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Time of India
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Stillness meets fluidity at artist Trishla Jain's show
Memories of his recent scuba diving trip to Lakshadweep unexpectedly washed over Lower Parel-based illustrator Ashley Mendonca as he stood gazing at paintings on the walls of a second-floor Colaba art gallery on Thursday coral reefs to oceanic pearls, the fluid by artist evoked free-flowing images in the eyes of beholders on the opening evening of ' ' at , Mumbai, on May with Art Night Thursday, the exhibition drew a mix of totebag-toting art lovers and umbrella-carrying architecture students. Some leaned in to interpret the meditative dots of Jain's Tantra works, while others stood back to take in the geometric precision of her ."We've Tired of too many ads? go ad free now placed the two series on separate walls so they don't interfere with each other," explained Puneet Shah, founder and director of Akara Art, which had earlier showcased 'The Quiet Interlude' in Jain's hometown of Delhi. This is the gallery's second time hosting the San Francisco-based artist after a sold-out 2023 show. "Many, including myself, are drawn to the calmness and colours of the Tantra series," Shah noted. "You can see the cityscape here," said lawyer and gallery regular Soumya Shanker, pointing to domes and a sun in a watercolour-and-ink canvas titled Sundance. Stepping back, she admired One, a geometric piece that reminded several viewers of a silk chatai. "It's incredible that she painted something that looks like handwoven fabric," she Alliance Française de Bombay cultural assistant Sheryn Mulla admired how "ink and watercolours go together," while aspiring architect Vaibhav Jaitly was drawn to Air, a Yantra canvas embedded with gold."Some are organised, some are organised chaos," observed UK-based student Shashi Kapur, who is visiting Mumbai. She was particularly drawn to Constellations, a blue-hued canvas in a quiet corner. "Blue is my favourite colour," she said, adding that the works inspired her to meditate.'The Quiet Interlude' Akara Contemporary ColabaTill May 30 (Tues- Sat)
Mint
24-04-2025
- Science
- Mint
‘Beyond Face Value': What French banknotes tell us about history
At an ongoing exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, one can see a banknote for 500 Francs issued in 1994 in which the figure of scientist Marie Curie is right in the centre. Her husband and fellow scientist, Pierre, is shown standing just a little behind her. The two of them shared the Nobel Prize for physics in 1903, after which Marie went on to win her second Nobel for chemistry in 1911. Researcher-curator Rukmini Dahanukar finds it commendable that France honoured the Polish-born scientist, who later became a naturalised French citizen, with a banknote. 'The note acknowledges a woman scientist and puts her at the forefront like she deserves. Also, the choice of the colour depicts radioactivity," says Dahanukar, who has put together the show, Beyond Face Value: French Banknote Design from Around the World. The exhibition is a collaboration between the NGMA and Alliance Française de Bombay, and this particular banknote is one of the 25 being showcased from Dahanukar's private collection. 'French banknotes from across the globe are more than just monetary instruments—they are artistic masterpieces imbued with history, culture, and symbolism," states the gallery note. 'With their intricate designs, romanticism, and craftsmanship, these banknotes transcend their face value, offering a glimpse into a fascinating and often overlooked aspect of cultural heritage." Dahanukar's interest in this field of study came about while she was looking for a subject for her thesis while pursuing Masters in Communications from California State University. 'I wrote my thesis on the launch of the Euro, the loss of identity and the creation of a new transnational identity," she shares. This interest is not new. Nearly two decades ago, she started collecting banknotes and now has a collection of 4,000. 'There is so much to discover in these banknotes—from history to art, design, communication, propaganda, representation and more," she says. Also read: 'Signed, Lower Right': Devraj Dakoji's tryst with printmaking Dahanukar is currently writing a book on the subject. The current exhibition came together after a discussion with Laurent Vergain, director, Alliance Française de Bombay. 'For me, banknotes are not just tools of commerce; they are reflections of the times, values, and artistic expressions of a nation. This exhibition is an opportunity for all history and art enthusiasts to explore a slice of Francophone culture and expression before the emergence of the Euros," he says. The exhibition has travelled to Puducherry, Ahmedabad and Delhi before arriving in Mumbai, where large-size banknote replicas have been showcased next to their real size prints. Some real banknotes are on display as well. '20 years ago, when I had proposed my dissertation topic, one of my professors had remarked that banknotes are the most exchanged artwork in the world and hardly anyone talks about that," says Dahanukar. The exhibition is on till 24 April at the NGMA, Mumbai, from 10 am to 6 pm. Also read: Aamir Aziz, Anita Dube and the hypocrisy of political art
