Black is the new PINK

The walls of many art galleries in the city have temporarily broken up with colour. The creative musings on display here are steeped in monochrome strokes. For instance,the Tilting Art Gallery at Ishanya Mall is hosting an exhibition by Mumbai-based Ajay De till November 6,an artist whose charcoal sketches have travelled to many Indian cities as well as to international art hubs in London,Tokyo,New York,Hong Kong and Singapore. Renaissance Art Gallery in Baner showed black and white paintings,pottery and ceramic works of 10 artists till October 18. Charcoal artist Hoshnar Kaikobad recently concluded an exhibition at Malaka Spice. “There is so much contrast,so much beauty in black and white. These works go well with any decor,” affirms Varsha Munot,curator at Renaissance.

Indeed,the city harbours a fond liking for all black and white exhibitions. De,a veteran,has showcased in Pune for more than 15 occasions,but the invites haven’t run dry yet. His present collection on display is titled Horse Power,and carries his signature charcoal impressions made with his fingers and palm- he doesn’t use pens or brushes. “Painting in black and white is not easy,but I took it up because I wanted to do something different,” reminisces De. “I was inspired by Japanese art and calligraphy,but I wanted to find my own way. When I started,charcoal was considered a secondary medium. But now I am busier than ever,and I get daily calls for my works.”

The rise of charcoal has consolidated the appeal of black and white imagery. “It is a very sensitive medium,” says Munot. She concurs that charcoal works have of late found a lot of demand from art buyers in the city. “It’s like black dresses making a fashion statement at parties. In the digital era with so many colour shades possible,a black and white work has a distinct retro attraction,” she says.

Munot put in close to four months’ work to make sure that the 46 paintings and pottery works at the Strokes in Black & White show didn’t conjure up monotony. The exhibition included ceramic wall plates painted by Mumbai-based abstract artist,Pratima Vaidya. She is biased towards colour when it comes to painting,but shifts to black and white with ceramic. “There is something minimal and pure about black and white. An artist can express so much with it,” says Vaidya. Four each of her pen and ink paintings and ceramic works were up at Renaissance. For the wall plates,she used silver coating to off-set the black. “I like the abstract side of things,” she says of her style. “I am like a poet who doesn’t stand there to explain his poem. The viewer should be forced to think and experience the work on his own.”