Between the Lines
by
Revati Sharma Singh
at
April 17 - May 2, 2010
Gallery Art & Soul takes the pleasure of presenting Revati Sharma Singh’s first solo exhibition in the city.
Revati’s most recent body of works addresses the complexities of inhabiting a world where ‘lines’ characterize trends of upheaval and unison. If her previous works evoked a feeling of cultural disintegration, the ones in ‘Between the Lines’ portray human essence and evolution.
Speaking about her approaching solo exhibition, Revati says, “Everywhere we look, in this city or the country for that matter, there are lines - some invisible and some that stare you right in the eye… we choose to ignore them because it makes us uncomfortable. These are not just physical lines but social, religious, political and economical as well… it’s the extremes that frighten me. It bothers me that I am very much a part of it all and angers me that I do nothing to change it.”
Revati Sharma Singh can easily be described as one of India’s thinking artists. Her works provoke deep thought and make for a visual journey that inspires the mind’s eye. It’s in her atelier that she finds herself at peace and one with the issues that deeply concern her – they maybe the disintegration of our value systems or even the lines that divide us.
Her art lends itself to wholesome sentiments – sentiments that lighten or beset our daily life. This unique exhibition offers the viewer a sublime experience through works on canvas.
Between the Lines
Lines form a basis of who we are.
When we think of lines, we probably think of lines that divide.
They may be borders which divide one country from another. They may be religion, dividing one home from another. They may be monetary distinction bringing the barrier between rich and poor.
There are a few lines, though not visible to the naked eye, are always present. It may include the lines in our relationships, the lines of caste and creed of colour and also the lines between truth and deceit.
Despite these divisions, there are lines that unite.
That may be an umbilical cord uniting a mother with her child. The heritage passes down to the next generation, uniting two generations. Though there are borders, there are also lines which connect one country to another. The lines on our palms define and create our destiny. Our bones fuse together to make the most complex forms – our bodies.
The most important lines may be that of communication, forming the basis of all different languages and dialects where love, peace and war mean the same thing in different languages to all the people.
Venue
Art & Soul Gallery
1, Madhuli, Shiv Sagar Estate,
Worli,
Mumbai,
Date │ Timings
April 17th to May 2nd, 2010 │ Mondays – Fridays: 10 am – 6:30 pm, Saturdays: 11 am – 4 pm
For more information or press photographs, please feel free to contact:
Aushi Manihar
+91 9820738717
aushi@clovercommunications.in
About the Artist
“Art is subjective. There can be nothing objective about it, either for the artist or the person looking at the artwork. The process mirrors life.” ~ Revati Sharma Singh
Graduated from The Delhi College of Art in 1996, Revati Sharma Singh is considered to be a thinking artist – an artist whose conscience is of primary importance in her works. A painter and installation artist, Revati’s simultaneously complex and detailed creations reflect sensitivity to urban alienation and cultural displacement.
Having spent a large part of her artistic career abroad, she has returned to her country of birth to continue her artistic journey. “I’ve lived out of the country for 10 years. While away, I used to paint the warmth, colours, sounds, smells and vibrancy of India – it is a country ‘totally alive’ in every sense,” Revati articulates. The first Indian female artist to have her solo exhibition, ‘My Own India’ at the Kings Road Gallery in London, her paintings represented her fond and vivid memories of India and its people.
On returning, there has been an urgent sense to contribute and participate in Indian society by raising questions through her art. Her concerns about the disintegration of the fabric of society lends as the underlying theme of her works. Revati goes on to say, “On my return, I had to take off my rose-tinted glasses. Under all that warmth, passion and festivity I found a murky prejudiced society made up of inequitable layers. It was like the floodgates of pent-up emotions had opened up – everything that used to bother me or upset me about this incredible, beautiful, frustrating country came pouring out. I found MY way to protest against injustice, against the lack of political will, the sad state of our morals and values, the corruption, the apathy, the poverty and helplessness you see in so many faces.”
In 2009, she received an overwhelming response at the Kala Ghoda Festival with her installation work titled ‘How Long Can You Stand It?’ displayed at the main square. Continuing her enriching association with the Kala Ghoda Festival, this year too Revati was selected to be one of the few privileged artists to showcase her live installation at the main square. Her thought-provoking installation ‘Mera Desh Mahaan?’ represented her dialogue with society about its values and disposition as a role model for today’s younger generation.
“Installation art is liberating,” says Revati. “Not only can one use any medium, one has the freedom to explore and multiply each medium making sense of the whole along the way. So much can be said so effectively by using simple, everyday objects, which the viewer identifies with.”
When speaking about her medium of work, Revati says, “Oil on canvas is my preferred medium to work in when I paint.” As an artist, she gives plenty of thought to the titles of her works, “I like to know the thought behind a work of art. I want to create an unspoken dialogue that will breathe life into the painting. It is for that reason that I like to title my work.”
“I started painting because my maternal grandmother didn’t give me paper to draw on – she gave me the walls of her 100-year-old house to paint on. My mother didn’t give me art lessons - she gave me her absolute whole hearted belief that everything I ever painted was ‘brilliant’. My father never taught me how life should be lived… he lived it… and without the complete love and absolute support from my husband, Darpan and Saniya and Andy... nothing would have been possible.”
With all the recent success and adulation that Revati‘s works have received, she will now be showcasing her works at her solo exhibition, ‘Between the Lines’ at Art & Soul Gallery from April 17th – May 2nd, 2010.
Recent Exhibitions
2010: Kala Ghoda Arts Festival; Mera Desh Mahaan?
2010: Art n Soul (Group Show) in January 2010; Journey
2009: Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in 2009; How long can you stand it?
2008: Samsara Art Exhibition (Group Show)
2007: Affordable Art Show (Group Show)
2007: Hampstead, London (Solo Show)
2005: New Delhi (Solo Show); Chemistry of Colors
2004: Kings Road Gallery, Chelsea, London (Solo Show)
2001: Dover Street, London (Solo Show); Yatra
1999: Raffles Hotel, Singapore (Solo Show)
Revati currently lives and works in Mumbai
Art & Soul Gallery
1, Madhuli, Aushi Manihar
Shiv Sagar Estate
Worli, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400018
For media-related queries
E-mail: aushi@clovercommunications.in
Phone: (91) 9820738717
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