Art Deux

On November 28, the second edition of the India Art Festival (IAF) began at MMRDA Grounds, Mumbai, with a VIP preview. On a visibly grander scale than the inaugural edition — held last year at Nehru Centre, Worli — the festival comprises 175 booths. These host 40 galleries and close to 500 artists from around the world. A large open space housing a sculpture park — with some rather interesting sculptures by artists from various parts of the country — greets visitors at the entrance of the venue. A makeshift doorway towards one side of this sculpture park leads into the massive, covered structure that houses the booths.

Man and machine

A massive and somewhat intimidating 'skull' is the first thing that the visitors' eyes are likely to fall on as they enter the venue through the sculpture park. A product of Sukant Panigrahy's mind — an art director, often involved in Bollywood projects — this monstrous project is made of objects one would associate with computers and technology. There are keyboards, CDs, computer processors and more, all of which together attempt to send the message that too much e-waste is being generated.

Auto art

Another striking installation in the sculpture park is an old, remodelled 56 Fiat Millecento. In 1984, Yusuf Arakkal bought it from a friend in Bangalore. His first car soon became his prized possession. In 2004, he discarded the engine, gearbox and all other electricals and made a copper sculpture of it — which he then called Arto-mobile.

Aiming for unity

Triumvirate, by Chandrakanth Ganacharya, is made entirely of wooden rods and panels. Best viewed from a distance, the work comprises the faces of three revolutionary men, all of whom worked with the aim of bringing about change in the world, but had contrasting methods of doing so. On the left is Mahatma Gandhi, in the centre Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara and on the right is Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.

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