A doorway to thoughts

The show titled Family Album at Icon Art Gallery in the city gave freedom and space to each artist to ponder retrospectively. Nine artists have created installations that are extremely personal and accentuated with first hand memories/ reminiscences and emotional treasures. Each image is like a doorway to a string of seamless thoughts and feelings. And yet there is also a trace of ubiquitous and universal essence to them that makes them stand out with a marked strength.

Biswajit Roy and his photo realistic painting titled, ‘Holy Family on Steps’.

Four artists have chosen to reinstate their journeys, experiences and relationships in two dimensional formats. 

Biswajit Roy talks about his photo realistic painting titled, ‘Holy Family on Steps’, “My work is inspired by the famous painting by artist Nicolas Poussin; I have painted my family members caught in their usual stance of retreat, gossiping.” On the other hand, Arnab captures the ever so increasing reign of social media where relationships become virtual and fail to replace the warmth of close associations and real time spent together. 

The black and white sets of eclectic photographs are the base of the work by Ajit Mohanto. The monotony of the pictures juxtaposed in a regular pattern is broken beautifully by the white, metaphorical/silhouetted forms, which are placed in a random rhythm on the photographs.

Archana Rajguru with her work on Nepalese papers.

Another artist Archana Rajguru explains about her series of small works on Nepalese papers which are tied together and manifest portraits, objects, flowers, etc. 

“I consider my memories as my intimate family. When I remember something or feel nostalgic, a single experience is followed by a string of events. One image is followed by another, like the iridescent flowers in a garland,” Archana says.