Printmakers from tricity showcase their works in Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi’s virtual exhibition

Gurnaaz Kaur

In these times of great distress, art can be cathartic. Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi (CLKA) knows the power of art and the relief it provides to its creator as well as admirer. As part of its initiative to keep people connected with the medium, CLKA started a virtual exhibition last year. In its fourth phase, the show is dedicated to printmaking.

A click on their website and we get to witness the works of 44 eminent and upcoming printmakers from tricity. Etching, lithography, serigraphy and wood-cut, these prints have an element of originality that is beyond photographic reproduction. With a promise that soon this exhibition will also be displayed at the underpass in Sector-17, Bheem Malhotra, Chairman, CLKA, says, “The pandemic has brought a lot of changes in our lives, but an artist will always be an artist. He converses through his talent and the dialogue is incomplete without his audience. Our motive is to keep the two parties engaged, even if online.”

Powerful tool

National awardee Mahesh Prajapati’s linocut print juxtaposes an image of a tiger and a man. It’s a depiction of our current reality. In his creative expression, Bhanu Srivastav, one of the youngest participants at 21, has given a glimpse into his brother’s life. It took Bhanu three months to make this print and he has faced his share of struggles in the process. “Printmaking is a practical subject. We need press and studio, but unfortunately none of these have been accessible.” On the positive side, he says, “But this time has made us feel things deeply. Be it ourselves or the surroundings, the understanding has evolved.”

Emotive note

Jaskanwal Jit has showcased her relationship with the City Beautiful in her artwork. She says, “In 60 years, whatever I have achieved is depicted through it. Grey is the colour of the city structure, blue is the open sky and orange is hope. This particular piece is one of the many that I created in the series Emotions in Motions, dedicated to Chandigarh and what I have become living here.”

Art In The Times of Covid 19 Part 4 depicts the works of other artists, including Ishwar Dayal, Nirmal Prakash, Rahul Dhiman, Nutan Dhiman, Manisha Bhatia, Abhishek Tiwari, Manupriya Gautam, JP Singh, Vinod Kumar, Dalvinder Singh, Ajay Sharma, Subhash Shorey, among others.