28 April,2014 08:47 AM IST | | Soma Das
The Portret Project looks at portraiture from a different light, at its inaugural show, Out Of/In Countenance(s)
Avijit Mukherjee
The Portret Project focusses on portraiture as an art form and its transformation over time. The inaugural exhibition that's currently underway showcases works by several artists from different genres. Titled Out Of/In Countenance(s), the exhibition focusses on appearances, the expression of the face and the metaphysical essence of a person.
A portrait by Avijit Mukherjee
Some of the artists whose works will be showcased include Anupam Sud, Sagar Bhowmick, Hugo Bonamin, Susmit Biswas, Rhys Hymsworth, Avijit Mukherjee, Pulkit Prajapati, Ishaan Lamba, Harshada Kerkar and Alpesh Dave.
An artwork by Pulkit Prajapati
Sakhshi Mahajan, founder of The Portret Project, says that the focus is on the radical role of portraiture in the history of art. "Portraiture is a highly revealing exercise. This project aims at exploring important questions of how the self is represented as well as the means through which it takes place. We also offer portrait commissioning services."
The choice of venue, which is Ellipsis restaurant, appealed to her as she found it apt for an unconventional portrait show. "Historically, there has been a close connection between art and food. Our show has to do with appearances, especially the expression of the face and the metaphysical essence of a person. There is a great deal of flexibility in the manner in which portraits and countenances (a person's face or expressions) can be experienced and a restaurant is a place where people get together."
Overall, 45 artworks by 12 artists from Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Goa, Delhi, Switzerland and the UK are on display. Portraits were chosen as the theme because the genre has widened its parameters to include diverse media: "There are immense possibilities for facial and bodily representation in terms of form and content," she shares.
