A cartographer’s canvas
Kantha embroidery, the simplest form of a running stitch, makes any medium pop immediately. When this is juxtaposed with art, specifically, paintings, it assumes a whole new dimension, making an unforgettable first impression.
Delhi-based Manish Pushkale, a contemporary modern Indian artist, whose works have been largely influenced by his hometown Bhopal and Madya Pradesh, is showcasing a series of artworks with the beautiful kantha motif.
It’s called ‘Tracing the Cartographer’s Trail’ by Akar Prakar, displayed at Triveni Kala Sangam in Delhi.
Every piece in the new collection showcases kantha styles’ versatility spread across a variety of materials and palettes. Needless to say, it’s worth visting to see how dextriously it’s all come together.
Pushkar, a subtle custodian of mysteries, has made sure the series is an ode to abstraction.
“It has emerged from the extreme loneliness of the lockdown period. This phase gave me both a moment and momentum to review myself,” he says, adding, “I was born and brought in Bhopal, a place surrounded by history of Sanchi and the prehistory of Bhimbetka. This series is an exploration of my modernity, which is embedded in the equidistance of these destinations.”
This motif has been a constant in his works as it manifests over rivers, ravines and rising terraces in a survey map in the various art pieces. On using kantha, he adds, “It’s a metaphor which stitches my local history and prehistory with my modernity. I can say that my modernity and its identity have become more meaningful and sensible with this new narrative now.”
He was particular about keeping the colour palette bright as it lends to the glory of the traditional stitch. The red, yellow and orange, with hints of purple and grey, says Pushkale, are colours that command attention. “They call for pro-active action towards the preservation of India’s creative customs,” he says.
Pushkale, a trained geologist, who has worked as a daily-wage labourer during his youth at several archaeological sites, gained deep insight in history, paleontology, and archaeology through this experience. “The information of the past has played a key role in giving shape to my ‘today’,” says the artist, as he continues to take notes from history to keep his
art relevant.