Soviet filmmaker Dziga Vertov referred to film drama as “ the opium of the people”. He believed that dramatic fiction films distract people from reality. It rings true in a country like India, where larger-than-life characters are a window to live distant dreams and forget the hardships of life. Bringing the magic of the silver screen, the exhibition ‘Bond to Bachchan’ portrayed the intersection of pop culture, art and cinema through 21 artworks by 15 renowned artists including Shri Kumar Adhikari, Shampa Sirkar Das, Vivek Nimbolkar and Puja Kshatriya, amongst others. Curated by Georgina Maddox, the exhibition ran parallel to India Art Fair (IAF) and a part of it was on display at IAF. At the packed exhibit, Maddox told TMS how the theme piqued curiosity, “Art and cinema are actually intrinsic to each other but they tend to be compartmentalised as high art and pop culture. The notion of bringing these two extremities together was to revel in the interconnected nature of the two mediums and bring to the fore the contrasts and contradictions of popular culture.”
Film icons shine
On view were Shiffali Wadhwan’s ‘Agneepath’ which portrayed the fiery pursuit of Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic character Vijay Dinanath Chouhan. The colours of vibrant red, violet and orange were an insignia of the passion that fuelled the charismatic character’s journey. Another work by artist Prasoon Poddar portrayed Bachchan’s cult film Deewar. It showed how his poster — which remains intact while the adjacent posters decay in public spaces — is a beacon of hope amid societal ruin where human activities harm the environment. We moved towards another stunning canvas in mixed media done by Surita Tandon titled ‘Queen of Hearts’, aptly dedicated to actor Madhubala. “I have shown Madhubala as Anarkali, vividly splashed with yellow and orange against a monochrome backdrop. I have hand-embroidered the crystal nose ring to add a touch of glamour. Her eyes are painted to reflect the depth and expressiveness that she carried with her gaze,” Tandon told TMS at the show.
Ankur Rana’s ‘Smoke Up Bolly’ was also a crowd-puller. It portrayed Zeenat Aman who is celebrated for her bold choices in the 1970s and ’80s in a state of euphoric trance. Her vivacity yet softness came alive in the multi-colours hues and fluid brushstrokes.
The artworks also paid an ode to cult figures like James Bond and the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson whose contributions to pop culture are remembered even today through films and music. “The appeal of Bond and Bachchan as cinematic icons is timeless and has transcended generations. Just as they united the masses under one banner in the ’60s and ’70s, I’m sure this exhibition will do the same,” says Samarth Mathur, MD, Masha Art.
Tech meets nostalgia
A part of the exhibition was presented at the India Art Fair. It showcased the works of new media artist, Jenny Bhatt, who brought her pop-realist sensibilities. Bhatt exhibited 12 AR-activated paintings and 15 animations celebrating the golden years of cinema. In a theme that evokes nostalgia, how does technology play into art? Bhatt said, “Nostalgia by nature, is a very personal engagement with the past and technology enables forms of engagement that have not existed before. I used AR to activate the artwork. It made art physically interactive and engaging.”
She further added on the integration of AI, animation, VR and AR in art, “The mainstream art market will continue to be dominated by painting and will integrate to some extent, animation within AR and VR and AI. There is already a separate market for digital art, which uses these technologies extensively but is heavily dependent on the fluctuations in the crypto market. In essence, the different niches within the art market will overlap wherever these technologies are used.”