Any would agree that, among other things, art helps keep us going especially in a post-COVID world. For Aleksandra Lis, this thought was foundational when she started curating ‘Street Art is Alive’. The group art exhibition featuring acclaimed international artists in the pop art realm is presented by the Embassy of Israel in India along with Bruno Art Group—a network of galleries across the world that is headquartered in Tel Aviv—and is currently on display at the city’s Visual Arts Gallery. Apart from introducing Indian viewers to a slew of artists from Israel and other parts of the world, the show also is in celebration of 30 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and India.
A riot of colours
Giving us an insight into this exhibition, Lis mentions that picking the theme of pop art, as opposed to any other style in this domain, was an easy choice for her. “The reasons are many,” she says, adding, “The first being, I have seen very little pop art in galleries of India—there are not many local artists doing it. So, I wanted to get the audience interested in something that they are not very familiar with, and that’s new to them.”
However, that is not not the only reason. Liz adds, “Street and pop art deal with everyday objects and situations. So, it is more appealing to and interacting with the viewer than high art. Pop art has normal messages about life. I feel that even though pop art tells important messages and it is an expression of how the artist views the world around him [or her], it is a bit lighter. I want people to, especially after COVID, feel lighter, positive, and optimistic. Colours do make our mood happier; it is uplifting. And pop art has a lot of colour.”
Building relations
Walk into Visual Arts Gallery—the show is on till Oct 17—and you will be greeted by a riot of colours. While a viewer with prior knowledge of this art style—one who is well acquainted with the famous American artist Andy Warhol—will be delighted to find Warhol’s portraits here, there is an array of paintings that makes for a visual treat for art enthusiasts. French artists Mr Brainwash aka Thierry Guetta and Arnaud Nazare Aga—known for his hand-painted sculptures—are also part of this line-up, along with Indian artists Anu Malhotra and digital artist Mandakini Devi. Works by Israeli artists including David Gerstein, Ron Agam, Uri Dushy, Itzik Mevorah, Calman Shemi, and Roy Yariv will surprise you. Liz concludes, “Israel has many established pop and street artists who have international careers and they are masters in their techniques, and we wanted to introduce and present them to India.”
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: ‘Street Art is Alive’
WHEN: Till Oct 17; 10:00am to 8:00pm
WHERE: Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Colony