An architectural structure is dismantled, buildings are razed to the ground and then rebuilt, and an establishment is in the works—the city experiences construction in some form or the other at every point in time. In a nutshell, the process of construction and deconstruction, in a metropolis like Delhi, never ends, or as contemporary artist M Pravat puts it, “The dust never settles”.
In his recent exhibition ‘Concrete Dusk’, which is currently on display at Bikaner House, India Gate, Pravat explores the different expressions of a city under construction through a series of paintings, collages, sculptures, and more. On till August 24, this exhibition is presented by Pune-based Vida Heydari Contemporary Art Gallery. The title Concrete Dusk, Pravat says, came about as an inspiration. “The structure [of a city] is not static. It is running. When you look outside, the day goes out and darkness arrives. In between there is light and that really fascinates me. This light changes the entire urban plan.”
Negotiations with the city
It was in 2010 when Pravat—he holds a master’s degree in painting—started experimenting with several elements and techniques of architecture. “Delhi’s architecture really inspired me. Painting is all about interior spaces; very picturesque. Slowly, I moved to architecture. I experimented with section drawing, how to build a space and the functionality of space.
This only inspired me to experiment further,” shares the 49-year-old, whose artistic practice borrows from architecture. It is no doubt then that ‘Concrete Dusk’ exists at the intersection of both these domains.
“Just like me, architects also create visuals except their work is more practical in nature, while mine isn’t. From 2012 onwards, I started claiming myself as an architect,” he says. Pravat has adopted bricks as the primary medium in this exhibition. “I collect the bricks, process them, cut them, and slowly create this [the works].”
In his works titled ‘Elevation (1 & 2)’, the artist uses fired brick, cut slate, stone dust, and metal. The boundary of this piece—made using bricks—appears dense while the layers are raised to symbolise chaos. To disrupt the chaos, he embeds a black circle made out of slate in the centre. “It [the circle] signifies that I am looking for some peace or quietness.” Similarly, there is ‘Column (1 & 2)’, another work made using stone dust, metal, and brick, showcasing a vertical brick column embedded with stones on its surface to signify imaginary maps.
Art as a form of inquiry
Among the works displayed, a spectacle of Pravat’s interest in urban landscapes and how he tends to transform themes of urban planning into art is ‘Unplanned Expansion (1 & 2)’ that sort of appears straight out of an architect’s diary. Picture a huge canvas with a grid drawn on it, which is further inscribed with rough outlines of a city, scribbled patterns that resemble symbols and landmarks seen on maps, and figures and forms—some rough, some painted, some smudged, some highly intricate with text around them. “It is a mess but somewhere in between you can see the order.”
Talking about her experience of putting together this exhibition, gallerist Vida Heydari shared, “It has been a learning journey. The works are really heavy and fragile. I had to learn a lot, how to deal with this kind of artwork and also learn about the ideas that he has and how he sees the city of Delhi.” Inspired By Pravat’s lived experiences in the city, ‘Concrete Dusk’ is fresh and thought-provoking. We met Snehpreet Kaur at the gallery on Friday afternoon. Ghitorni-based artist Kaur agreed with us, as she concluded, “I have not seen something like this before; it is very new, with concrete as the medium. This exhibition gave a perspective change.”
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: Concrete Dusk
WHEN: Till August 24
WHERE: Bikaner House, near India Gate