The Global Icon Ganesha in Fine Art

It is time again to usher in another dynamic exhibition of contemporary

art depicting the monumental global icon, Ganesha! It was in 2003 that
Gnani Arts launched this tremendously-successful series of exhibitions
showcasing

modern

and

contemporary

art

of

Ganesha

(followed

by

exhibitions in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010).

LEFT: Ganesha with Consorts Riddhi and Siddhi, painting by Raja Ravi Varma
RIGHT: Ganesha by Odile Moulin
Now, The Global Icon: Ganesha in Fine Art, will be the 6th in the series.
This significant sixth has been scheduled to be staged as a blockbuster at the
ION Art Gallery (Singapore) from 14 to 20 May 2014, with the High
Commissioner of India in Singapore (H.E. Mrs Vijay Thakur Singh) as the
Guest-of-Honour of its official opening preview on 14 May 2014; and with the
Singapore Art Gallery Guide as its Media Partner, the Indian Womens
Association Singapore as its Principle Supporter and the Singapore NRI Buzz
as

its

Media

Supporter.

The image of Ganesha surpasses all possible cultural boundaries across

nations and creative genres.
In the same spirit, every participating artist of this exhibition reexamines this indubitably-popular concept, to create artworks that do justice
to the distinctive physical and metaphysical versatility that it effortlessly
offers. The exhibition is indeed international as it will feature paintings of
Ganesha by senior and emerging artists from Singapore (of Chinese as well
as Indian origins), France, Sweden, Palestine, Taiwan, China, India and Sri
Lanka.
The participating artists are Sun I-Yu, Gnana Dickam, Joyotee Ray
Chaudhury, Rasha Eleyan, Dr S. Chanthiran, J. Kalidass, Gloria Keh, Ika
Forssell,

Odile

Moulin,

Sonali

Mohanty,

Shyama

Nadimpalli,

Kalpana

Yuvarraaj, Raja Segar, Sheikh Hifzul, and Richard Chen.

It is always intriguing to identify the many phases in the journey of a
specific icon or image, whereby it is constantly appropriated and transited,
from perspectives that are cultural, sociological, political and aesthetic in
nature. As a god, a deity within the realm of the sacred, it is logical in
accordance with regular temple worship that the image of Ganesha is
portrayed in the form of a consecrated sculptural icon in the sanctum of a
Hindu temple or in the form of a consecrated sculptural icon made of bronze.
In the realm of the profane, the second half of the 19th century saw a major
contextual shift in the cultural biography of Indian images in general.
Raja Ravi Varma is regarded as a significant artist who brought about
the birth of a new identity for images of Hindu gods within popular culture. It
is a fact that in many literary or pictorial interpretations of the history of
modern and contemporary art in India, Ravi Varma is referred to as an
instrumental figure who triggered a historic trend that led to the emergence
of modern art in India. For example, his depiction of the image of Ganesha in
his 19th century-painting entitled Ganesha with Consorts Riddhi and Siddhi,

does signify the beginning of an era of the re-contexualisation of the image

of Hindu divinity, moving away from the images sacred identity.
In this painting, Ganesha is depicted in a manner that is similar to that
of a human royal authority (in contrast to his traditional position as a sacred
icon in the sanctum of a temple). This is evident due to the portrayal of
specific attributes of typically Indian royal regalia such as the embellished
umbrella that acts as a shelter for the image of Ganesha and the flanking
helpers who play the role of manual fans.
The interesting feature about the interpretation in this painting is that
Ganesha is shown to be embracing Siddhi (the female personification of
success in Sanskrit) and Buddhi (also known as Riddhi; the female
personification of knowledge in Sanskrit), who are considered to be his
consorts. In popular representations, the image of Ganesha is portrayed as a
bachelor, a deity with no consorts.
Therefore, this particular interpretation by Raja Ravi Varma, in popular
context, is exceptional indeed. Furthermore, in this painting, Ganesha is
depicted in a moment of worldly situation and recreation, relishing a private
moment with his consorts. Technically, Ravi Varmas signature style of
interconnecting Indian mythological subject matter with what is described as
western academic realism is readily recognisable here.
Speaking of commoditization, the art market is undoubtedly the entity
under which the image of Ganesha has attained a dynamic commodity
identity. It is not the intention or scope of this exhibition to concretely place
the featured collection of art depicting Ganesha within the context of the
multi-dimensional genre of modern and contemporary Asian or Indian Art,
but instead, to present a delightful ocular experience of witnessing and
relishing the many captivating visual representations of the Ganesha image,
within its continuing cultural biography.

The area of modern and contemporary art has its distinctively peculiar
characteristic as an entity that entails the ever-mighty perspective of an
artist who is able to merge his/her own individual style, technique,
personal/social affiliations and visual approach with the identity of the image
of a popular divinity. Indeed, in this respect, the image of Ganesha has been
gloriously globetrotting! The cursive, undemanding and accommodative
structural personality of the very form of Ganesha so magnanimously
presents the artist with many a possibility in the ethereal zone of unending
creativity. The Ganesha collection of Gnani Arts The Global Icon: Ganesha in
Fine Art stands proof to this, splendidly.

Exhibition:
The Global Icon Ganesha in Fine Art
Dates:
14 20 May 2014
Opening:
14 May 2014, 7pm, Guest of Honor: H.E. Mrs Vijay Thakur Singh
High Commissioner of India in Singapore
Venue:
ION Art Gallery, 4th floor, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Hours:
11am 7pm. Free Admission.
Info:
gnaniarts.com, % 6735 3550, 9850 4006, gnani_arts@yahoo.com.sg

Hargai karya seni masyarakat India tempatan

Bernama|Kemas kini:Januari 31, 2013
(Diterbitkan pada: Januari 31, 2013 06:14 MYT)

KUALA LUMPUR: Timbalan Presiden MIC Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramiam

berharap masyarakat India dapat menyedari kepentingan sesebuah karya
seni kerana ia mencerminkan nilai budaya bangsa.
Beliau berkata ramai artis India tempatan bukan sahaja berbakat malah
terkenal di luar negara tetapi tidak dikenali di kalangan masyarakat negara
sendiri.
"Apabila bercakap soal seni, ia tidak hanya tertumpu kepada lakonan dan
nyanyian. Karya melalui tulisan dan lukisan juga dianggap sebagai cabang
seni yang mempunyai nilai tinggi," katanya pada majlis perasmian buku
'Beyond Colours' di Auditorium Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur di sini,
malam ini.
Beliau berharap masyarakat India lebih prihatin dan mengenali penggiat seni
tanah air kerana hasil kerja mereka sangat bermutu tinggi.
Buku Beyond Colours hasil nukilan pelukis India tempatan, Dr S. Chanthiran
itu mengandungi koleksi lukisan beliau yang memaparkan tradisi masyarakat
India.
Berkelulusan Diploma dari Varnam Art School di Chennai India, Dr S.
Chanthiran yang berkecimpung dalam bidang seni lukisan sejak 30 tahun

lalu turut menerima pelbagai anugerah termasuk pengiktirafan daripada

Universiti Camden di Amerika Syarikat atas penglibatannya dalam bidang itu.