mohanty,Amna Ilyas(Pakistan),Anjan Sahoo,Anup Kumar Chand,Anusuya Chakroborty,Aparnna Ray,Arun Kumar Jena,Ashok Nayak,Baladev Moharatha,Biswaranjan Kar,Chatrapati Biswal,Dayal Saw,Debashish Chakroborty,Debasish Mishra,Deepak Harichandan,Dharmendra Rathore,Dillip Kumar Tripathy,Dr. Sanjay Acharya,Gadadhar Ojha,Gajendra Padhi,Gajendra Prasad Sahu,Gautam Sahu,Gopal Samantray,Helen Brahma,Hukumlal Verma,Indu Tripathy,Jagannath Panda,Jagatret Dash,Jayant Das,Jiten Sahu,Kalyan Barik,Kanta Kishore Moharana,Kashinath Jena,Kirti Kishore Moharana,Lalata Kishore Pradhan,M. Sovan Kumar,Manas Maharana,Manas Pattnaik,Manoj Mohanty,Meenaketan Pattnaik,Niroj Satpathy,Nityanada Ojha,P. Bujinga Rao,Prabir Dalai,Pradeep Nayak,Pradosh Swain,Prajesh Mohapatra,Pratap Jena,Pratul Dash,Pritam Priyalochan,Purna Behera,Rakesh Ratan Nath,Ramahari Jena,Ramakanta Samantray,Ramesh Terdal,Ranjan Moharana,Ruth Oliver Millan(USA),Sajal Patra,Sangita Mohapatra,Sangram Moharana,Sanjay Bose,Sanjay Pattnaik,Santosh Routray,Satyabhama Majhi,Satyabrata Das,Satyajit Das,Seikh Hifzul,Siba Prasad Patri,Siba Prasad Sahu,Sitikant Pattnaik(tutu),Smrutisai Mishra,Somanath rout,Subra Chand,Subrat Mullick,Sujit Mallik,Sunil Bindhani,Tapan Dash,Tapan Moharana,Thea Walstra(Nederlands),Trakant Parida,Veejayant Dash,Vinod Manwani

Special Preview will be on 26th at Orissa Modern Art Gallery from 2 PM to 8 PM

The exhibition will be inaugurated by the Oriya Film Legend,Painter, actor, producer, writer, educationist Sarat Pujari on 27th February, 2009 at 6.30pm.

It would be an honour to have you on this occasion as your august presence will be a token of encouragement and love for me and will immensely enhance the dignity of the function. Look forward to receive you

Ashok Art Gallery

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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Art News and Exhibition Reviews : Ashok Art Gallery, The Tree Family, an Orissan traditional forms and conventional drawing by Gajendra Prasad Sahu.

Gajaendra Prasad Sahu's Solo show has innaugurated by Dr. Subash Ch Pani at IHC Senior Artists like Kashinath Jena shared his valuable thoughts with all young artists present at opening, This exhibition will continue at Ashok Art Gallery
An Exhibition of recent drawing and painting was organised at Open Palm Court Gallery by Ashok Art Gallery from 14th -16th feb 2009, gathered by many artists and art lovers, Gajendra Prasad's work gets heavily appriceations from both side.

Orissa has been a store house of ideas and images consistently transformed through the history. Artists of Orissa, while keeping the value of its tradition, have tried to keep pace with the need of time. Thus it is obvious to find a blend in the art forms of today. Several contemporary artists from Orissa are practising in coordination with the creativity and tradition, Gajendra Sahu is one of them.

Gajendra Sahu is essentially a graphic artist who is at present engaged in painting, thereby breaking the norms of the painter-printer convention. I still remember few drawings by him in the same pattern, and that reminds me of his association with these forms which are designated and stylistic. It is necessary to highlight the stylistic advantages that are visible in his painting for example the graded yet bold lines, the formal precision and the colour application which has a greater relevance to printing effect.

The compositions are interesting not because of their presence but for their appearance, with a contrast compartmental background seemingly synchronising the visual feast. The second factor it emphasises is the man-nature relationship. The relationship might just be as natural as normally seen in an Orissan environment. The nature is more decorative and conceivably symbolic. The situation has ceased to accommodate the viewer for interaction or is it initiating a rendezvous! The figures seem to reflect an amalgamation of the Orissan traditional forms and conventional drawing.

The subject treatment is much nearer to the mood of the artist. The human faces are nurtured in different condition; pale, melancholic sometimes or may be lost in the urban chaos, or searching a niche for their survival. Being within the nature, they are in a state of discomfort. This brings us to one larger understanding of within and without, containment and exploring, fullness and empty etc. These are subjective view points, entailing the third person to engage in evaluation. This is the state of Orissan art in Orissa, having enormous heritage and cultural potency to encourage any creative discipline, but looking forward to a strange acceptance, forgetting that purity has no language, but expression.


Dr. Pradosh Kumar Mishra
Associate Professor
Department of History of Art
Banaras Hindu University

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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Art Exhibition New Delhi, India : Gajendra Prasad Sahu

Ashok Art Gallery Presents

The Tree & Family
An Exhibition of recent Paintings and Drawings,
a Solo Show of renound Artist Gajendra Prasad Sahu
from 14th to 16th Feb, 2009
at Open Palm Court Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road,New Delhi, India

Dr Subash Pani, Secretary, Planning Commission, Govt. of India, New Delhi has kindly consented to Innaugurate the Exhibition.
Sri Injeti. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India, New Delhi will be the Chief Guest.

You all are cordially invited
Exibition will open on 14th Feb 6 PM and it will be on view till 16th Feb
10 AM to 8PM Daily.

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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Art Education in Orissa and B.K.Art College

Art education has been a non-state affair in Orissa. While the richness of the cultural resources has attracted many artists and scholars from all over the globe to enrich their knowledge, least has been ever thought for its development by the government. In spite of all the snags the resources have inspired several intellectuals to build on it a strong foundation that could be able to carry the legacy forward.

Bibhuti Kanungo College of Art & Crafts has been a significant chapter in contemporary orissan art. Established in 1984, the BKCAC opened up new avenues for the artists to experiment and stretch their limits without being victimised by politics. The founder members of the college have responsibly delivered an environment with human ambience where artistic freedom could find an appropriate expression. The comprehensive effort of the teachers and students in the provided space, dreamt of a new world that deals with innovation and realisation. The integrated conviction has brought the BKCAC through these twenty five years; from a rented house at Kalpana Square to its own premise at Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar, from small rooms to spacious studios, from deputed teachers to permanent faculties, from town exhibitions to international exposure. In these years there have been ups and downs but the nuance and vibe of the associates has remained intact.To mark this , all the students passed from BKCAC has formed an organization AlumniBKCAC, and it will work towards upliftment and promotion of college and orissan art.

AlumniBKCAC
City Office : Plot-132 1st Floor,Forest park, Bhubaneswar-751009
Campus Office : B.K.College of Art and Crafts,Tapovana,Khandagiri
Bhubaneswar-751030 Web : http://www.alumnibkcac.org/
Ashok Art Gallery is proud to be a part of this Silver Jubilee Celebration

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.
Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Art Exhibition New Delhi, India: Ramesh Terdal

After a grand success at India Habitat Centre, The Show is running successfully online at Ashok Art Gallery. These manoumental contemporary acrylic paintings of young Ramesh describes the socio-politcal scenario of contemporary world, the violence , the hatered rate and all those efforts to stabilize, a fantastic brushing with a very selective wild colors Ramesh just deserves all kind of appreceations. He has shown all his potential to satisfy todays critics, and undoubtly has made a strong impression in Delhi's Art Market.

23rd Oct 2008 - 23rd Nov 2008

Ashok Art Gallery: Shows

Website: LATEST SHOWS

Art Exhibition New Delhi, India.

Ramesh Terdal

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.
Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

India Habitat Centre (New Delhi): Ramesh Terdal

From past 13 yrs have been constantly experimenting .today my media are acrylic.when I paint, I try to reproducing my sense of imagination, my experience as well as my emotions in the form of different textures, brush strokes and forms, some times my works have metaphor of society and sometime open to interpretation, said a young and promising Indian artist Ramesh Terdal.

His expressions through creative mediums are the form of an inward journey. It reflects how he conceive his existing potentials and true towards life .Ramesh Terdal started his journey with inward flow of light (journey through life) as his subject of paintings which belongs to every walk of life voilant mind,cruel gunman image,exposing bodys,they made their body as a earning source to exposing body ,black shadows over society,superemo image, power dominated image,how passion inter built with once day to day life, imbalance society. a struggle that is existing within the complexity life.India is a country where life and struggle is not rolling in a parallel way but it is an endless zigzag competition of living. Where lives are continuously struggling with unknown anxiety, fear and heat rate.in this struggle/juggling I am finding hope of smile metaphore of kid,infant,in innocent faces, once he said.

His work, for quite some time, has found inspiration / borrows motifs from the mass media. The black and white photographic images adopt a documentary style of address, presenting a snippet of everyday reality, such as we would be likely to find in a newspaper or magazine clipping. Apart from this stencils, and advertisements, Magazines, photographs.like cut out figures and billboard hoardings. The cutout has become a vehicle for him to transport populations to different localities and diverse societies. It also helps him to look at the social fabric today. After all what is our social structure? What relationships are we building up within our society ?He said, “I do not believe in concrete structures like the state and religion. They are both artificial entities. In reality there are no marked boundaries it is a palimpsest.”

Painting is his passion and journey ,so for,has been quite and eventful. There are things to learn,unlearn and learn every day,as an aspiring art practitioner we have social responsibility on us there is lot to learn things around us; keeping these things in to mind that we have to convey the society about right and wrong i fallow my heart and paint for society.
Ramesh believe that all art reflects on ones own ideal state of beauty and he look at it as a concept of personal transformation. Ramesh’s work has therefore a certain meditative connotation, as it strives to uncover an ideal of harmony and stability that remains however, forever ephemeral.

India Habitat Centre (New Delhi): Ramesh Terdal

Venue: Open Palm Court Gallery India Habitat Centre Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Dates: 23-28 October, 2008, 11 am - 8 pm daily

Website: http://www.ashokartgallery.com/

Details: First time in New Delhi presenting a very talented and promising young artist Ramesh Terdal. Ashok Art Gallery is going to host a show of 18 recent paintings of artist Ramesh Terdal At Open Palm Court Gallery India Habitat Centre.

COME AND JOIN US FOR A DRINK(NA) ON 23RD OCT AT 6 PM

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.
Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Indian Art Market News, the first Indian Art Fair reviews

The recent Art Summit was the Indian art scene’s attempt to climb a new rung in its international aspirations.

astounding 10,000 art enthusiasts walked in to witness India’s First International Art Fair, India Art Summit(TM) 2008, firmly establishing it as a one stop destination for art in India. With an overwhelming mix of art collectors, artists, critics, curators, students and art enthusiasts from across India and overseas, the Summit achieved exactly what it set out to - making art, and the knowledge of art, accessible to a widespread audience.Commercially speaking, the fair clocked in a record sale of approximately 50%, with the 34 participating galleries selling over 280 artworks worth Rs.10 crores approximately. Given that the total value of the 550 artworks on display was approximately Rs. 20 crores, India Art Summit has emerged as one of the most successful first editions of any art fair across the world.With all eyes now on India, event producers Hanmer MS&L, have announced plans to schedule India Art Summit 2009 between 19th - 22nd August’ 2009 in New Delhi. Next year, the fair is proposed to be over three times bigger and applications are already pouring in from across India and world. While in the first year, the focus was largely on Indian art and Indian galleries, the second year will see participation from galleries across the world showcasing a sizeable array of artworks from different parts of the world.
Ashok Art Gallery is a five-yearold Delhi gallery that largely functions online. A mom-and-pop operation with a handful of unknown artists, Ashok Art Gallery has never had any exposure in the media. Their only previous art fair experience was with the Mumbai art expo earlier this year. As one among 35 galleries that participated in the recent India Art Summit (between August 22 and 25), Ashok Art Gallery did not expect to become frontpage news. But their 27-year-old Oriya artist Kanta Kishore’s marble sculptures of rolled-up newspapers were sold within hours of the fair’s opening. Gallerists Ashok Nayak and Kavita Vig, Kavita’s husband Bharat and septuagenarian mother-in-law watched astonished as the art young Indian superstar Subodh Gupta and politician Maneka Gandhi came to their stall. And in their wake, thousands of visitors and the press.Sculptures and installations sold almost as well as paintings, signalling a new trend. The panel of speakers and choice of topics at the Art Forum also drew many accolades and was deemed as amongst one of the best such initiatives of its kind, internationally.
Mr. Sunil Gautam, Managing Director, Hanmer MS&L commenting on the fair said, “It is great to see that India Art Summit has emerged as the most inclusive collaborative art platform in India in it’s very first year. We believe that this initiative is a step in the right direction to put India on the global art fair circuit.”Commenting on the success of the fair, Mr. Philip Hoffman, Chief Executive, The Fine Art Fund said “The Indian market is very important in the global art scene and this fair is a major step. I can imagine this to be major fair in Asia competing alongside London, Miami and Basel in the next 5-10 years. The sales results of the fair seemed very impressive by comparison to other fairs in their first year.”India Art Summit - BackgrounderThe art fraternity in India has for long felt a gap and the need for a collaborative industry platform in the country owing to the phenomenal growth and global interest in Indian art. While the art fraternity the world over gets numerous opportunities to interact and collaborate through various art fairs, biennales & expos, there was no such platform in India. Therefore the time was right for India to offer a suitable platform for art. The initiative has received invaluable recognition and endorsement from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Sotheby’s.The Summit hopes to achieve the dual purpose of, on one hand, serving as a window for International collectors to get a single access point to Indian art and, on the other, exposing the Indian collectors to a range of global Art that will be showcased at the fair in the coming years. More than just a place for buying and selling art, this initiative will enable diverse stakeholders from India and around the world to come together and discuss the creative and commercial aspects of Indian art.Today, Indian art is greatly appreciated both internationally and within the country, annually growing at 30-35%, the Indian art market is currently worth Rs 1500 crores. The Indian art market has gone up by 485 percent in the last decade making it the fourth most buoyant art market in the world. The total auction market size of Indian art has changed from US $5 million in 2003 - just five years back - to nearly US $150 million this year.







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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Sculptural presentation of young Kanta Kishore

Kanta Kishore was born and continued his childhood in a traditional carver(maharana) family near Bhubaneswar, Orissa. His father, elder brothers all are related with artistic work for their livelihood. From his childhood Kanta kishore has played with carving tools , wood and other materials. Practicing sculptures is only job from childhood; he has played with many more different mediums to create different sculptures. He has got a bachelors degree in Fine Art from B.K.College of Art and Crafts and studied master degree at Govt. College of Art and Crafts Kolkata. At his time at Kolkata, he has experimented with different local mediums with his own concepts and got appreciated among all his contemporary sculptors. Now a days he is mostly fascinated towards social issues, human daily life related problems, like urbanization and globalization.

Artist is realizing this problem of society because he/she is a element of base not that glorifying supper structures. Mother feeding, women violence, labor rally , child labor, starvation, unemployment and recent terrorist activities in Indian social life etc. are the sculptural presentation of Kanta Kishore. If you see his conceptual works on news paper series, everybody just falling in love at first sight, He is mastered in carving and when he picks marbles, it produces some wonderful pieces. Now a days he is working on books , carving white marbles and adding some metal to it, those are just lovable.

In this lovely medium Marble, Kanta kishore has started with News Paper series and then got some installations on Labor Rally, by installing carved marble chapels at Tina Ambani’s Harmony Show 2007 he expressed his concern on this social issue. Besides his skill in Marble, he has worked in many different materials like wood, granite, fiber and bronze. His work gives situational thoughts, one of his news paper series shows child labor and other with other issue, it’s just like reminding you everyday about these social issues and it will eradicate only if society will come up.

When his works were exhibited at New Delhi this year at India Habitat Centre, art lovers and critics were just got surprised, everybody puzzled, asked many questions about how many days it has taken and how much patience you have etc. Then his work ‘Golden Chili’ was the centre of attraction at Ashok Art Gallery’s stall in Art Expo India 2008 Mumbai. Kanta Kishore is a very talented young Indian sculptor; you can see his recent original works on display at India Art Summit 2008.

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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Art of Concern:Indian Young Artist Vinod Manwani

A clock with no hands, a rocking horse with scratch marks, a rocking chair – these are the central theme for Sindhi artist Vinod Manwani. Concerns for the environment, the sudden rise of India’s “Nuclear Family”, family values and a more personal story all of which are displayed in all of the paintings.Vinod Manwani is the third child to Mangharam and Gopi Devi Manwani. Born in 1966 at Avantika, Ujjain a holy religious town near the bank of Kshipra river in Central India.

Each item has story to tell. The clock with its missing hands tells us how we need to STOP rushing in our lives. The rocking horse with scratch marks are of a more intimate nature displaying the scas of what he saw on his father’s forehead and his grandmother’s eyes and how they lost everything.

However, his passion for painting came from his trips to the temples of across ujjain with his mother. The brightly painting ceilings and domes of the Gods, Goddesses and other intricacies of workman ship displayed for all to view, to be inspired. When Vinod Manwani sits down to paint these days in his residence cum studio in Malad, two feelings concern him and his canvas. Nostalgia and empathy for metros escalating multiplex culture and more importantly, ‘Tiger Conversation’. These two series can be seen at his studio.

A casual conversation got translated into a series of paintings that keep the kitsch-ness of Bollywood film posters animated in the 18 paintings. “I wanted to make the paintings in a simple manner. I painted whatever I could recall in my memories, just as I saw it,” he explains about his style of painting.An active member of the BNHS, Manwani feels strongly about the declining numbers of the tiger species. “My paintings will perhaps work as references for my children when they grow up. I show a clock without hands to show that the time to save these glorious species is over. We have reached a sad stage where nothing much is happening to preserve tigers,” he says. Manwani also reasons on physical spaces that a congested city like Mumbai lives in. Manwani’s narrative style that makes a comment on the decline of the tigers and the multiplex culture is sure to get viewers to ponder. His works are showing online at Ashok Art Gallery and you can see original on display at India Art Summit 2008

Contemporary Artist Review: Ashok Art Gallery.

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.Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

Working on Global Warming and the nature’s fight against digital cosmopolitan life, India Young Artist Pradosh Swain

Not very long ago, many scientists and researchers were hoping that global warming would have a positive effect on the agricultural yield because of the role that carbon dioxide plays photosynthesis. However, on the contrary, it has been resulting in the destruction of several crops. In Iceland, rising temperatures have made sowing of barley easier and more effective than it was twenty years from now. This is expected to cut the area under maize - the country’s staple crop - by at least 33 percent. The reduction in rainfall has turned vast expanses of land into deserts.

It is important to understand that the effects of global warming that we are experiencing today are moderate compared to what the future will see if we do not take preventative action. Researchers and environmental experts are stressing that the effects of global warming will continue on a constant inclined curve over the next century. Temperatures will continue heating up a little bit each decade until the earth’s temperatures reach the sweltering levels. They believe that the earth’s temperatures will rise between two to nine degrees Fahrenheit by 2050. Increase in temperature will trigger the rise of sea level, which in turn result in salt-water intrusion into groundwater in some regions. This will reduce the availability of water for drinking and agricultural purposes in coastal zones. Further, increase in evaporation will reduce the effectiveness of reservoirs. The retreating of glaciers will have a number of different effects on water supply. A reduction in runoff will affect ability to irrigate crops adversely.

This is the subject Indian young artist Pradosh Swain working on.

At the very beginning of his art career, he started the nature study, and over the years it has become a part of his daily life. City of Temples, his native town Bhubaneswar, has greatly inspired him to study and create a new spread of water colour technique, for which he has been honored with Orissa State Award in 1995. “This technique has fascinated me after college years”, he says. He has traveled different states in India and Nepal. Pradosh has the credit of doing the highest number of water colour paintings amongst contemporary artists in Orissa. In this journey, he also did a series of smallest different templescape size (1cm x 1cm) and the longest 8ft x 160ft on FIFA World Cup Year 2006, which found a proud place in Orissa State Museum and has been published by different print media and aired by various TV channels. Pradosh has organized and participated in numerous art exhibitions across the country and is attracted towards contemporary art field from 1997. He came to Delhi and started photo realism with surrealistic touch. “It was a big challenge for me to enter this contemporary art world, but my simple concept and visual approach made me very close to my viewer”, he recalls.

He has been well appreciated by viewers and it has motivated him to create more and more art works. Pradosh Swain came to limelight when art curator Dr. Alka Pandey discovered him and recognize him as an upcoming young artist by including his works in her curatorial show this year. Pradosh’s work has been showcased in a number of private galleries in India like Ashok Art Gallery, Mon Art Gallery and Galleria at their shows in recent past.

Now-a-days he is working on Global Warming and the nature’s fight against digital cosmopolitan life. Use of the commonly used day to day elements make his paintings interesting and unique. After showcasing his works at Art Expo India, Mumbai, Ashok Art Gallery is going to put his works as a special exhibit at forthcoming India Art Summit 2008. He is an Indian young artist to watch for sure. Pradosh Swain lives and works in New Delhi.

Contemporary Art Reviews: Ashok Art Gallery

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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

The young women painter has shown considerable aplomb and conception of significant form.Priyanka Gupta

An artist’s life and images are often responses to some pressing cultural and historical needs of the time one lives in and the artistic motivation drives the mind into a journey of discovery, exploration and learning. Priyanka Gupta comes from Kolkata, India, also called the ‘City of Joy’ for its people and the passion with which they lead their lives. This passion has undoubtedly found its way into her own conception and expression of the colors of life through the Art. Images unfold themselves in her works showing at Ashok Art Gallery clearly shows the assimilation of what environmental experiences have to offer in concentrated form. Whenever she confront a blank surface, she goes through all the terror and agony of stepping into an ‘unknown’. What become the directives to the birth of an image are Priyanka’s

thoughts and emotions, her readings and observations, her beliefs and values and the vast compilations of past experiences. Once she said,” When I do my abstracts, I am curious about the possibility of exploring myself.”

Some artists seem to have gained from lack of formal training in handling the brush. Priyanka Gupta happens to be one. She is an abstract artist and has done some real impressive work of that genre. Priyanka has a strong visual perception of the structural aspects of abstract imagery. She is mature enough to see her way through the interpenetrating tangle of shapes directly visible, and those imaginable but not present physically. There is some evidence that Priyanka sought first to explore the world of the visible and saw possibilities of subjecting images to aesthetic distortion. This was the first step in her journey towards virtual reality, composed of non-representational but visually/ cerebral persuasive bits and pieces of imagery. The young painter has shown considerable aplomb and conception of significant form. She has exhibited internationally number of times at different major cities with a great response and her works will be at special exhibit in coming India Art Summit 2008 by Ashok Art Gallery. - Samir Dasgupta

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. Last year 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 Mumbai and India Art Summit 2008 New Delhi.

India Art Summit 2008, India's modern and contemporary art fair

India Art Summit™ 2008 has received an overwhelming response with over 90 applications from galleries and art businesses. The art fair will house 34 of the best exhibitiors of Indian art representing over 12 regions from India & overseas. The India Art Summit™ will therefore showcase the most diverse range of modern and contemporary paintings, sculpture, photography, mix media, prints, drawings and video art by veterans and upcoming artists from across the country. The 3 days in August will see the largest congregation of art collectors, a new wave of investors and art lovers from different geographies.

There will also be a day long interactive seminar with internationally renowned speakers like Dr. Robert Storr, Dr. Hugo Weihe, Mr. Philip Hoffman, Ms. Geeta Kapur, Prof. Rajeev Lochan, Ms. Anjolie Ela Menon, Mr. Arun Vadehra, Mr. Dinesh Vazirani.

PROGRAMME DETAILS:

22nd August 2008 (Friday)

11:00am - 2: 00pm (Collectors Preview by invitation only)

2:00pm -8:00pm (Fair open)

23rd August 2008 (Saturday)

11:00am - 8:00pm (Fair Open)

10:30am - 6:30 pm (Day long seminar)

7:30 pm onwards (Cocktails and Dinner at Intercontinental The Grand - by invitation only)

24th August (Sunday)

11:00am - 6:00pm (Fair Open)
Looking for quality art works from upcoming young artists? just step in...
ASHOK ART GALLERY
STALL NO - A-30
India Art Summit 2008

Amna Ilyas, the young women artist from Lahore,Pakistan

The human world has always been changing, but the pace of change seems to have picked up dramatically in the last decade or two, with no stability visible on even long-range scanners. Rapid change is obvious in all of the technological, political, business and social fields, and there are changes in our environment and ecosystem that are probably caused by this increasing human activity. All these reflects on contemporary art practice around the world.Here is Amna Ilyas , young women artist from Lahore, Pakistan.Amna Ilyas graduated in 2003 from the National College of Arts, Lahore and since then have been working as a sculptor / Painter in her studio. She exhibited at various venues both in India and Pakistan, and currently teaching Foundation Sculpture Course at her Alma meter.

Unlike many other places, it is difficult for a sculptor to survive in Pakistan, mainly due to various religious, social and economic restrains. But Amna has been pursuing her career as a dedicated sculptor, and seeking to explore the medium in all its possibility, and besides her time at sculpting , she is also creating number of paintings and drawings on her subject women. Last year she has visited India for an artist residency to practice her metal casting and ceramic skill and also exhibited her work at Ashok Art Gallery as a part of International Contemporary Art Exhibition. Her works were exhibited with works from USA, The Nederlands and India. On this year 2008, She has exhibited at Pakistan, her works were showcased at Art Expo India in March at World Trade Center, Mumbai by Ashok Art Gallery and most likely going to showcase at India Art Summit 2008 in August at New Delhi.

In its essence the work of Amna Ilyas represents the state of women in our society. Female figures in various postures reflect the conditions of an ordinary woman, yet the work does not propagate a direct message or illustrates the obvious political/social factors. On the other hand it alludes to the situation along with an undercurrent of beauty, sexuality and sensuality.

In my opinion Amna Ilyas is a significant artist of her generation. Her dedication to her art and the serious approach to her issues guaranty a bright future for her.

Contemporary Art Reviews: Ashok Art Gallery

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Indian contemporary artists were exhibited at Jumeirah,Dubai

The exhibition of modern figurative art at the 1x1 Art Gallery in Jumeirah, Dubai has showcased the ways in which urbanization has left its imprint on the minds of Indian contemporary artists .
INDIAN ART is of great vital importance in accordance to its culture and heritage.
Art is of various types and it changes its style of expression in the hands of different painters in relation to the changing time. Presently modern and figurative art is in high demand not only in India but also abroad. Modern form of painting is the result of the experimentation that the stalwarts of art have initiated.
The various forms of this experimentation were displaied in the collection of works by nine young contemporary Indian artists, at the 1x1 Art Gallery, Jumeirah, Dubai..
The exhibition, sponsored by the Dubai-based Rivoli group, ended with a great success on last June 30. Among the artists featured were Prasanta Sahu, Dileep Sharma, T M Azis, Pooj Iranna, Murali Cheeroth, Biju Jose, Babu Eshwar Prasad, Pratul Dash and Gigi Scaria

Pratul Dash, an Indian painter from the state Orissa, also focused on varied modern themes: socio-political, socio-economical and ecological. His concerns are linked with the anomalies of human conditions and the effects of growth and development on human life.
The exhibition had two of his paintings on display. Through his work he comments on aspects of modern life, such as growth, absence of greenery, deforestation, the tendency to rise vertically rather than spread horizontally.
“Where there is development, there is also destruction. When I paint huge constructions, they are not just constructions; they are different levels of exploitation, and I try to portray that in my work,” explained the painter, who is a graduate of Fine Arts from Bhubaneswar, Master degree from Delhi and has also studied in Italy. Besides many exhibitions in India, his works are exhibited at USA, UK, ITALY, HONG KONG and now at DUBAI.

“For instance, living space is the most critical space by itself where people can play different roles. It’s like construction blocks, there is no greenery there. It is like pigeon holes, a squeezed existence. And I have commented on this aspect.” Dash said. Dash said he is not against development but his concern is: development at what cost? “For example, there is so much deforestation that has taken place in the name of development,” he pointed out.
“So, my aim is to make viewers disturbed, make them think. I feel artists have a sort of responsibility to jolt people. I comment on aspects of urban life that should worry us. I’m not here to paint pretty pictures.”

Indian Artists are live at Ashok Art Gallery's Show

ASHOK ART GALLERY

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"Spaces in Transition" an exhibition of contemporary acrylic paintings

Ascending into the outer reaches of empty space, the elephant is on its determined walk. Not too excited by the prospects of weightlessness a sense of buoyant lull sweeps into a time warp. With a tiger skin on its back the walk is led by another cub grasping a sapling to its limbs for good measure. The walk in the sky seems to be a routine affair in the gravity of realities that are worked out in the ground far below. A herd below is stuck to the realities of coping with the changing landscape out in the open with protection being the last word. In the serenity of the moment forces are at work in enacting changes to maintain equilibrium. In the surreal landscape, a tenacious branch stands in mute testimony to the spaces in transition…

Spaces in transition are a body of works that find parallels in surreal transformations adapting to the engaging moment of change. Anup K Chand gives momentum to changes in the environment that has been on the receiving end with regards to rampant commercialization and exploitation of visible land. Modulating the pace at which land gets divided there are elements that confluence in the medley of events growing on a day-to-day basis. Instead of depicting the stark reality of the situation the artist treats subjects in a surreal phase of regenerating forms. In a simulation of handling the inevitable, a cheetah stands in contemplation of pace that has crept into the present state of developing technologies. The fastest mover on land, the animal stands surveying a landscape that has become alienated in the mushrooming cluster of manufacturing units working to satisfy the teeming population. It's also a moment when it has nowhere to exercise its need for space and speed.

Having a Ph.D. in Visual Art from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, Chhattisgarh after completing his Masters in painting from the same institution, Anup had been involved in researching traditional art forms from coastal Orissa. The Pata Chitra paintings/icon paintings traditions from Orissa has been a constant source of enrichment for the artist that he had it included in his research study at the Vishwavidyalaya. Basic forms and motifs from Pata Chitra continues to show in his works on canvas with emphasis on the use of black lines and form. But getting into the realm of the contemporary phase in Indian Art, the motifs are put against layers of modernity. The iconic intent of Pata Chita reveals itself within the contemporary rendering of the surface while maintaining a minimalist attachment to the original form.

Animal and plant forms gain a major part of the content in the landscape that the artist envisages. With due respect to a belief in the environment, chance for regeneration shows itself in creeping saplings finding their way to the skies for affirmation and hope. Apart from adding a decorative value to the works, the saplings writhe and struggle to find their space in the struggle for survival and hope. It's at this juncture the elements realize the emergent need for adapting to the changing order. It does not take much to see adaptations in the way that the living, growing and the throbbing undertake to make survival possible. A tree grows over a metal fencing taking the foreign object within its folds. Since it cannot get rid of the irregularity in its path it takes hold of the metal in a way that does not hinder growth. Although at a glance it could seem to be a mutation of sorts, surreal at the most, the fact remains at the end of the day the tree has survived in its own way adapting to the moment. Such aberrations abound in surroundings of the day that have become accepted as part of the usual.

It was interesting to know the development of each painting as it was worked on towards its completion. The artist explains how each element in the landscape endeared to grow with the work in progress. Maintaining a surreal progression of events, minimal color fields in the background of each work provide a base for the elements to engage and develop. Flora and fauna take their surreal path till the time there is no need for further engagement with space. In letting larger areas of emptiness to remain, there is a breather in the mutations that could remain a solace in the hope for survival. With use of a primary palette, the artist further emphasizes associations with the land. Abundant use of browns and blues do find a contemporary shade in the whites keeping up with contemporary handling of colour.

In reacting to the circumstances, it's been a point of transition for the artist who has been in touch with realities of the land and iconic traditions of painting followed by its people. In the city, it becomes a beacon for stabilizing forces that intrude into spaces that are meant to be left alone. The ultimate realization comes home when empty spaces in the canvas lies in wait for variations in the experience to take shape. And they are always spaces in transition… Jenson Anto



Showcasing : Anup Kumar Chand

By : Ashok Art Gallery

At: Triveni Kala Sangam
205, Tansen Marg, New Delhi – 110001
From 31st March to 9th April 2008
Daily 11 am – 7 pm

Art of Life in Limbo, a promising young artist Anup Kumar Chand

Ashok Art Gallery presents Spaces in Transition, an exhibition of contemporary paintings by Anup Kumar chand, who has a Ph. D in Visual Arts, is deeply inspired by the Patta Chitra motifs from Orissa. Commercialisation and exploitation of land is another aspect that Chand expressed his feeling against.The body of work in this exhibition responds to the continuosly changing life scape of contemporary society.

At: Triveni Kala Sangam

Tansen Marg, New Delhi - 110001

From 31st March - 10th April 2008

11AM - 7PM Daily

Visit online

Indian Art Expo 2008, a new begining in Indian Art Market

It's an idea whose time has come. Art fairs and expos are held as a matter of routine all over the world. Art Expo India 2008 Mumbai is determined to catch up the global Art Market Trend.
Vickram Sethi, gallerist, curator and entrepreneur, takes this first significant step with Art Expo India 2008, which brings together professionals from various branches of the art world: From galleries to framers, buyers to artists at the World Trade Centre March 14-16, it has been organised by the Trade and Technology Exposition Co (India) Pvt Ltd, established in 1987 as an exhibition organising company headed by Mr Vikram Sethi.
He has managed to bring together art galleries from all over the country, Sethi says, even though many are still hesitant. "They want to wait and see how this one goes," he smiles. Those that have signed up include Emami Chisel Art Pvt. Ltd. , Marvel Art Gallery, Karma Art Gallery, Archer , Ashok Art Gallery, Nitanjali Art Gallery, Arushi Arts Gallery, Art India Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd, Art & Soul, The Osmosis Gallery, Institute of Contemporary Indian Art, Klakriti Art Gallery, The Art Trust, Ashish Balram Nagpal.

In time, Sethi explains, there will also be support services showcased at the Expo — insurance, valuation and more. Art supplies and artists' facilities are not being planned, at the moment. Sethi looks to this collection of industry-associated services being a huge success, since the art market in India is growing rapidly.

"It used to be NRIs buying art, but now every young couple wants to own something that they can be proud of," he says. And this is where they can start.Harsh Goenka and actress Dimple Kapadia cutting the red ribbon and inaugurating the show. Making their arty-hearty presence felt at this ‘making a business out of art’ affair were a number of the city’s gallery owners, artists and art dealers, who came to check out the various stalls and works on display. Artexpo India 2008, which ends last week, offered Mumbaiites a chance to mingle with art industry professionals from across India. Young Indian Artists like Chintan Upadhyay, Pratul Dash, Venkat Bothsa, Amitava Dhar, Sajal Patra, Kanta Kishore, Jamal Ahmed, Gadadhar Ojha, Anup Kumar Chand, Binoy Varghese,Jenson Anto,Pradosh Swain and Sanjeev Sonpimpare were hot favorite amongst all showcased and Ashok Art Gallery’s young artist representation was found most hunting place for all visitors.

Dimple was very impressed with the entire concept of buyers, gallerists and collectors all coming together under one roof. “Art Expo India will open the market for a wide range of products and services,” Vickram Sethi was overheard explaining to a guest.Also present at the show opening were Laila Khan-Rajpal, Pravina and Jamal Mecklai, Sarayu Doshi, Richard and Katherine Tan and artists Sajal Patra, Prithivi Soni, Vinod Manwani, Kanta Kishore, Pradosh Swain, Sanjoy Bose, Chintan Upadhyay, Sanjeev Sonpimpare and Jenny Bhatt. Art for art’s sake, indeed!
Ashok Nayak
Curator and Exhibition Director
http://www.ashokartgallery.com/

indian art expo, indian art fair, Indian art market, Indian young artists