Kumar Bahukhandi
Opulent Art Gallery announces the resounding success of “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow” an exclusive exhibition of art and artefacts. The event took place between the 18th and the 27th of January at the luxurious Travancore House of India’s capital city. The showcase featured works from art maestros of the yesteryears who are celebrated even today, as well as contemporary artists who hope to find their names etched in the annals of art history. The event welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of art lovers, collectors and industry experts, who engaged with the diverse range of pieces on display.
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L to R Bharadwaj Mathukumilli and Hormazd Firdosh Sholapurwala Bharat Series a remarkable 12-foot-long single canvas work by M.F Husain
It featured an extraordinary selection of works from several talented artists culminating in a special interest of eight masterpieces- these include Maqbool Fida Husain’s triptych from the Krishna series a captivating three-part canvas painting depicting Lord Krishna life; another is his Bharath series, a remarkable 12-foot-long single canvas work, which is the zenith apogee of various motifs of that time period. Another rare and interesting piece displayed at the exhibition was the ‘Urdu Series’ which depicts seven steeds (Husain’s inimitable motif) painted in fluorescent colours. This commissioned work by the Sholapurwala family, also has inscriptions and couplets that M.F Husain himself painted on the canvas. It was conceptualised and brought to life in his Dubai studio. The fourth Husian piece displayed was from that of the Mother Teresa Series. It is a unique canvas as it demonstrates Mother Teresa joyfully playing with children; a marked difference from the melancholic theme that India’s beacon of hope was usually portrayed as. Lastly, a Krishna Leela series from M.F Husain garnered interest because it depicts a rural dance recital. Each motif is shown in a state of euphoria, represented by the artist’s expression of featureless characters only showing the inner eye and holding various musical instruments. The inner eye represents enlightenment.
The other three masters’ work on display were that of Akbar Padamsee’s metascape series that began in the 1970s till the early 2000’s. His prolonged engagement with the genre of landscapes drew his concern to the mythical and archetypal quality of landscapes. They are characterized by the use of timeless elements, such as the sun, the moon and the earth. The other is from the great visual metaphorist artist Ram Kumar with his unique representation of a village landscape. His work predominantly comprises abstract renditions of landscapes with jagged topographic contours, supplemented with a sense of ambient despair. Responding to different interpretations of landscape as a concept, Kumar uses a variety of textures to map out its architecture through abstract strokes. Lastly, one of the most exquisite works at the exhibition is that of Indian Modernist artist Sayed Haider Raza. He has been widely appreciated for his use of bold colors and profound symbolism, especially the ‘Bindu’, that is deeply rooted in Indian culture.
According to Hormazd Firdosh Sholapurwala, co-curator of this exhibition, art connoisseur, third-generation art collector and serial entrepreneur, “We are thrilled by the resounding success of the exhibition. Over the years my family and I have collected some extraordinary pieces of art including M.F Husains, Akbar Padamsees, Ram Kumars and S.H Razas amongst other masters’ works that we own, only a handful of which were displayed during this event. Hosting an exhibition at the prestigious Travancore House requires proper documentation and proof of provenance. Our main objective in co-curating this exhibition is to showcase how contemporary artists have been inspired by the artists of yesteryears. We at Opulent Art Gallery are also excited about our next big exhibition in India’s cultural capital, Mumbai in the coming months. Following which we will host events in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad as well.”
Bharadwaj Mathukumilli, educationalist, philanthropist and third generation art collector whose visionary approach has left an indelible mark on the Indian art landscape states, “Alongside the art exhibition in Mumbai, we at Opulent Art Gallery are planning to open a permanent space to display art and artifacts from the various masters and from talented contemporary artists where they can showcase their works on a more regular basis.”
Pravin.V. Patil, Director of Opulent Art Gallery posits, “This exhibition has been very successful in terms of interests expressed by various buyers and collectors.”
Vandita Mishra, Director of Aem Contemporary & lead curator of this event says, “The motive behind doing these exhibitions is to start a dialogue and eventually establish a longstanding relationship between the contemporary artists and the collectors.”
As the exhibition concludes successfully in Delhi, art lovers, collectors, connoisseurs and the community can look forward to the future showcase in Mumbai in a couple of months.
