Shattered Glass is the second exploration and collaboration between The Nirula Family Company and Star Light into the world and theme of Light and Dark.

The explorations and forms in Captured Glass, in 2010 were inspired by the philosophical texts and discussions around the subject of Light and Dark.The artists created stained glass panels and Mandalas using glass, wood, stone and metal to give form to those very explorations. These were inspired by Chinese and Vedic understandings of the interaction between the forces of Light and Dark.

It was through the process of discussion and creation for our 2010 exhibition Captured Glass, that we realized that the questions of Light and Dark are sublime, and their explorations, formations, meanings and ttributions are if not infinite, diverse enough to keep one occupied for more than one exhibition and two mediums. Hence, we came to a mutual agreement that once a year we-The Nirula Family Company and Star Light shall come together to re-visit the themes of Light and Dark through creative expression.

It is with the same passion and creative ethos that we bring to you SHATTERED GLASS.

2011 sees a new approach and a new playground for the same subject/theme of Light and Dark. In our discussions about LIGHT AND DARK, we found a desire to explore how traditions of craft in cultures across time reflect the philosophical aspects of Light and Dark in physical forms. We found inspiration through Russian Christian iconography and craft, specifically the form of the Christian triptychs and the Matryoshka doll. The form of the Matryoshka (or nesting) Doll has been extremely inspiring. The interaction of vacuum and space in this artisanal toy mimics concepts of Light and Dark. The positive and negative spaces are highlighted by the repetition of the dolls in descending sizes, nestling inside one another. This is truly a captivating and primal idea. We have used the space of the matryoshka doll to explore Vedic stories as well as the life of Buddha. Melding a physical craft from Russia with the regional Indian art of story telling.

The Christian triptychs with their ornate design and expression were inspiring in their structural composition. The three panels, the opening and closing, the image of Divinity acting as the light that pierces through as the doors are opened. This manifestation of religious interpretation of Light and Dark was fascinating and we have kept true to the structure while bringing to it Vedic iconography through the Indian tradition of Tanjore paintings.

Along with these spaces of inspiration Star Light has created some unique art objects inspired by the tradition of craft itself-the cups of light, the crosses of light, and the light and dark boxes are all a result of that creative exploration and expression.

The elements or materials used to create the objects of Light and Dark in this exhibition play a very inspirational role, providing the exploratory platform for Starlight and the themes of Light and Dark. The final forms of Shattered Glass, inspired by Russian iconography and craft objects redesigned with an Indian and Vedic aesthetic, taking form in stained glass, wood, metal, paint, glass, and gold are presented here.

The Art of Restoration in the world of paintings and sculptures has been an endeavor applauded for its integral role as protector and conservator of cultural patrimony, where national heritage goes beyond preservation. The image that conjures in one’s mind’s eye when talking of preservation is one of a battle against time and decay. Restoration on the other hand is filled with imagery of glory and beauty where the restorer is Hero. For vintage automobiles and old cars that have been abandoned in India, as the lost toys of the aftermath of the British Empire, their Hero is none other than the premier Restoration Man in India- Mr. TUTU DHAWAN.

This Automotive Expert, Rally Driver, Mechanic, Metal Fabricator, Electrical Engineer, Carpenter, Upholsterer and Restorer is in fact an Artiste – where moulding metal, carving wood or marrying engines to metal body shells are all in a days work in his studio, his garage, Engineers Corporation.

It is in that space of metal and tools that his personal aesthetic and judgment, his perfectionism and vision, emerge as unique works of art in the final result – the restored car.

For Tutu Dhawan the found object, i.e. the un-restored car, is his starting point, much like a blank canvas is for a painter. Dhawan strips down the found object and with a creative ethos of harmony, not only finds its lost parts, but goes beyond the process of assembling, and puts his artistic stamp with his metal fabrication, wood work, paint and wiring skills, thus leaving his unique artistic signature in every part and component of the restored car.

Tutu’s subject, inspiration and passion THE CAR, in phonetic form and symbol has gone through many transformations over the years. From its Celtic roots that sounded like karra – which came to refer to Caesar’s chariots, to finding its Latinized form in carra, to finally appearing in its current form ‘C-A-R’ around 1300 AD. The CAR has truly been on a long journey. This modern form came to be the genesis for the word carriage and more recently was seen in the term ‘railroad car’. It finally took solidified form in its contemporary reference only in 1904 when automobile manufacturers used the term ‘touring car’ to describe a body style of an automobile.

Tutu’s car restoration projects are very much a part of this history where innovation, malleability, creativity and vision have always been what have shaped great cars, and it is these very qualities that Tutu Dhawan combines with an artistic sensibility which results in these beautiful Forms in Motion!

A choice that was inspired by his association with the late Mickey Patel, who was an illustrator, cartoonist and painter, and in Harinder’s own words,

…whose (Mickey Patel’s) love, care and generosity enriched my life and made me see beyond my limitations.”

It was Mickey who first suggested to Harinder to delve into the medium of cartoons, as he always thought it
to be an intelligent and people friendly medium. One that he felt would fit well with Harinder’s natural wit and keen observations. With regret Harinder says,

“…unfortunately I didn’t produce anything (cartoons) while he (Mickey Patel) was alive but surely exploded after he was gone.”

All the time and mentoring done by Mickey culminated into Harinder’s passion for drawing cartoons.
Harinder stretches this medium to accommodate his observations about the Art World. The medium
has been synonymous with humour and satire since the discovery of the woodcut titled Le Revers du
Jeu des Suysses (The Other Side of the Swiss Game), produced in 1499, to Hogarth’s mass productions of
his political satirical works in the 18th century. The cartoon has travelled through the 18th, 19th and 20th
centuries from publications and private journals to be embedded in modern and contemporary culture
as a tool of relief. The Cartoon forces the public to look at itself or its components in a fresh light that
though unveils ugly truths, does it in a palatable fashion for the reader and viewer though perhaps not for
its subject(s). The humor lies in the truth of the experience, for Harinder this believability by the viewer/
audience of what he depicts on paper through his cartoons is an integral component of his creations.

Harinder takes these innate qualities of the cartoon humor and the believable, and combines it with his
insightful observations, shared tales by friends and fellow artists and his personal experiences of being
in the art world to generate this body of work ARTOONS V, the fifth in a series, the first of which was
showcased in his exhibition in 2003.

For Harinder the importance of ‘the Believable’ is at the centre of his approach to creating the Artoons.
He describes,

“the believable is something that you are familiar with regardless of your education, technical knowledge and/or skill set…….it is as simple, profound and universal as shared experience, for example the rising and setting of the Sun.”

Harinder gives us this example as a key to unlock the mystery and import around the visual device of Light and Shade, a tool he has introduced in his new body of work for this series. He believes the flat treatment of his earlier works diluted the ideas he wished to communicate due to the fact that the environment depicted by him was less-believable to his audience. Therefore, he has shifted into a more realistic and we feel richer depiction, where the Gallery is a central character and the light and shade of his water-colour brush give not only depth to his visual language but a ‘believability’ that strikes true with the viewer.

This idea of the believable germinates in the Classical Arts where visual depiction was not symbolic, flat or conceptual but experience based, taken from nature, real and very much in tradition of the Renaissance painters. It may seem odd that a contemporary cartoonist has such a classicist approach, but understanding Harinder’s creative roots, the mystery unfolds.

Harinder’s initiator into the art world was none other than the surrealist painter Jaswant Singh- his father. Jaswant Singh’s passion for the visual arts was seen not only in his artwork but his collection of books on Art, the most prized in his collection being on the Mona Lisa. The pages wearing thin at the edges bear witness to the repeated thoughtful turn and glance not only of Mr. Jaswant Singh but his young and impressionable son Harinder Singh. The works and approach of the Renaissance artists Michelangelo and da Vinci took a hold of Harinder’s imagination and to this day inspire and influence him, so much so that we find David and the Mona Lisa propping up in this series of Artoons.

ARTOONS V consist of a body of work created by Harinder Singh generated on impetus by the very Art World he inhabits. Delving into the structure, however fragile of this Art World, Harinder explores its complex and varied inhabitants- the Artist, the Gallery, The Audience, The Buyer/Collector, The Observer, Himself, and The Economy. All of whom come together in Harinder’s drawings to provide a window of understanding into a world that to a layman may seem confusing and intimidating. Harinder’s ARTOONS V are an attempt to lift this seemingly impregnable veil that surrounds the Art World. Be it his commentary on the trend of installations or paying for artworks in installments. Harinder’s approach shifts from the direct to the subtle, but his art is always honest to his experiences and observations.

An even more striking development in Harinder’s work for this series is his placement of self in the works. In this body of works, from time to time we see a recognizable figure, tall and lean with a keen and piercing gaze inhabiting Harinder’s depictions, silently watching. It is none other than Harinder himself. This self-effacing aspect of Harinder’s work makes it clear that Harinder is taking his laughter and satirical eye to not only the Art World but himself and his role in it. Encouraging us- the viewer, to join in experiencing the Art World he presents us with. Far from being untouchable, alien or so very steeped in jargon that it seems unreal, this Art World in fact is very real, filled with humour, very familiar and as he makes us realize very believable.

From the land of the Vedas and the epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, where painting has been a tradition of story telling engaged in record keeping, such as the Patachitra, where a visual language for the Divine form was created and maintained, passed on from one generation to another, we The Nirula Family Company present DHYANA ROOPA, a new body of work by artist Abhishek Singh.

Inspired by these very texts, stories and traditions, Abhishek has created works using pen, photo-ink, gauche, oils and acrylics on canvas and paper that can be best described as new meditations on old forms. Abhishek Singh’s interpretations of Divinity through his exploration of form line and color transform that magical blank space of paper and canvas into a portal of exploration for the viewer.

The captured moment though inspired by tradition, does not follow a particular style of Indian visualization of the Divine, be it folk art, calendar representations, or tanjore paintings. Abhishek has created his very own visual language that speaks to a modern and contemporary aesthetic. Where the moment of the story he chooses to highlight through his work is a revelation to audiences. Those familiar with text and tradition will marvel on technique and the depth of understanding Abhishek shows of his subject and those new audiences removed from the bias of tradition and image will be struck by the sheer imagination of the Artist at depicting these exalted human forms, with intent and detail, that speaks of great intimacy between Artist and Subject.

This body of work, presented through this exhibition is a testament to the Artist’s research and meditation on the subject of Vishnu and of Shiva, exploring not only their form as described in Vedic and Aryan texts and shlokas, but is also a modern presentation of their moods, past-times and avatars. Between these two distinct explorations, is the greatest meditation done by the artist and that is of the central piece, the Vishwa Roopa, which in its glory of scale, size, color and construction simultaneously awes and holds these dynamic forces, of Vishnu and Shiva together.

In a tradition of Divine depiction Abhishek’s works are a link between the old world where oral traditions took on visual representation and the surrounding philosophies found a sense of immortality in text, through the Vedas and the Shastras. However this is not a religious exhibition, but one where inspiration was found in Vedic philosophy, in present day India best (mis) understood as Hinduism.

Hinduism has always been a source of fascination to the world. At its most basic, it is understood as a pagan religion with multiple gods ascribed with energies tied to the forces of nature, much in parallel to Greek and Roman Gods. At its most intellectual it is seen as giving us Universal truth and knowledge, unlocking the mysteries of the self and the universe. The essential reality embodied in the core concepts of Vedic understanding of the creator and the created is succinctly encoded in the term VISHNU- which means the one who is present in every atom of creation, hence the multiple forms described in text are explored here by the artist resulting in DHYANA ROOPA.

Beyond intellectual debate and discussion, the reading and exploration of the Vedas has led to many a creative endeavour beyond the temples of Khajuraoh and the caves of Ellora. Each creative expression ancient, modern or contemporary is seen as either challenging and/or affirming the past. A past, which is a story of magic and myth, mixed with the ideas and concepts of the real, all hiding and blurring true experience.

Art and the various mediums it allows for human expression has assisted Man to present his story whilst acknowledging the very myth and magic that threatens and re-affirms the reality of the present – Indian art is no exception.

None of us can be devoid of, untouched and in many ways unaffected from and by the history we are told and the history we create.

The history of our land, our people, our family and eventually our personal histories individually and cumulatively come to form our idea(s) of self and our action(s).

Art too is as an act thus governed and shaped. A reaction against, and at times a tool to reinforce those many histories

India has always found favour with the fanatics as a fertile ground for propagating their ideologies.

A battleground for the believer as well as the nonbeliever, Indian Art in recent times has come to bear witness to that battle, none more controversial and with greater international speculation than the works of and the man himself, M.F. Husain.

Abhishek’s works are neither those of a believer nor a non-belier, but those of an explorer.

Abhishek Singh engages with forms and subjects rooted in an idiom ascribed to ancient India, and her histories of perception of reality-one’s which have become very much a part of the conscious and sub conscious of contemporary India.

Re-charting an aesthetic trajectory for a subject that has traditionally been seeped in Rasa and Bhava in the context of the Natya Shastra, to then be seen surrounded in controversy in contemporary art in India, DHYANA ROOPA can be interpreted as a process of detaching from popular interpretations of these texts and forms describing Divinity.

Dhyana Roopa is a personal journey, by Abhishek Singh in collaboration with The Nirula Family that has resulted in a visualization of Vishnu and Shiva for a viewer that is aware, inquisitive, and is engaged in a quest of self.

This quest is seen as that of the individual, alone and a symptom of the postmodern in Western thought and societies. We propose that this ‘quest of self’ is neither postmodern nor fractured but post or anti ‘institutionalization of thought’, where the institution and politics of religion are seen as retrograde to personal and spiritual development.

The images explored and manifested in the depictions presented by Abhishek Singh in Dhyana Roopa trigger our primal knowledge centers, thereby the art functions as a key to unlocking gateways to personal realizations and truths that illuminates the soul freed from the limitations of belief.

Trishna Singh, a young contemporary artist, is like a curious child absorbing and expressing in an environment where the questions for a contemporary artist are no different than those posited in the decades gone before. The search for the self is intricately tied to the definitions and understanding of humanity that is prevalent in society at any given time. The artist is given the right and the burden to re-define and visualize what the common man cannot. As Paul Tillich stated in 1959 -

“Humanity is not something man simply has. He must fight for it anew in every generation, and he may lose his fight”

Trishna’s fight is more with the self and the figure, through her depiction of the woman, where the female form is symbolic of at once all women and one woman - Trishna, the artist.

Using a traditional medium - oil on canvas, her endeavor is one of taking that traditional medium to tell modern and contemporary tales of dreams, realities and the nature of the self - through the figure and the form of Woman.

The Figure in Indian art, historically has taken two key visualizations and forms.

Fist, it has been intimately tied to our sense of self and identification to religious and/or spiritual metaphors - be it the sculptures at Khajurao, the changing form and depiction of the Buddha, or the ancient temples of the south, the most famous being Tirupati.

The figure in the Indian psyche has been intimately tied to worship and ritual.

The second form it took was that of social documentation.  As seen on the cave walls of Ellora, where historians till today have referred to these depictions on the walls of the caves to understand life, culture and social interaction of an age gone before.
This tradition of social documentation and the figure has become an exploratory force in Indian Contemporary Art, specially in the works of Amrita Sher Gill, Anjolie Ela Menon, and Arpana Caur.  

These first ladies of Indian art, using the medium of oil on canvas, have explored the Figure through observation and imagination. Be it Three Girls (1935) by Amrita Sher Gill, Fisherwoman (1956) by Anjolie Ela Menon or Arpana Caur’s re-imagining of the folk tale of Soni and Mahival.

Trishna’s art follows in this tradition of social documentation, where she is pouring and painting on canvas images of her self, inspired by experiences observed and felt by her. Before she is artist, she is Woman.
Her technique and form are indicative of her break with tradition, where inspired by watercolours and their dreamy quality, Trishna pours kerosene and oil on her canvas, much in the fashion of water poured on paper, she then mixes her paints and merges the two to create a transparent quality in the medium of oil on canvas. Taking the viewer into her dream world where form and the unknown come together. The lyricism and movement on her canvas is a direct product or trace of the moment, as she only paints whilst listening to music.

Inspired by her travels and personal experiences Trishna’s work has an autobiographical element that she is proud to exhibit, the colors are a reflection of her moods, and the canvas a space to unfold her Self - The Artist, The Woman, The Human.

We take in the action of external perception to create an internal infrastructure, which influences us at a subtle
level. In turn, through a series of triggers evoked by these Heroic Images, we are guided to choices we make in our external world.

India: Imagined in the Present is not a show that aims to provide a traditional trajectory of historical facts that have helped create contemporary India and its Heroic Images. It is rather an exhibition of a direction that finds ways to reimagine these Heroic Images of God, Man and the Universe he lives in.

This show is an Exploration. Our Heroes of the Art World have come together to give a New Imagining to the Heroes of our Heritage. The Artists have achieved this through marrying their aesthetic style to a person, a symbol, and communicate their interpretation of a ‘traditional’ idea of the Hero within the cultural and historical context of present day India.

The Artist works with legends, concepts and myths that are specific to a time, circumstance and place in Indian history, be it on a philosophical, intellectual, religious, spiritual, political and cultural level. Our Heroes are the universe itself, nature, warriors, film stars, saints, political revolutionaries, you, I, no one man and every man. These Heroes and their actions highlight the space within which contemporary Indian Psyche exists today, opening up debate and discussion.

The exhibition and the works are a collaborative synergy of The Nirula Family Company and the Artists. It is an attempt to chart a direction to a small but significant space in the Indian Psyche. We invite you to take this journey with us, and together let us share and re-discover this view of our Heroes.