Second year students of BK College of Art & Craft here put up an exhibition titled ‘Independence in Art’ to mark the 67th anniversary of Indian Independence. Portraying interpretation of Independence in the modern day Indian society, the exhibition reflected ideas and thoughts of the painters in myriad hues. While some of the paintings dealt with issues adversely affecting the country, there were others that addressed the concept of harmony.
Mounted at the Odisha Modern Art Gallery, the exhibition had 29 paintings on display and one installation, that stole the five-day show. The small installation art piece made of mud was an interesting and thought-provoking take on how politicians and their greedy ways are eating away the once prospering country, piece by piece.
In a frame, mice draped in little Tricolour stoles around their necks jostled to have a share of ‘ladoos’ served on a large plate. The ‘ladoos’ too were coloured in saffron, white and green. For the artist, the mice signified the greedy and corrupt politicians and the ‘ladoos’ different states of India. The installation was put up by 24-year-old Laxmipriya Pradhan who aptly titled her work ‘Corruption’. “Corruption today is eating into the social fabric of our country. Every where one goes, there is corruption at all levels and the worst-hit are the poor,” she said.
The father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi was the subject of many paintings at the show that also paid homage to other Indian freedom fighters. While one painting showed strings pulling currency notes with a shadow of the Mahatma in the background, another depicted the four freedom fighters - Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Subash Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru - carving out the nation with pens. This interesting piece of art in acrylic was by Janmejaya Pradhan.
A canvas revealed a woman as a victim of the social system; she looked for harmony in different objects of nature by physically embracing them in the paintings. There was a sketch of a beautiful tree with green bark and orange leaves that attracted butterflies. There was another where Mother India was shown crying with a dagger piercing through the book of the Indian Constitution.
Rising cases of violence on women was the subject that was explored by a few painters. There was a painting on the minor Dalit girl of Kharinasi village in Kendrapara who was set ablaze by two youths on July 28. The girl had died on August 8 after struggling with life for 12 days, triggering protests from public.
The exhibition concluded this week.