Enameled perfection
10 Oct 2014 3:30 AM IST
From being a technique to ornament precious objects, armoury and most importantly, jewellery worn extensively by the Byzantines and also by Mughul and Hindu kings in the subcontinent, enamel art has today found its way into every sphere of life including decorative products. Enamelling can stay for centuries and is such an expressive medium that it can be used both on miniature form like jewellery and in three-dimensional objects like sculptures and art installations.
Two names to reckon with in the field of this hereditary craft in a contemporary avatar are Veenu Shah and Jyoti Singh. The duo presents their creations at the exhibition, showcasing fired enamels on copper and steel. The works will astound you, impress you as well as make you fall in love with the hands that created these art pieces.
Last year, the two artists exhibited their works individually: Jyoti Singh at Gallery Art Motif and Veenu Shah at Gallery Art Heritage at Triveni Kala Sangam. But this time the duo have decided to come together for an exhibition titled Between the Lines to offer a rich experience to art connoisseurs, mainly because both share the same creative zeal and a similar fascination for the process of firing that creates a piece of enamel art.
‘When fired, the silica based colours, melt and fuse on the base metal producing a beautiful array of designs. One piece can be worked upon and fired up to twelve times, sometimes more, and the beauty is that each time a different design emerges,’ says Shah, whose works are very contemporary.
Deeply influenced by the dynamics of modern life, Shah’s works also emanate a serene spirituality. ‘Turning a plain sheet of copper into a spoken statement in single, dual or multiple dimensions is an interesting process, and I am quite passionate about it,’ adds Shah. ‘Perfection is not my goal, mine is a search for harmony,’ remarks Shah.
‘Enamel art opened a world of colour and spontaneity before me. It is very different from the understated work I was doing in terracotta and is extremely interesting. Being a very physically demanding process it satisfies my creative zeal in every way,’ says Singh. In her works she has explored the boundaries between sculpture and painting, mainly with copper as a base.
‘Starting work on a piece of sculptural enamel, partially planned as a part of series of forms within a family of works where textual and graphic details overlap, and partially allowing the process and material to take its own life, is sheer bliss,’ says Singh.
Where: Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre New Delhi When: 25 October to 31 October, 11.00am -7.00pm?
Two names to reckon with in the field of this hereditary craft in a contemporary avatar are Veenu Shah and Jyoti Singh. The duo presents their creations at the exhibition, showcasing fired enamels on copper and steel. The works will astound you, impress you as well as make you fall in love with the hands that created these art pieces.
Last year, the two artists exhibited their works individually: Jyoti Singh at Gallery Art Motif and Veenu Shah at Gallery Art Heritage at Triveni Kala Sangam. But this time the duo have decided to come together for an exhibition titled Between the Lines to offer a rich experience to art connoisseurs, mainly because both share the same creative zeal and a similar fascination for the process of firing that creates a piece of enamel art.
‘When fired, the silica based colours, melt and fuse on the base metal producing a beautiful array of designs. One piece can be worked upon and fired up to twelve times, sometimes more, and the beauty is that each time a different design emerges,’ says Shah, whose works are very contemporary.
Deeply influenced by the dynamics of modern life, Shah’s works also emanate a serene spirituality. ‘Turning a plain sheet of copper into a spoken statement in single, dual or multiple dimensions is an interesting process, and I am quite passionate about it,’ adds Shah. ‘Perfection is not my goal, mine is a search for harmony,’ remarks Shah.
‘Enamel art opened a world of colour and spontaneity before me. It is very different from the understated work I was doing in terracotta and is extremely interesting. Being a very physically demanding process it satisfies my creative zeal in every way,’ says Singh. In her works she has explored the boundaries between sculpture and painting, mainly with copper as a base.
‘Starting work on a piece of sculptural enamel, partially planned as a part of series of forms within a family of works where textual and graphic details overlap, and partially allowing the process and material to take its own life, is sheer bliss,’ says Singh.
Where: Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre New Delhi When: 25 October to 31 October, 11.00am -7.00pm?
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