New Delhi, May 2023.
Ehsaas, Delhi presents artist Vinod
Sharma's solo online exhibition, 'The Mystical Mountains' depicting the ageless, mystical Himalayas
and their serenity which became the perfect home for Lord Shiva from Monday, May 15th to June 15th, 2023.
The show being curated by Manisha
Gawade and supported by Arthouse by AV, Dubai.
The Mystical
Mountains celebrates the simplistic use of colour aligning it with the
minimalistic zen philosophy – simple yet very powerful. Vinod Sharma's colour palette ranges
from black and white to natural shades and sometimes to even primary hues of
reds and blues. His technique is unique to him which he has developed and
perfected over four long decades.
Explaining his experience, Sharma remarks, ‘The legends
say that Shiva had wisely chosen the Himalayas as his home amidst the
snow-capped mountains away from the maddening world in the lap of nature, where
his mind controlled the world. This is my tribute to that level of
self-restraint and control over one’s senses which empowered Shiva to take over
the entire universe. Silent, yet powerful. Deep within yet holding the physical
world in His fist.’
Talking about the exhibition and the
artist, curator Manisha Gawade exclaimed,
‘Vinod Sharma’s understanding of the mountainous terrains is uncanny and
intense. The presence of the artist’s meditative state melts into the hearts
and minds of the onlooker.’
A journalist, internationally acclaimed
artist, curator and designer herself, Manisha Gawade has curated the exhibition and extends support
via her gallery Ehsaas that
she created along with her sister Dr.
Alka Raghuvanshi bringing breakthroughs in the Indian art landscape.
The show receives strong anchorage
from Ambika Vohra who
has carved out a niche for herself in the world of art by encouraging young
emerging talent from the Subcontinent, Europe and Middle East, giving them
windows of opportunity.
Vinod Sharma
Artist’s Profile: Vinod Sharma, a master of fine arts from Baroda was born in 1953. With
thirty-five solo exhibitions to his credit, the artist has been a part of some
of the best group exhibitions and art camps the world over. His works have been
widely celebrated in Japan, Egypt, Germany, Thailand, Switzerland, London, Hong
Kong and New Zealand to name a few.
The artist Is often invited to judge
prestigious art competitions at national and international levels by the
Government, art organisations as well as important schools and universities.
Some of his achievements include
organising art camps and seminars for the NCERT, Dissertation on 20th Century
Printmakers, Technique & Vision, he has designed Murals & Interiors at
Trade Fair Society, New Delhi. He served as Director of Aakar Art Gallery and
Chandigarh.
Some of his important collections
comprise of Collections are a part of the Modern art museum, New Delhi, Museum
of Art, Chandigarh, apart from innumerable private collections in India and
abroad.
Manisha Gawade
About the Curator: Manisha Gawade wears many creative hats as a journalist, internationally
acclaimed artist, Curator, and designer. Manisha Gawade has contributed widely
to the media from television and radio to the print media. She has been a part
of more than 132 painting exhibitions the world over and many of her paintings
form a part of serious museum collections as well as Palace collections in Oman
and Dubai, Europe and South America. She has been working with more than 200
weavers in the past few years and has curated several textile exhibitions for
them to give them a bigger platform.
The show is presented by Ehsaas: Ehsaas was started as an important initiative
in 2012 founded by two sisters, Dr. Alka Raghuvanshi and Manisha Gawade, who had
only one single aim, which was to bring all the combined arts - dance, music,
theatre, painting, sculptures and weaving together on one single platform.
Ehsaas has played an important role in the lives of artists and artisans ever
since and saved many struggling artists and weavers from the remotest of
villages of India giving them a bigger market and exposure in India and the
world over. It has been a huge victory for Ehsaas to make art wearable and
usable, with the first ever and largest wearable installation bringing together
the finest names in the country on one single stage through various
exhibitions.
Keepsakes, was another huge step under the same concept where
Manisha worked tirelessly for five years to showcase art on furniture which has
to date never been replicated or attempted anywhere else internationally in
bespoke furniture. Both the sisters who have been journalists, curators and
artists, have been widely written about and celebrated by the international
media for many decades through their constant and dedicated art journey
creating ripples for their pioneering work.