The realms of mystery and metaphor come together to blur the boundaries between contemporary craft, conceptual art and artisanal design by six artists from India and Italy at an ongoing exhibition in the city, titled Vita Nova – A New Life. Inspired by Italian poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri’s literature, the show explores transformations, connections and departures in present-day art and craft between the two countries.
The artists — Andrea Anastasio, Francesco Simeti, Marta Roberti, Puneet Kaushik, Raghava KK, and Shilo Shiv Suleman — are showcasing a range of handmade techniques such as woodcuts, block prints, embroidery, tapestry, metal forging, blue pottery, miniatures, bidri, ceramics, clay and cardboard making. Bangaluru-based multidisciplinary artist Raghava’s work traverses traditional forms of painting, installation and performances mixed with new media to express contemporary realities. He shares, “The art of craftsmanship is dying in India and I wanted to bring it back with the use of technology in this new world. My work brings together generations of craftsmanship and new technology, the materiality of different mediums and a new encounter.”
For Italian artist Roberti, metamorphosis is at the heart of her work. “S’io Mi Intuassi Come Tu Ti Inmii consists of a series of drawings made on Yunnan paper, which embroiderers in Kashmir translated into tapestries made with the chain stitch technique,” shares Roberti. Drawing is the medium she uses in her installations and animated videos to explore the relationship between the East and the West.
Shedding some light on the artistic similarities between the two countries, curator Myna Mukherjee says, “Both Italy and India have art practices that have long histories of craft traditions and some of the most contemporary and conceptual art. Vita Nova is an eclectic immersion into the conceptual craft futures.”
Davide Quadrio, who has co-curated the exhibition, adds, “This collaboration taught me to give up control, and opened up possibilities for non-egocentric practices.”
Catch It Live
What: Vita Nova – A New Life
Where: Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, 50-E, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri
On till: May 31
Timing: 10am to 5pm
Nearest Metro Station: Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus on Pink Line
Author tweets @AngelaPaljor
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Art-Culture News Click Here
