The Grand Scheme of Things
Art India|August 2022
Objects, memories and rituals come together to create a spectacle. Meera Menezes plays witness to Subodh Gupta's Cosmic Battle.
Meera Menezes
The Grand Scheme of Things

Subodh Gupta is no stranger to drama. Nowhere was this more evident than in the dimly lit space of Delhi-based Nature Morte's Dhan Mill gallery, where his show Cosmic Battle was mounted from the 25th of February to the 10th of April. Suspended from the ceiling of the cavernous hall was a gigantic brass vessel that rotated slowly on its axis. Couched within it were two similar utensils, one inside the other, their rims forming three shiny concentric circles. In the centre of this trio was a piece of rock that resembled an asteroid, its gritty surface a sharp counterpoint to the glinting metal. There was something almost meditative about this imposing kinetic sculpture, also titled Cosmic Battle, with its ritual-like repetitive movement. By using a quotidian vessel to evoke the other-worldly, the artist also established a link between the material and the spiritual as well as between the terrestrial and the extra-terrestrial. Any visitor stepping into the hall would be dwarfed by the artwork's sheer size, making them acutely aware of their relative insignificance in the scheme of things.

Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Art India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Art India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA ART INDIASe alt
Parts, Wholes And The Spaces In Between
Art India

Parts, Wholes And The Spaces In Between

Sonal Sundararajan introduces Samira Rathod's free-spirited and rebellious explorations in the world of architecture, furniture and design.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2023
"The Fine Art of Going to the Pictures."
Art India

"The Fine Art of Going to the Pictures."

Dr. Banerjee in Dr. Kulkarni's Nursing Home at Chemould Prescott Road brings together 26 paintings featuring a series of dramatic scenes from Hindi and Bengali films. In conversation with Abhay Sardesai, artist Atul Dodiya talks about childhood trips to movie halls, painted figures gripped by tension, and the closeness and remoteness of cinematic images.

time-read
10 mins  |
April 2023
"To Finally Have Something of Your Own to Mine."
Art India

"To Finally Have Something of Your Own to Mine."

Dayanita Singh is the recipient of the coveted 2022 Hasselblad Award. Keeping the photograph at the centre, she speaks to Shreevatsa Nevatia about books, book objects, photo novels, exhibitions and museums.

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2023
OF DIVINE LOSS
Art India

OF DIVINE LOSS

Shaurya Kumar explores the relationship between the subject and object of devotion, finds Aranya.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2023
THE PAST AND ITS SHADOWS
Art India

THE PAST AND ITS SHADOWS

Neha Mitra visits two shows and three artists in Mumbai.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2023
FORCE OF NATURE
Art India

FORCE OF NATURE

Alwar Balasubramaniam dwells on absences and ephemeralities in his new work, states Meera Menezes.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2023
SHAPES OF WATER
Art India

SHAPES OF WATER

Devika Sundar's works delineate the murky, malleable boundaries between the human body and the organic world, says Joshua Muyiwa.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2023
INTIMATIONS OF INTIMACY
Art India

INTIMATIONS OF INTIMACY

Sunil Gupta shares his journey with Gautami Reddy.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2023
THE FRACTURED PROSPECT
Art India

THE FRACTURED PROSPECT

Nocturnal landscapes as ruins in the making? Adwait Singh looks at Biraaj Dodiya's scenes of loss.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2023
TEETERING BEYOND OUR GRASP
Art India

TEETERING BEYOND OUR GRASP

Meera Menezes traces Mahesh Baliga's journey from Moodabidri to London.

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2023