12 December 2023/

VISUAL FABLES BY ART – IS

An Exhibition of paintings by renowned artists Asma Menon Jamal, Gita Hudson, Jacob Jebaraj, Kavitha Prasad, Shailesh BO and Thejmaye Menon, titled ‘Visual Fables by Art – is’ will be opened at the Art Houz, Palace Road, Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore on 15 December 2023 @ 4.00 PM .The exhibition will be on show from 10 AM to 6 PM till 23 December 2023.

“Six Artists namely Asma Menon Jamal, Gita Hudson, Jacob Jebaraj, Thejomaye Menon, Kavitha Prasad, Shailesh. BO have been in mainstream art for several decades. Our works have been exhibited both in India and overseas. As a group, we met several times at painting and sculpture camps, this brought about a synergy, diverse for sure, and yet binding. This bond of agreeing to agree and also accepting agreeing to dis-agree, fructified into discussions late into the night. Visual Fables came from these myriad round table talks,” says the organisers of the Show.

“Originally from Chennai, Asma Menon Jamal is known nationally and internationally for her painting and printmaking. Her works have been the subject of over 10 solo and 40 group shows, for over 25 years her works have revealed and highlighted both the ancestral and contemporary Indian character, linking, in a unique artistic expression, myth to everyday life. Her artistic creativity also includes working with children, corporate training and participating in Indian and international art, printmaking camps,” says the Curator of the show.

“In the present series I have delved into my roots and explored the dance forms of rural Kerala. Having had a stint with classical dance I have always been fascinated with the elaborate and expressive art forms of Theyyam, Kathakali and the characters played by the performers,” explains renowned professional artist and an art educator Thejmaye Menon who specialises in abstract and figurative paintings of all mediums and with sculptures & installations.

“As a Keralite she derives inspiration from her roots, the state of Kerala with its rich cultural heritage, the verdant landscape and the performing arts . While she delves deep into the cultural rural performances and the movements of Theyyam dancers organic and replete with symbolism, she also deals with the relationships of humans and their emotion, using subtle metaphors to bring out her thoughts and ideas,” added the curator.

Renowned artist Kavitha Prasad has presented her work in many solo and group exhibitions within India and abroad over the last two decades. She has also been involved in teaching and conducting workshops in art and architecture. Her watercolour, acrylic and mixed media works are in the collections of the Corporate Office of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Residency Hotel in Chennai, the ICF Museum in Chennai, Goethe Institute, Chennai and private collections in India, Taiwan, Singapore, Germany, UK, USA, Korea and the U.A.E.

Renowned Artist Shailesh studied BFA in painting and has won many awards including Association of British Scholars Travel Grant visited U.K and S.L.B.A. Award @ LYON- FRANCE. He has participated in many shows and solo installations.

“The village deities of Southern India are the numerous spirits and other beings respected as part of the folk tradition in villages throughout south India. They are found in almost all villages in Tamil, Kannada and Telugu-speaking areas. These deities, mainly goddesses, are intimately associated with the well-being of the village,” says the renowned artist Shailesh.

“In my work there is a narrative frame for yogic figures, which are in quest of purity and essence. It is a study of the human condition how the same deities change according to his location – a moveable feast,” he added.

“Jacob’s abstractions are distinct, signifying a practice in which he never deploys the brush as a tool rather the fine and thick lines and curricula strokes are ingeniously manipulated with his squeegee used for serigraphy. Though his abstractions may appear uniform or similar there are subtleties that set grades of differentiation between his works. Therefore, privileging technique and tools, he freely evolves evocative shapes and images which combined with colours and textures invite a closer scrutiny. And in the course of holding a visual dialogue with his works those fragments of lived reality emerges and the viewer is able to make connections. Jacob in his creative forays has not limited himself to creating prints or paintings, but has also made Installations, sculptures and upcycling architecture,” organisers explain on the style and distinct portrayal of renowned contemporary artist R. Jacob Jebaraj.

Known for her abstracts and paintings inspired by Indian murals, Gita Hudson has been highly influenced by temple art and culture, her Paintings are semi-abstract and inspired by the rich tradition of Indian murals.

Gita Hudson has conducted more than 20 Solo exhibitions and 50 group exhibitions. She has been part of many art seminars and art camps in India and abroad. She has participated in many shows including in London, South Africa, South Korea and at the Gandhi Memorial Centre in Washington DC.

Gita Hudson believes filmmaking as an extension of fine arts and documented many famed contemporary Indian artists including eminent artists Prafulla Mohanti, Yusuf Arakkal, Achuthan Kudallur, C.Douglas and some of the senior painters who defined the Madras Art movement.