Seher Shah’s Successful Year

Elisabetta Marabotto of Saffronart celebrates Seher Shah’s art through her recent exhibitions

London: Earlier this year the Huffington Post listed Seher Shah in their list of 10 International Artists to Watch in 2013. And their insightful acknowledgement proved true, given the shows that the artist has participated in this past year.

Seher Shah, Mammoth: Aerial Landscape Proposals, 2012

Seher Shah, Mammoth: Aerial Landscape Proposals, 2012. Image Credit: http://www.aaa-a.org/2013/09/09/observed-ratios%E2%80%A8-shoshana-dentz-caitlin-masely-seher-shah/

Recently Shah participated in a group exhibition at the James Gallery at the City University of New York. Curated by Katherine Carl, Observed Ratios opened in August and was on view till 19 October, 2013. The exhibition brings to fore the artists’ engagement with modernist forms, which they survey in their works, while contemplating their own histories, producing works that respond to their individual enquiries into the modernist landscape. The exhibition was accompanied with a extensive program which included talks and interactions. A conversation with the artists that throws light of their practice at large and their works for this particular exhibition can be seen here.

Earlier in the year she opened a solo show titled Constructed Landscapes at The Contemporary Austin in Texas. Curated by Rachel Adams, the works further investigate Shah’s preoccupation with modernist architecture and urban monuments, by exploring ideas of large-scale urban structures embedded in the landscape. This exhibition also includes a site specific sculptural work titled Object Repetition. The work consisted of identical geometric forms that are place together on the floor, lending the viewer a aerial view of the work which seems to reference architectural forms prevalent in Shah’s oevre.

Seher Shah, Detail of Object Repetition (Line to Distance), 2013

Seher Shah, Detail of Object Repetition (Line to Distance), 2013. Image Credit: http://pastelegram.org/reviews/191

For the first time, these new works are shown alongside her earlier drawings that reference the 1903 British coronation ceremony held in India, known as the Delhi Durbar. Here Shah combines archival imagery of the grand event with hand drawn and digital elements, to explore the multi spacial tangents of the ceremony. A work from this series titled Perversions of Empire: Cluster was part of Saffronart’s autumn auction of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art in September 2013.

Seher Shah, Perversion of Empire: Cluster, 2008

Seher Shah, Perversion of Empire: Cluster, 2008. Image Credit: http://www.saffronart.com/auctions/PostWork.aspx?l=9008

Seher’s works explore themes related to art and architecture through the use of drawing, prints, photographs and sculptural installations. The artist often explores the spacial relationships between different entities- human, monuments, landscapes; often times to highlight spaces of power and authority that navigate the relationships between these entities- sometimes inherent but often veiled and hidden. Given the artist’s consistent progression and commitment towards developing her artistic discourse, Shah is an artist to seek by genuine connoisseurs and followers of the Contemporary South Asian Art genre.

 

Seher Shah in Huffington Post’s “10 International Artists to Watch in 2013”

Manjari Sihare shares details of Seher Shah’s mention in Huffington Post’s List of Ten International Artists to Watch in 2013

Seher Shah_Radiant Lines-X Block

Seher Shah
Capitol Complex: X-Block
Collage on paper, 11 x 14 inches, 2012
Image courtesy of Nature Morte Berlin

New York: Contemporary art in Pakistan is finally receiving much deserved international recognition after bordering along the shadows of art from India. Last week, the Huffington Post listed Seher Shah in its take on international artists to watch out for in the coming year. New York based artist of Pakistani origin, Seher Shah has lived in different parts of the world  including Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and now the United States. Most recently, Seher’s has been in the news for her work in a current exhibition at the Rubin Museum of Art, Radical Terrain which celebrated the genre of modern Indian landscape painting juxtaposed with new work by younger contemporary artists. Watch the blog for more on this exhibit in the coming weeks.

Over the past 5 years, contemporary Pakistani artists have gained major international recognition. Among these are Rashid Rana who is well known for commanding high prices for his photomontages in global auctions. In November last year, the Deutsche Bank conferred Imran Qureshi with their “Artist of the Year” award. Similarly Shazia Sikander, a graduate of Lahore’s National College of the Arts, now based in the US,  has long been popular across the globe, receiving attention  and place in the collection of avid art collectors such as Bill Gates. In November, Saffronart held its inaugural auction of Pakistani Contemporary Art, which featured a total of seventy lots and represented an eclectic overview of the genre. Read more about some geniuses of Pakistani contemporary art in this article.

Exhibitions you can’t miss this August

The Saffronart team on events you shouldn’t be missing this month in Mumbai, Delhi, London and New York, beginning with…

Mumbai

Chitra Ganesh’s “Reclining Figure”, rendered on the walls of Lakeeren Gallery Source: Lakeeren Art Gallery

Chitra Ganesh’s “Reclining Figure”, rendered on the walls of Lakeeren Gallery as part of Drawing from the Present, a site-based project
Source: Lakeeren Art Gallery

Esther Brinkmann: “Renewable Pleasures: The India Chapter”
Where: Gallery Chemould, Fort, Mumbai
On View Till: August 23, 2014  

Esther Brinkmann is an acclaimed Swiss jewellery designer who has been living in India for the past four years. Inspired by her residency in the nation, this exhibition will feature unique, handmade neckpieces, brooches and rings that pay particular attention to techniques of engraving and enameling that developed in ancient India.

Lalu Prasad Shaw: “Solitary Spaces”
Where: Art Musings, Colaba, Mumbai
On View Until: August 31, 2014

Bengali artist and printmaker Lalu Prasad Shaw is notable for work influenced by the pre-independence Company School of art, Ajanta cave and traditional Kalighat Pat paintings. His talent lies in translating these influences along with scenes from his own life onto canvases. This solo exhibition at Art Musings features works that explore ways to create quiet and solitary meditations on paintings.

Chitra Ganesh: “Drawing from the Present”
Where: Lakeeren Art Gallery, Mumbai
On View Till:
September 30, 2014

Artist Chitra Ganesh has transformed the interiors of Lakeeren Gallery in Colaba with her illustrations and paintings, pulsating with stories. Known for her comic-inspired illustrations infused with mythological references, Ganesh’s works are layered with questions. In this exhibition, she continues to explore sci-fi, mythology and time travel. If you missed watching the artist at work, drop by Lakeeren to decode her paintings.

And if you’re hoping for a glimpse into her wide-ranging inspirations, here’s an interview by Art Radar.


Delhi

Gipin Varghese, “Lifetimes”, Watercolour on paper 81" x 16" (Each), 2013

Gipin Varghese, “Lifetimes”, Watercolour on paper
81″ x 16″ (Each), 2013 from the exhibition Lifetimes at Vadehra Art Gallery.
Source: Vadehra Art Gallery

Aditya Pande: “H&M”
Where: Nature Morte, Delhi
On View Till: September 6, 2014

Known for his signature style that involves the use of vector-based software to create lines, Delhi based artist Aditya Pande will be showcasing a solo exhibition that continues his style of exploring boundaries through vector lines and other mediums and subjects.  The title of the show, ‘H & M,’ an abbreviation for Harappa and Mohenjodaro, is indicative of Pande’s fascination with artifacts found at these sites.  The exhibition will be unique in its steering away from a white box gallery atmosphere, making the space more interactive.

Nayanaa Kanodia: “The Great Outdoors”
Where: Art Alive Gallery, Delhi
On View Till: August 20, 2014

Self-taught artist Nayanaa Kanodia has achieved international acclaim since her first solo exhibition in 1986. Her recent works, featuring in this show, draw inspiration from nature. She carefully examines man’s relationship with the natural outdoor environment depicting themes such as innocence and peacefulness.  Kanodia explains, “My paintings are varying angles of a single prism. At first glance, you see a humored portrayal of a quaint scene; upon further examination, an integrated, multi-layered expression reveals itself.”

Gipin Varghese: “Lifetimes”
Where: Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi
On View Till: September 6, 2014

Having successfully participated in several group shows, this is artist Gipin Varghese’s first solo exhibition that will present the work he has made over the last two years. Varghese re-examines contemporary issues, media, violence, and struggles faced in rural India. Through his socially conscious works he uses art to pay tribute to victims, and ordinary people who face struggles, by immortalising their stories. His works focus on figures, expressions and postures that we may otherwise shy away from, to also provoke viewers to consider social realities. Not only should this exhibition give you a new perspective to look at issues faced in India, but also gives you the chance to get acquainted with an emerging artist.


London

‘Stalwarts from the East’: A French lady pins a flower on the Sikh saviours of France, Paris, 1916. From the Toor Collection Source: https://www.soas.ac.uk/gallery/efw/

‘Stalwarts from the East’: A French lady pins a flower on the Sikh saviours of France, Paris, 1916. From the Toor Collection. Part of the exhibition Empire, Faith and War: The Sikhs and World War One
Source: https://www.soas.ac.uk/gallery/efw/

Kalpana Shah, Ravi Mandlik, Anwar, Brinda Miller, Nupur Kundu, Aisha Caan, JayShree Kapoor, Christina Pierce: “Indian Summer”
Where: Albemarle Gallery, London
On View Till: August 23, 2014  

This exhibition features prominent contemporary artists who have achieved acclaim in India and abroad. The exhibit is presented by Arts for India; a charity that supports the Delhi based International Institute of Fine Arts (IIFA), which is one of the few private sector providers of an art education in India. Attending this exhibition is likely to expose you to works by artists from India, as well as those who have been influenced by Indian art and culture. Simultaneously, you can also show your support for the development of art education in India, by attending this show.

Pradeep Puthoor: “The Art of Pradeep Puthoor”
Where: Everyman Cinema, Belsize Park
On View Till: September 2, 2014   

Pradeep Puthoor is a Kerala-based contemporary artist who is beginning to achieve world-wide acclaim for the fantastical worlds he creates in his works through his creative and illustrative skills. This exhibition of his paper works is organized by the Noble Sage Gallery, at the Everyman Cinema in Belsize Park. This is a show that is guaranteed to satisfy art enthusiasts and collectors.  Visiting this exhibit can easily be combined with watching a film at the Everyman Cinema, or paying a visit to the permanent collection at the Noble Sage Gallery, next door.

Empire, Faith and War: The Sikhs and World War One
Where:
 The Brunei Gallery, SOAS
On View Till: September 28, 2014

This exhibition features a carefully curated selection of unique and rare photographs, drawings, newspaper articles, comics, postcards, uniforms, gallantry medals, art works, as well as folk songs that commemorate the contribution of Sikh soldiers in the Great War. The exhibition, organized by the UK Punjab Heritage foundation, also features an album of X-Rays of injuries of wounded Indian soldiers lent by Her Majesty The Queen from the Royal Collection. This exhibition is definitely worth a visit, to gain a sense of Sikh history and culture, particularly with respect to colonial and war periods.


New York

Imran Hossain Piplu, “The Utopian Museum (1)”, 2011, Digital print on archival paper, 55 x 36 in. From the exhibition Readymade | Contemporary Art from Bangladesh

Imran Hossain Piplu, “The Utopian Museum (1)”, 2011, Digital print on archival paper, 55 x 36 in.
From the exhibition Readymade | Contemporary Art from Bangladesh
Source: http://www.aicongallery.com/exhibitions/2014-07-24_readymade-contemporary-art-from-bangladesh/

City as subject/matter: Belfast, Hong Kong, New Delhi, New York, Tel Aviv, Tirana and beyond
Where: New York (Click here for multiple venues)
On View Till: August 26, 2014

Curated by Marco Antonini in collaboration with Catalyst Arts, Hila Cohen-Schneiderman, Khoj International Artists’ Association, Eriola Pira and Magdalen Wong, this group exhibition features artists Seher Shah, Vibha Galhotra and Gigi Scaria among others. It is presented as a series of four consecutive exhibitions hosted by NURTUREart, Mixed Greens, Invisible Exports and Unions Docs. Multiplicity is an international survey of artworks sharing an interest in the politics and poetic potential of contemporary urban environments. The works address the myriad public and private rituals of the city, mining its institutional and vernacular histories while re-imagining its formal and functional aspects.

Readymade | Contemporary Art from Bangladesh
Where: Aicon Gallery, New York
On View Till: September 6, 2014

Aicon gallery presents the first ever extensive survey exhibition of contemporary Bangladeshi art held in New York. The exhibition features nine artists collectively exploring the complex and interlocking cultural, political, economic and environmental issues currently facing the often paradoxical and rapidly changing society and state of Bangladesh. The featured artists include Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed, Masum Chisty, Khaled Hasan, Imran Hossain Piplu, Promotesh Das Pulak, Dhali Al Mamoon, Yasmin Jahan Nupur, Mohammad Wahiduzzaman and Wakilur Rahman. The work in this exhibition unpacks these issues through the concept of the readymade, both in its art historical context, and as a term referring to Bangladesh’s massive and unwieldy ready-to-wear garment industry.