21 January,2009 09:44 AM IST | | Anjana Vaswani
Art historian Gayatri Sinha traces her interest in art back to a hand-held camera experience at the Social Communications Media Course she attended at Mumbai's Sophia Polytechnic. "It drew me towards the world of photography. I've wanted to act like a prism for works of art," says Sinha, who was behind Expressions and Evocations: Contemporary Women Artists of India, a book that spanned 60 years of Indian Art including works by 15 women artists. The book led to an exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, titled Woman/Goddess and included 150 photographic images "depicting how women are treated at home and vilified in public spaces in a country where Goddesses are worshipped with such fervor".
Bapu in mixed media
Picking a favourite from Bapu, an exhibit inspired by the Mahatma, is out of the question, she says, considering that all 12 artists have worked in a variety of media and styles. The ongoing exhibition includes installations, photographs, paintings, even a video clip, and is the outcome of an idea to get artists to look at society and to consider Gandhi's pacifistic qualities in the foreground of the violence of modern India. "Surendran Nair is arguably one of the finest interpreters of Gandhi," she says, finally giving in to pressure.
Why bring Gandhi back?
The timing had little to do with the recent violence in the city, Sinha says, "I've been interested in portraying violence in public life. My exhibitions are not a response to the terror strikes alone, but to what's going on in Iraq, Afghanistan and the world over. It's fascinating to see how artists respond to a violent climate."
Saffron Art, Industry Manor, between Mercedes and Hyundai showrooms, Prabhadevi. Call 24364113. Till February 15
