Tejshree Savara Picks Her Favourite Artworks At DCAW

ICYMI, the fifth edition of the Delhi Contemporary Art Week is here to celebrate the diversity in contemporary art around the country and the sub-continent.

Spread across two floors of the Center of Contemporary Arts building at Bikaner House in Delhi, the DCAW is an unmissable showcase of art in its various forms and mediums. Seven prominent galleries across the capital have come together to collaborate on this project that puts artists at the forefront. These seven galleries include Blueprint12, Exhibit 320, Gallery Espace, Latitude28, Nature Morte, Shrine Empire, and Vadehra Art Gallery.

It’s not just a way to platform contemporary artists, but also to make them accessible to art enthusiasts, including students and collectors.

Co-founder of The Art Appreciation Society, and art collector, Tejshree Savara thinks that’s exactly what makes the event special, “Events like DCAW not only make contemporary art more easily accessible under one roof, especially in a city where art institutions/ spaces are a bit spread out geographically, but also allow the audience to view works that vary in medium, material & aesthetics!” she says, adding, “What a great & intimate opportunity to be able to train the eye!”

Mansha Chhatwal’s ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ (Blueprint 12)

While Savara loved everything exhibited by Mansha Chatwal at Blueprin t12’s showcase, it was this artwork that topped the list. Chatwal, who is an ardent reader, focuses her current works on the subject of book burnings. Through her work, she explores themes of censorship, power, identity, memory, and loss through stories of books, writers, and libraries.

Aditi Anuj’s ‘Voyage into the expanse’ (Blueprint 12)

The artist is known for her stunning artwork constructed using the art of origami, as evidenced by this artwork. According to Anuj, it was while studying textiles at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad that she discovered the amazing world of paper folding which set her on a journey to explore art through origami. Through the practice of the craft, she uses to create mesmerising artworks of diverse types and sizes, in turn learning patience and perseverance.

Tayeba Begum Lipi ‘Me Leather Slippers’ (Shrine Empire)

The Bangladeshi artist creates sculptures of ordinary everyday objects, like shoes in this instance, using unsettling and unconventional materials like razor blades. The use of these provocative materials is a purposeful choice to bring light to the violence faced by women in Bangladesh.

Sudipta Das ‘Waiting’ (Latitude 28)

One of the common threads amongst the different artists and artworks showcased by Latitude 28 was the infusion of traditional styles with new media to present commentary on contemporary times. Artist Sudipta Das uses paper, in various forms, to create sculptures, reliefs, collages, and decoupage, claiming the transformation of the material to be the most exciting part of the process.

Sachin Sebastian George ‘Untitled from the Duality series’ (Vadehra Art Gallery)

This Bangalore-based artist explores the inner workings of urban existence through his works, just like the one showcased for DCAW. In his own words, an encounter with a pop-up book at a secondhand bookstore set him on a path to explore sculpture in forms he’d never thought he would before. A “storyteller practising visual arts”, George explores the geometry of images with his art.

Harish Ojha ‘The Tide of Inner Voice’ (Exhibit 320)

The artist uses his experiences of growing up in a rural agrarian family to inform his current works. The Lucknow-based artist uses abstract imagery through his work that is made using paper. According to him, using organic material like paper for his work make sit seem like life is being created from mute Earth.

Kumaresan Selvaraj ‘Representing attitudes through depth’ (Exhibit 320)

The artist attempts to take a deep dive into the essence of what makes us human: our memories. He dissects the nature of memories that sculpt our personalities and shape the way we see the world around us.

Aditya Pande ‘This is it and everything more’ (Nature Morte)

Artist Aditya Pande is an expert in manipulating computer-aided technology and traditional media to create artwork that presents a pleasing duality. His art is both childlike and nuanced and feels spontaneous, yet meticulously orchestrated.

Dilip Chobisa ‘Study 01’ (Gallery Espace)

The Baroda-based artist uses architectural relief sculptures to play with light and shadows. Through these techniques, he works towards challenging the limits of perception.

You can head over to Bikaner House and check out the thought-provoking displays, along with the others spread across the city, at the Delhi Contemporary Art Week from 1 September-7 September.