Summarising the life and times of a stalwart in a small space appears impossible. But collating a framework of isolated pieces that make up theatre veteran, pedagogue and artist Ebrahim Alkazi’s life sketch is what poet, cultural theorist and curator Ranjit Hoskote attempted to do through Opening Lines.
Presented by Art Heritage, the title borrows from the ‘opening lines’ used in the context of theatre. In a sense, it opens Alkazi’s forgotten yet prolific world to the viewers. It’s also a tribute on his 94th birthday.
Understanding the limitations about the diversity and the enormity of an initiative like this, Hoskote had to opt for a practical approach. Being selective in choosing the paintings and drawings, also required him to be prudent. The works in this exhibit were never showcased to the public after their original display in the 1950s and the mid-1960s.
“Despite Alkazi’s enormous contribution as a theatre-maker and his support towards artistes and their cause, his work is largely forgotten. This body brings pieces from his exhibitions at the Asian Institute, London (1950), the Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay (1952), and at the Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi (1965),” says Hoskote.
A mixed media work Reclining Christ is most striking for its architectural quality. At first, you see a geological arrangement finally giving way to the notions of a human form. Elopement is a beautiful mixed media illustration on paper. “It’s a mystical depiction of several motifs coming together to exemplify the sublimity of sexual communion using a language of intrigue. It’s a piece driven by desire. Imagery is sharp but there is no linearity. Figures are abstract. By the look of it, you can tell that somebody with great anthropological knowledge has made it,” says the curator.
Green Twig Fruit and Flower, another Alkazi masterpiece personifies our shared need to grow. “The incredible want to flourish shared by animals, plants and human beings alike is what this work articulates,” he says. Every work in the exhibition echoes a story. These may be forgotten but not diminished. Exhibitions like these keep them alive.
Till: Nov 11; 11:00 am to 8:00 pm
Shridharani Gallery and Art Heritage Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, 205, Tansen Marg
In a nutshell
The show’s title, Opening Lines, borrows from the ‘opening lines’ used in the context of theatre. In a sense, it opens Alkazi’s prolific world to the viewers. It is an ode to Alkazi on his 94th birthday. Understanding the limitations in front of him, Hoskote has taken a practical approach to put this massive yet selective body of paintings and drawings in different mediums together.