Black and white are equally pretty in art

In a world dominated by colour, can you think in black and white?




As you cruise south on the IT corridor in Chennai you would have perhaps noticed a mural titled 'Mother and Child'. It was created by contemporary artist Asma Menon for Tamil Nadu Road Development Company Limited (TNRDC) few years ago. Apart from murals and installation, Asma is known for her vibrant colours and intriguing canvases.

Featured as Artist of the Month by Cholamandal Artists Village for this month, on February 26th and 27th, Asma dwells on printmaking and the influence and impact of this medium with the aid of a slideshow. In her exhibition titled 'Absence and presence of colour' Asma presents her etchings and black-and-white works.

The works take the viewer into the vortex of the "reading of the cards". The journey is of clairvoyance. Stark black-and-white line drawing against vivid borders is akin to a stage set for the unveiling of the answers to one's queries. Or is it! How often is one motivated to think in black-and-white in a world dominated by colour? But this exhibition does.

The art village, established in 1966, gives art aficionados a chance to understand the artist firsthand and her expression and the whys governing it. Located in Injambakkam, nine kms from Chennai proper, the art village's creations have been shown in Europe, the U.S. and South America. Several skilled craftsmen and artists live in a commune-type arrangement and create art as a matter of fun and pride.

Asma's creations reflect her bubbly personality and most of her oeuvre is brimming with a busy feel that needs to constantly communicate. Her strength seems to lie in packing a lot of elements on a crowded canvas much like a busy Chennai street during rush hour. Her symbolic streaks inform while yelling for attention.

A B.Sc. graduate in Visual Communications and M.A. in Fine Art from Chennai's Government Arts College, Asma has had her share of solo shows in several cities of Europe ranging from France to Spain to Italy and to the Middle East and Far East, Egypt, Malaysia, Japan and the Republic of Macedonia.

Some of Asma's composites occasionally mimic caricatures as an inevitable compliment to her sense of humour. Or is it all planned like an exit line of a play? Her persona is represented in the blend of hues that she teases the onlooker with.

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RAJ S RANGARAJAN

(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market and auto shows and reviews films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; and India.)

Indians cannot buy Indian antiquities

Indian antiquities have a good market abroad but we ourselves cannot buy them... A look at why



There is continued interest among American buyers - private individuals and institutions - in bronzes and copper artifacts as evidenced by purchases of a Bronze Figure of 'Balakrishna' from South India, Tamil Nadu (Chola Period, 12th century) as also a Copper Figure of Indra (Nepal, 14th/15th century). Few months back, each of these sold for USD 122,500 (INR 5.6 million) at a price higher than auctioneer Christie's estimate.

Both these art pieces - the Chola bronze (16-1/2 in. or 42 cm high) and Indra (10-3/4 in. or 27.2 cm high) were bought by America-based bidders. Interestingly, even if they wished to, art lovers of Indian origin based in India could not have bought these rare pieces. Reason: embargos by the Indian government following the passing of the Archeological Survey of India's Antiquities Act of 1972.

This writer asked two gallery owners - one from New York and the other from Bangalore - the same question: How come bronzes tend to be purchased mostly by western art lovers or U.S. institutions, not say by investors of Asian origin?


Manhattan Gallery owner Deepak Talwar says, "Perhaps Western buyers and institutions tend to prefer antiquities in view of the provenance and restrictions by the Indian government in owning antiquities. It is also possible American institutions and collectors want to buy Asian antiquities as they have little of their own art and antiquities from 500 or say, 1,000 years ago."

M. Maher Dadha, Chairman & Managing Director of a Bangalore gallery, Bid & Hammer Auctioneers (P) Ltd., laid out additional reasons: "Firstly, Indians are skeptical of buying Bronzes, Copper or Mixed Alloy statues, especially of Hindu gods and goddesses, as they are considered sacred. Secondly, most of the ancient stone statues being offered are either partially damaged or broken while excavating. In such instances, owning a broken or damaged statue is considered very inauspicious by the owner. In other words strong religious and cultural beliefs are detrimental factors."

Indians are unable to buy items here. Since reportedly most of the statues or bronzes have been stolen from temples and illegally smuggled out of India before the 1972 Act became effective, art lovers here just cannot buy them even if they travel abroad to do so.

Dadha adds, "The Indian government could actually now afford to bring back priceless, historically significant items of Indian heritage like some other governments do but the political will is lacking."

(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market and auto shows and reviews films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; and India.)

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RAJ S. RANGARAJAN

Volume Soars at Christie’s Hong Kong Auctions

by Raj S. Rangarajan

NEW YORK—Fall sales of Asian contemporary art and Chinese 20th-century art in evening and day sales at Christie’s Hong Kong Nov. 27–30 brought in a total of HK$512.4 million ($65.9 million), up considerably from the HK$389.3 million ($50.2 million) total reported last fall. Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art brought in HK$56.7 million ($7.3 million) and Chinese modern paintings fetched HK$568 million ($73 million); Chinese classical paintings and calligraphy brought in HK$100.9 million ($13 million). In all, the fine-art sales totaled HK$1.13 billion ($146.5 million).
The evening sale of contemporary and 20th century Chinese art on Nov. 27 totaled HK$281.2 million ($36.2 million). It was 84 percent sold by lot, 78 percent by value. Among the records was a new auction high for a work by Sanyu (1901–66). His oil on masonite Potted Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardinière, 1950s, sold for HK$53.3 million ($6.9 million) on an unpublished estimate of HK$35 million/55 million. A record was also set for a work by Mao Xuhui (b. 1956), when his triptych ’92 Paternalism, 1992(3), was bought by a private European collector for HK$11.9 million ($1.5 million), twice the estimate of $HK3 million/5 million.

Eric Chang, Christie’s international director of Asian contemporary art and Chinese 20th-century art, reported “solid demand for both categories of art with seven records achieved for works by artists across a broad spectrum of Chinese artists.” In addition to the artist records for Sanyu and Mao, new records were also set for work by Chinese artists Yee Bon, Wang Guangyi, Zhan Wang, and Japanese artists Aya Takano and Tatsuo Miyajima. Chang added, “The market for Chinese 20th-century and contemporary art continues to be steady and healthy and Asian buying remains strong.”

Leading the Asian contemporary and Chinese 20th century day sale was A Man in Melancholy, 1990, an oil by Zeng Fanzhi (b. 1964), which sold for HK$10.3 million ($1.3 million), four times the estimate of HK$1.6 million/2.4 million).

Works by Zao Wou-Ki (Zhao Wuji, b. 1920) remain among the most sought-after by collectors, with all of his works in this sale fetching prices above their high estimates. The Meeting Hall, 1993, a painting by Liu Dahong (b. 1962), set a new record of HK$2.8 million ($359,649), more than ten times the HK$180,000/260,000 estimate. Landscape, 2004, by Liu Wei (b. 1965) sold for HK$3.98 million ($514,893) against an estimate of HK$650,000/750,000.

The auction of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art was 87 percent sold by lot, and 98 percent by value. The total was HK$56.7 million ($7.3 million). The top lot was Balinesische Legende (Balinese Legend), 1929, an oil on canvas by Walter Spies (1895–1942), which sold for HK$16.9 million ($2.17 million) against an unpublished estimate of HK$16 million. Another painting that brought a “significant market response” from both private collectors and institutions was Wounded Lion, an oil by Indonesian artist Raden Saleh (ca. 1807–80), which sold for HK$6.6 million ($852,624) on an estimate of HK$6 million/8 million and underscored the strong prices for historically important modern works.

Ruoh-Ling Keong, Christie’s head of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art, said the sale total of HK$56.7 million represented “almost a 70 percent increase over the same sale last year. With average prices roughly in line with those seen at the height of the market, the market for the finest works of art from Southeast Asia is indeed healthy and robust.”

In the contemporary section, Trombone, 2010, a painting by I. Nyoman Masriadi (b. 1973), fetched HK$2.7 million ($344,207) on an estimate of HK$800,000/1.4 million, and Membayang (Imagining), 2006, a two-part acrylic on canvas by Handiwirman Saputra, (b. 1975) sold to an Asian private buyer for HK$1.22 million ($157,869) against an estimate of HK$800,000/1.2 million.

Keong added, “The contemporary section saw global collectors responding in earnest to not only works from the established rock stars of the category, including I. Nyoman Masriadi and Handiwirman Saputra, but also those from newer artists.”

Christie’s auction of Chinese modern paintings was 96 percent sold by lot, and 97 percent by value, realizing a total of HK$568 million ($73 million). Works by Fu Baoshi, Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong and Qi Baishi were much sought after. The Song of the Pipa Player, 1945, a mounted and framed scroll by Fu (1904–65), sold for HK$70million ($9 million), a new auction record for the artist, on an estimate of HK$20 million/40 million. Temple at the Mountain Peak, a hanging scroll by Zhang (1899–1983), sold for HK$61.14 million ($7.9 million) against an estimate of HK$4 million/6 million.

Ben Kong, international specialist head of Chinese paintings at Christie’s Hong Kong, said the season’s “excellent results reflect a 92 percent increase from last year’s autumn sale, while the average lot value also increased by 42 percent compared to last year. Mainland Chinese buyers are a clear force driving this category, taking nine out of the top ten lots in our Chinese classical paintings sale.”

Sales of Chinese classical paintings and calligraphy totaled HK$100.9 million ($13 million). The top lot was Mynah, Poem in Running Script Calligraphy (a pair of album leaves mounted as a hanging scroll) by Bada Shanren (1626–1705), which sold for HK$11.3 million ($1.5 million) against an estimate of HK$1.2 million/1.5 million. A number of other artists, including Ni Yuanlu, Hua Yan and Lan Ying also brought strong prices that surpassed estimates.

Restored Tipu paintings fetch crores

Recalling history through restored paintings of a historic battle that fetched crores at a recent auction



Indian history books have recorded Tipu Sultan’s victorious battles in Southern India in the 18th century, and we now have documentation of those successes in the form of 24 “preparatory” paintings that were sold recently in London.

The paintings depicting the Battle of Pollilur, also known as Battle of Perambakam, that took place on 10th September 1780 near present-day Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, were bought by an anonymous telephone bidder for INR 55,981,934 (£769,250 or US$1,224,184).

Tipu Sultan commanded the Kingdom of Mysore against Col. William Baille of the British East India Company, which history records, surrendered and suffered a high number of casualties. In a subsequent battle, Colonel Arthur Wellesley and the British defeated Tipu Sultan at the Battle of Seringapatam (now Srirangapatam) on 4th May 1799.



The 24 paintings, which were done on rice paper shortly after the battle were originally part of two long scrolls, each 7 ft. by 30 ft. The story goes that following the Pollilur battle, Tipu Sultan commissioned a mural to commemorate his father, Hyder Ali’s victory that was installed in the Daria Daulat Palace, Seringapatam in 1784. It is believed, the preparatory paintings were the work of an Indian artist.

The scrolls with the preparatory paintings were chopped up into 24 paintings which have survived in remarkably good condition. The paintings illustrate Hyder and Tipu, splendidly attired on their elephants, supported by their army and the French mercenaries. The restoration was done using the preparatory paintings for referencing and is attributed to one of the commanding officers who attended the siege in 1799 — Wellesley, later 1st Duke of Wellington, known for his military prowess.



History buffs will be interested in the paintings’ provenance: it was reportedly acquired around 1802 by Captain John William Freese, a member of the Madras Artillery, who played an important role in the siege of Seringapatam in 1799. The same year he was appointed by General Stuart as Commissary of Stores at Seringapatam. By descent the paintings went to 6th Earl of Lanesborough (grandson of Captain Freese) and remained in the family for a further 100 years until they were sold as part of a group lot in the Swithland Hall Estate Sale in 1978.

(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market and auto shows and reviews films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; and India.)

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RAJ S. RANGARAJAN

Continued Vibrancy Seen at NY Fall Auction

RAJ S. RANGARAJAN

At the contemporary art sale in New York in mid-September, works by Indian artists held center stage at Christie's and Sotheby's with two artists creating auction records for their work. Bhupen Khakhar's Muslims Around a Mosque II, 2001(180 cm x 120 cm - oil on canvas depicting a mosque's environs) sold for $650,000 at more than twice the high estimate and Arpita Singh's Munna Apa's Garden, 1989 (158.1 cm x 173.4 cm - oil on canvas that shows the artist's milder side) was bought by an Indian collector for $506,500 at three times the high estimate. Singh (73) was born in West Bengal and studied art in New Delhi. She painted Bengali folk paintings in the '80s and took up oils in the '90s.

Auctioneers, collectors and galleries are upbeat about the vibrancy in the art market in spite of a sluggish recovery in other areas of the economy. With provenances for quality art items being recognized and appreciated, newer clients are seen investing in art. Lately, international institutions have gotten into the act of collection.

S. H. Raza and F. N. Souza were the $1 million-plus artists this Fall season with younger artists, Rashid Rana and T.V. Santhosh (both 1968-born) also creating a buzz among art lovers. Rana's Red Carpet III, 2007 (chromogenic print and Diasec mounted: 133 cm x 183 cm), in pixels of thousands of tiny digitized images, initially tends to crowd one's thoughts but soon, with concentration, one comprehends vividly what the artist is trying to convey. An American bought it for $182,500. Santhosh's Untitled oil, 2008 (122 cm x 183 cm.) that sold for $110,500, depicts in his customary red-and-green a common subject such as war with contemplative imagery.

In keeping with his signature installations dealing with everyday images such as stainless steel pans in households, Subodh Gupta's Two Cows that shows bronze, aluminium and chrome milk cans was bought by an European bidder for $542,500 against a high estimate of $350,000. Says the artist, "The bicycle is like a mechanized cow in the city.?in the country if I wanted milk, I would go to the cows to get it; in the city it is delivered to you by bicycle."

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(A New York based independent trend writer, Raj S. Rangarajan reports on the art market and auto shows and reviews films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; and India.)

Vibrancy Returns to Autumn Asian Art Auctions

by Raj S. Rangarajan

NEW YORK—The fall Asian art sales in New York, held Sept. 14–17, realized $98.4 million, with Christie’s contributing $70.75 million while Sotheby’s total was $27.65 million. Last year’s total was $77 million, of which Christie’s sales accounted for $57.3 million and Sotheby’s contributed $19.3 million (ANL, 9/22/09).

Christie’s Asian art categories were: South Asian Modern and contemporary art ($7.54 million), Indian and Southeast Asian art ($3.98 million); Japanese and Korean art including arts of the Meiji period ($3.68 million); Chinese ceramics and works of art ($34.11 million); the Sze Yuan Tang archaic bronzes from the Anthony Hardy collection ($20.75 million); and Chinese works including objects from the Arthur M. Sackler collections ($686,000).

Theow Tow, deputy chairman of Christie’s Americas and honorary chairman of Christie’s Asia said, “This season’s sales have shown the market for Asian art . . . remains extremely vibrant, with clients from Asia continuing to participate strongly just as American and European buyers were equally active.”

Seven-Figure Sums for Raza, Souza

At the South Asian modern and contemporary sale, works by contemporary Indian artists such as Subodh Gupta, T.V. Santhosh, Rashid Rana, Atul Dodiya, and Anju Dodiya did well.

La Terre, 1985, an acrylic by Syed Haider Raza (b. 1922), sold for $1.93 million, (estimate: $2 million/2.5 million), and an oil, Untitled (Large Head) by Francis Newton Souza (1924–2002), 1962, was bought by a U.S. collector for $1.43 million (estimate: $1.2 million/1.8 million). Two Cows by Gupta (b. 1964), 2005, an installation made of bronze and aluminum with chrome, was bought for $542,500 (estimate: $280,000/350,000), and an oil on canvas, Untitled (Durga) by Manjit Bawa (1941–2008), was bought by a U.S. trade buyer for $314,500 (estimate: $200,000/250,000).

Hugo Weihe, international director of Asian art and international specialist head, South Asian modern and contemporary art in New York, said that new clients entered the market “at a very high level, demonstrating confidence in a category that is well established. The sale saw lively bidding by international buyers in the room, on the telephone, and online, with strong participation from international institutions.”

In the Indian and Southeast Asian art category, a Roman silver Kantharos, Gandhara, ca. late 1st century b.c., was bought by an unidentified Asian institution for $434,500 (estimate: $150,000/250,000), and a gilt bronze figure of Vajrasattva, Mongolia, Zanabazar School, 18th century sold for $314,500 (estimate: $200,000/300,000). Sandhya Jain Patel, Indian and southeast Asian art specialist, said that “the auction attracted U.S. and Asian institutions, who were among the buyers of the top ten lots and represent a diversity of interests throughout the sale.”

In the Japanese and Korean art sales, a Joseon Dynasty, 1901, eight-panel screen, ink and color on silk—Royal Banquet for the Celebration of the 50th Birthday of the Emperor Gojong—was sold for $842,500 (estimate: $300,000/350,000).
Sotheby’s $27.65 million total included sales of Chinese ceramics and works of art ($15.17 million), South Asian art ($7.54 million) and Chinese snuff bottles from the Joe Grimberg collection ($4.93 million).

At Sotheby’s South Asian art sale, work by Indian artists Bhupen Khakhar (1934–2003) and Arpita Singh (b. 1937) set new records. Khakhar’s Muslims Around a Mosque II, 2001, sold for $650,500 (estimate: $150,000/250,000) and Singh’s oil Munna Apa’s Garden, 1989, was bought by an Indian bidder for $506,500 (estimate: $100,000/150,000). Also attaining a record price was a miniature opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper, an illustration to the Gita Govinda: Radha Proceeds to Her Tryst with Krishna, 1780, which fetched $290,500 (estimate: $150,000/250,000). Cinq Sens (Five Senses), 1958, by M.F. Husain (b. 1915), was bought by an Indian bidder for $782,500 exceeding the $500,000/700,000 estimate.

Citing the sale’s “exceptional results,” Zara Porter Hill, international head of Indian art at Sotheby’s, said, “Competitive international bidding resulted in more than half the lots sold achieving prices in excess of high estimates.”

My Name is Khan and “I am not a Terrorist.”

Ultimate Bollywood » Bollywood Features » 2010

The film My Name is Khan is particularly relevant this week on the occasion of the 9th anniversary of 9/11. It is particularly befitting with the recent release of the DVD of the film -- first Bollywood production to gross $4 million.

by Raj S. Rangarajan

How five months make a world of difference. When My Name is Khan was released early in Spring this year Bollywood-watchers were waiting with trepidation – if not suspense – whether this film which such an obvious title would make it big at the box office. Now, after 150 days the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer continues to raise eyebrows in terms of storyline and box office value.

The film from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is now available on DVD and on Amazon.com and is the top Bollywood film for 2010 with $4 million gross. According to Gitesh Pandya the film guru who monitors and reports on Bollywood films, My Name is Khan surpassed SRK’s earlier record of $3.6 million for Om Shanti Om, released in 2007. It is also director Karan Johar’s biggest film ever.

But, with the new controversy over the mosque to be built at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan hogging the headlines in some sections of the media with pro- and anti-Muslim adherents, its anybody’s guess as to how DVD sales will be affected.

SRK and Kajol deliver powerful performances in this romance that proves true love knows no boundaries. Shah Rukh Khan (Rizvan Khan), an Indian with a unique way of looking at his world and Kajol Devgan (Mandira Rathore), a vivacious single mother, are the main characters and their chemistry on the screen is well-known.

They form a special bond and fall in love against all odds, but fate and tragedy conspire to tear them apart. Just when it appears as though all hope is lost, Rizwan embarks on a remarkable journey across America to win back the love of his life.

Made with a sensitive touch, the movie carries a polarizing influence perhaps more because of the theme and title. The fact that Khan’s last name is Muslim is perhaps incidental but that’s not how some cinemagoers view the movie whether they live in downtown, New York or in downtown Murfreesboro, Tennessee where a mosque was recently vandalized.

The film is particularly relevant this week on the occasion of 9/11’s ninth anniversary. After September 11, 2001, more movies with a “terrorist” theme seem to sell better in the United States. Remember New York, the film, starring John Abraham and Katrina Kaif and Kurbaan 2009 with Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

After their mother’s passing in India, Rizvan’s younger brother, portrayed by Jimmy Shergill invites Rizvan to move to San Francisco. When Rizvan wants to marry Mandira who runs a successful hairdressing outfit, Jimmy’s character objects but never explains why. A major twist in the story occurs when Mandira’s son is beaten up in a playground by boys of Caucasian origin. Motives are attributed to the incident without adequate explanations even by the law enforcement authorities.

No investigation is conducted by anyone and soon the boy’s death is a closed chapter for the authorities. But, not for Mandira who has been personally affected. The racial profiling mindset in the movie is telling in that when Mandira declares, “if my son’s name was Rathore – not Khan – he would have been alive.”

People who experience overt discrimination in some degree or other can relate to this movie directly. Each parent and child in North America has his or her own defence mechanism to deal with such real-life situations and this movie drives close to home. One cannot judge whether the incident was racially-motivated or whether it was the effect of a smaller boy – a South Asian kid – taking on a bigger boy, who happened to be Caucasian.

While Rizvan Khan is constantly muttering that he is not a terrorist but wants to meet the American president it is never explained why he wishes to meet the leader. Is it because his mother had inculcated in him a desire to do so? Or is it because Mandira, in a fit of pique, challenges him to do so. Kajol sparkles as usual and SRK tends to overact.

The Director’'s and cameramen'’s subtle nuances are touching. Niranjan Iyengar'’s dialogue is pithy and cinematographer, Ravi K. Chandran has proven once again that he is a classy performer.

An uplifting story of understanding and tolerance, the movie is mostly shot in San Francisco and runs 185 minutes. The DVD is closed-captioned and carries subtitles in English, Spanish and French ideal for any weekend viewing.

[Raj S. Rangarajan is a New York based freelance writer. He covers trend stories on art, reviews books and films for media based in New York, Toronto, Republic of Korea and India.]