"The Happiness of the Others" BY Artist Elsa Martini

 WAS BEAUTIFUL NOTHING HURT 

Drawn by the art of writing, I chose this beautiful saying to install it in a pond in an Indian village, during the B.Biennale. The basin was misused, polluted and the villages still use it for fishing, laundry, bathing. 

This saying in the past intrigued me to relate it to the damage we are doing through our endless appetite to be better, richer, using the resources of nature without limits. 

Writing is such an ancient as well as contemporary element, but in 

this case, it can only be read mirrored.This symbolic reflection aims to give the viewer a different perspective, time and chance to reflect on the awareness about nature and take responsibility for our actions. 

Water and text are two seemingly unrelated elements, but water with its ability to reflect gives us the opportunity to read in this cace, enlightens us. 

Site specific Bang. Biennale 2019, Kolkata, India 

FAMILY BUNKER

Growing up in a communist country has influenced my work in unforeseen manners. My work reflects the collapse of a utopian social and political context in 1991, resulting in a sense of emptiness, confusion, and constraints.

Family Bunker depicts a phantasmagoric element of the past, the bunker, which appears in the lives of the new generation, often in their own property, causing confusion. I aim to address the unspoken trauma that is passed on to future generations.

Mix media on canvas, 110 x 180 cm, Tirana 2007

 "My brother is the biggest man in the world"

For an independent artist, it doesn't make much difference whether he is alone in his studio or alone in quarantine. It was a pleasant feeling not to be ashamed of not running to a certain job every morning. It was a feeling of unity with the world, even in the worst times. I liked when the air became cleaner during quarantine and I felt a slight nostalgia for the radiant air of this landscape in Albania. This painting, made during quarantine, depicts the summer days on the silent and wild beaches of Albania.The moments and landscapes we took for granted.This beach is not longer the same. The beaches have been stolen from the stupidity of people greedy for reach. It is a phenomenon that accompanies Albania as it opens up to the world and shapes a new identity, at a cost that we do not yet know how high it will be for us.

Acrylic, pencil, spray on canvas; 50 x 70, 2020

HAPPINESS OF THE OTHER

 is an ongoing series, divided into three parts.

       HAPPINESS OF THE OTHER italiian series 2018 

HAPPINESS OF THE OTHER albanian series 2019

The first and second one relate to the Second World War in Austria and Italy, where the focus is on women and children who did not actively participate in this war. However, they were family members of men who served as soldiers in the SS or in other positions. These two series are being shown at the Nippon Gallery Mumbai  2022.

                                                                                                                                                                                    

Elsa Martini graduated from the Academy of Arts in Tirana in 1996 in monumental painting class, then certified by the University of Applied Arts in Vienna in 2011 and Institut für Kulturkonzepte in 2012.  

Martini is a conceptual artist who has developed a complex artistic practice over the decades. She sought the approach to broaden the horizons of the works, which move between painting and multimedia, site-specific and performance. The artist deals with tensions between the individual, society and environment; examines and reflects on personal behavior and social trauma, questioning boundaries, space, environment, and gender issues. Elsa Martini is also passionate about exploring other cultures. At different times, we witness vernacular influences in her works.

www.elsamartini.com

Elsa Martini – www.instagram.com/elsamartinistudio/

New Delhi’s India Art Fair will expand to Mumbai in 2025

India Art Fair event, with a focus on contemporary art and design., will coincide with the existing fair Art Mumbai in November 2025

South Asia’s largest commercial art event, the India Art Fair (IAF) in New Delhi, will launch an offshoot next year in Mumbai. Named the India Art Fair Contemporary (IAFC), the expo will gather between 50 and 70 galleries, mostly from India, in Mumbai’s Jio World Garden between 13-16 November 2025.

India Art Fair is the biggest fair of modern and contemporary Indian art in the world. Its first three editions attracted over 146,000 visitors and its fourth edition held in 2012 canvassed 91 exhibitors from 20 countries. Over the years the fair has mainly showcased Indian modernists (including Bombay Progressive Artists' Group), Indian diaspora artists such as Anish Kapoor, contemporary Indian artists, international artists and art from the subcontinent.

Installations at India Art Fair 2018

Following in the tradition of international art fairs and other global platforms for art exhibition and sale, then Founder and Director of India Art Summit Sunil Gautam realised the need for a similar platform in India to respond to the global interest in Indian art. This led him to conceptualize the first ever India Art Summit (IAS) in 2008. It was patronised by prominent Indian artists like Anjolie Ela Menon, S H Raza, Krishen Khanna and Keshav Malik. Since then it has taken place every year with the exception of 2010. Sunil Gautam, the owner of the India Art Summit fully divested his 100% stake in early 2011 to three stakeholders, Neha Kirpal (51%), Sandy Angus(35%) and Will Ramsay (14%), co-founders of the Hong Kong Art Fair. In 2009 the highlight of the fair was a display of Pablo Picasso's works, exhibited by Beck & Eggeling, a German gallery. The same year Lisson Gallery brought diaspora artist Anish Kapoor's sculptures to India for the first time.The New owners renamed India Art Summit as India Art Fair before 2012 edition.

In Sept 2016, just before 2017 edition of India Art Fair, Neha Kirpal divested her majority stake in the India Art Fair to MCH Group, the owner of Art Basel Franchise, retaining just 10% stake to play minor role in the art fair. At the same time Will Ramsay too divested his stake in the India Art Fair to new owners MCH Group(60.3%), Sandy Angus (29.7%) and Neha Kirpal(10%). Later MCH Group, Swiss giant in the art fair circuit, sold its entire stake in India Art Fair (IAF) to Angus Montgomery Arts in 2019, making Sandy Angus the sole-owner of the India Art Fair, New Delhi. The current portfolio of Chairman Sandy Angus led Angus Montgomery Arts includes Taipei Dangdai, India Art Fair, Sydney Contemporary, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai, Art Central Hong Kong, Art Düsseldorf, Photo London and the forthcoming Art SG, Tokyo Gendai  and PHOTOFAIRS New York.

References

1.  Jha, Srishti (22 August 2009). "Indian Art Summit 2009: An 'arty' delight". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010.
2.  "2nd Indian Art Summit to have more international participation". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011.
3.  Karan, Fatima (25 January 2011). "Husain's work removed from India Art Summit". IBN Live. Archived from the original on 1 February 2011.
4.  "Soon, art haat in India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013.
5.  "New Delhi's India Art Fair explodes this year". CNN. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
6.  "The big draws at the India Art Summit". Wall Street Journal. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
7.  "1,000 artists, 20 countries - India Art Fair cometh". Zee News. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
8.  "Get ready for a close brush with World Art". The Times of India. 19 August 2009. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
9.  “[1]”,  The company Album
10.  Jan Dalley, “Full speed ahead at Indian Art Summit”, The Financial Times, 28 Jan 2011
11.  John Elliot, “A change is gonna come”, The Economist, 31 Jan 2012
12.  Shoba Narayan, “Indian art market a rosy picture”, The National, 23 Jan 2012
13.  Gayatri Rangachari Shah, “Highlights of the India Art Fair”, The New York Times, 01 Feb 2013
14.  Gayatri Rangachari Shah, “6th India Art Fair reports strong sales”, The New York Times, 04 Feb 2014
15.  "India's 'missing' women cast shadow over national art fair". The Guardian. AFP. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
16.  Kunal Doley, “Shades of Money”, The Financial Express, 08 Feb 2015
17.  Nasdaq, “Media Release | MCH Group | Co-ownership stake in India Art Fair” GlobeNewswire, 12 September 2016
18.  Anny Shaw, “Art Basel’s owner takes majority stake in India Art Fair”, The Art Newspaper, 12 September 2016
19.  Elizabeth Kuruvilla, “Art Basel parent company co-owns India Art Fair”, Live Mint, 13 September 2016
20.  Shaw, Anny "India Art Fair gets new director for tenth edition", [The Art Newspaper], London 18 August 2017. Retrieved on 22 August 2017. 
21.  Vandana Kalra "India Art Fair gets new director for fourteenth edition", [The Indian Express], New Delhi 26 March 2021. Retrieved on 16 July 2022.

"The Sensation of Apertures". Curated by Nilesh Kinkale

 Ikko Art Gallery is back with its new show "The Sensation of Apertures" Curated by Nilesh Kinkale showcases three dynamic artists Apurva Desai, Hardik Kansara, Chandni Paswan, who have presented a beautiful amalgamation between consciousness and the material world.

The exhibition will begin from 20th September 2024, offering an immersive experience of art that navigates through the interconnectedness of motion, volume, time, and space.

In this show, each artist seeks to find parallels between their creative expressions and the inherent consciousness of the material world, their works embody a deep exploration of balance and responsiveness. The flowing pulse of life becomes entangled with the linear forms and volumes they use, creating a harmonious yet thought-provoking dialogue between stillness and motion.

Through this exhibition, the artists push the boundaries of traditional art forms, transcending the limitations of conventional materials and tools. Their works evoke a sensitivity that draws from social constructs, environmental factors, and the ever-evolving discourse on time and space. This attempt to connect their art to the broader universe results in paintings that are at once personal and universal—infinitely expansive in their perspectives yet deeply rooted in individual expression.

Apurva Desai, a urban landscapist, skilfully incorporates materials like tools, gears, and industrial equipment in his work to explore themes related to the emotional lives of industrial workers. His use of metal sheets and wire ropes creates the illusion of space within space, striking a balance between movement and stillness, evoking emotional resonance in viewers.

 Hardik Kansara’s art features optical illusions through intricate paper craft. His architectural themes evoke deep emotional responses, with the layered structures in his work producing a surreal, immersive experience for the audience.

Chandni Paswan’s paintings emphasise the interplay of light and shade, often depicting the transformative power of sunlight on natural elements. Her works explore the five elements of nature, offering viewers a serene and expansive visual experience that contrasts with the hectic pace of daily life.

The Sensation of Aperture captures the essence of this collective vision, where the works of three distinct artists converge through shared universal elements, yet express disparate variables of motion, time, and location. Spectators are invited to experience a panoramic illusion of reality, formed through the distinct lenses of each painter’s individual optic. Together, they offer an exhibition that is both deeply introspective and universally expansive.

"Chiaroscuro" .... Curated by Deepak Sonar

 Looking at a black and white image, you are already looking at a strange world. Black and white creates a strange dreamscape that colour never can. But life is not black and white; there are multiple grey nuances to it. Although we see reality in colour, black and white has always been connected to the image's deeper truth, to its most hidden meaning. 

There is much symbolism associated with the dualism of black and white. They are different and distinct yet one cannot exist without the other. They depict opposites, good and evil, light and dark, truth and untruth and so on. Whether using the contrast of black and white alone, or softened with greys, artwork in the black-white spectrum always stands out. 

Jayant Joshi 

  

Participant  Artists

Aditya Shirke I Ankita Aswale I Anu Kulkarni I Ashish Rokade Bhagwan Chavan | Deepak Sonar | Deepti Munot | Gajanan Kabade Girish Urkude | Hemant Dhane | Hukum Lal Verma | Jayant Joshi Nilesh Kinkale | Nitin Dadrawala | Pandurang Tathe | Pankaj Jha Prakash Waghmare | Pramod Gaikwad | Prashant Dhadve Pravin Misal | Priya Dhoot | Rahul Wagh | Rajendra Ghosalkar Rajesh Ambalkar | Rajesh Eknath | Ravi Mandlik | Santosh Shirsath S. G. Vasudev | Shekhar Dahiwal | Shrikant Kadam | Smita Kinkale Somenath Maity | Umesh Patil | Vikram KulkarniVishakha Apte | Yogendra Tripathi | Yogesh Patil | Yusuf