‘Transcend’ – two artists portray contrasting emotions
‘Transcend’ is a joint show in which two artists portray contrasting emotions through their works – calmness and dynamism; serenity and subtle seductiveness – which is what builds an intriguing synergy between the works by Amrutraj Koban and Shanta Samant.
The show ‘Transcend’ on view at Mumbai based Cymroza in February 2008 presents works that draw inspiration from two drastically different themes. Amrutraj Koban in the past has produced works inspired by the beauty and simplicity of country life, and a rusty way of living that surrounded him in his childhood. His paintings are based on his mood, and the emotion expressed by his subjects seems to mirror his own at the time.
Generally, the subjects in his paintings are rural Indian women, young and inexperienced about the ways of the world. The women he has painted are ignorant and unaffected by the daily hustle of city life and seem helpless, in the sense that they lack the basic impulses necessary to survive even a day in our metropolises. Their lives, whilst tough, are in a way sheltered, making their existence almost ironic.
For this particular show, the omnipresent Buddha as his subject, he has portrayed the renounced Prince in shades of pastel and white to celebrate his enlightenment. Of many renditions of Buddha, the artist has incorporated the stylized image of Buddha with half curls to portray his hair, lengthened earlobes to signify the absence of precious earrings and faded lines as the cloth that drapes through the contours of his lean body.
Each work has a new vibration to offer. The calm expressions with a slight tilt of the head convey a sense of acceptance and a sense of belonging towards us through his divine powers. The bright and powerful strokes of warm and cool colors of abstraction in the background generate all the energy he has to offer. His works provide no depth in perspective. His subject remains in front of the picture plane and his force lines hold the forms with a similar calming effect.
In a curatorial note Kanchi Mehta notes: “Seated in a lotus position, above a glowing pink lotus, the Enlightened One is rendered with a glowing halo that lingers around his aura. Koban has beautifully depicted the story of the young Prince who disguises himself as a servant, and flees the royal castle to explore the world outside, where he observes the four sites of the old man, the sage, the diseased man and a corpse”. The artist has beautifully portrayed this in his work, in the manner of ancient wall paintings, where various scenes and events unfold in the form of illustrations around the main subject.
On other hand, Shanta Samant’s dynamic bronze sculptures come about as expressions. Clad in green patina finish, the elongated men and women are frozen mid-way through an incomplete action which makes the viewer want to continue to look at the work incase they actually move. Whether it is the man who just caught the ball or the girl in the short dress untying the lace of her sandals, each work magnetically holds the viewer’s attention with a lingering need for more.
An accompanying note mentions: “The sculptor uses the human body and its sexuality as her subject. With small heads, elongated torsos limbs and large hands, she gives the anatomy a certain vitality and agility. She gives great detail to the women’s accessories, which add to their feminism. Flowers embroidered on the dress, frills on the ballet dress, the handbag, ornaments on the Indian woman. These elements enhance their character and reflect the effect women have on the artist, or any man to that effect.”
The female character in her sculpture is gracefully clad in sensuous clothing. She sits upright with folded legs, perking up her breasts and combing her hair with her fingers, or suggestively gazing at herself. She lures the onlooker with her beauty and sensuality, tapping her toes to a tune that lingers in her head. Her strength is conveyed through her feminity and the confidence of her beauty.
The sculptor portrays men in a very athletic manner, boasting their physical strength through sports and acrobats. While she prances around as a ballerina, he scores a winning point for his team by catching the ball at the edge of the field, and taking a fall for the team. All these characters emote an energy that is symbiotic. Each sculpture inspires the other, and they all co-exist harmoniously.
Both artists transcend their subjects to bring to life an unseen force of nature that sustains life. Be it spiritual or dynamic, we require both to survive in this modern day existence - love, selflessness, renunciation and timelessness. Every soul experiences these emotions through its journey to Nirvana.
