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Time of India
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Show etches legacy of women printmakers across generations
After finishing their medical tests in Fort last Tuesday, Nagpur's Srinath Meisanwad and Nashik's Neeta Deshmukh found themselves with a few hours to kill in the city where they'd soon begin work. Skipping a planned visit to the Gateway of India, theypaid Rs 20 each to step into a building that offered a gateway into India. "Looking at these artworks feels so peaceful..." said Meisanwad, pausing before a wooden artwork at the NGMA which showed a girl resting amid trees, birds and butterflies. "So much better than looking at reels," he added, staring at the woodcut by Arti Kashyap titled 'Nature Can Repair Everything'. In its second edition, 'Nabha Sparsh: Indian Women Printmakers '—a sprawling, multi-generational showcase featuring 150 women artists—is drawing in wanderers and art lovers. On view until May 15, the month-long exhibition took root as an idea on Women's Day last year when Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, NGMA Delhi's director general, invited the noted artist Anupam Sud to be felicitated on the occasion. "That's when it struck me. Why not celebrate the entire legacy of women printmakers?" says Goutam, a printmaker himself. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai A centuries-old process that transfers images from block, metal plate or screen to paper or fabric, printmaking has evolved to include a range of techniques. From intaglio, where ink is forced into grooves or cavities in the surface of the 'matrix' to stencil, where ink or paint is pressed through a prepared screen or material with cutout elements, a variety of printmaking methods are on display. "Historically, printmaking was perceived as a labour-intensive practice. There was a belief that it was better suited to men," says Goutam, adding that during the East India Company's reign, printmakers were "explicitly recruited from among men". "But in truth, what printmaking really requires is patience and precision—qualities not limited by gender," he added. Few women ventured into the field and even fewer gained recognition. In the late 1960s, when renowned printmaker Jagmohan Chopra founded 'Group 8'—a collective that promoted awareness about printmaking at a time when metal was scarce—it featured seven male practitioners and only one woman: Anupam Sud. Decades before the advent of terms like 'me-time', Sud portrayed women burdened by repetitive social roles—mother, daughter, wife—longing to be their truest selves. Stripped of adornment—no clothes, colour, jewellery or even hair—her figures captured the timeless conflict of the time-starved everywoman. "It was only after pioneers like Sud and Zarina Hashmi emerged that women printmakers gained visibility," says Goutam. Curated by NGMA's Shruti Das, 'Nabha Sparsh' ('To touch the sky') draws from the gallery's collection to highlight the works of icons such as Rini Dhumal, Lalitha Lajmi, Naina Dalal, Jaya Appasamy, Kanchan Chander, Pratibha Dakoji, Shobha Ghare and Anita Das Chakraborty among others. The late Gogi Saroj Pal , known for her myth-infused etchings—'Nayika', 'Kamadhenu', 'Kinnari', 'Hath Yogini'—which explored femininity through hybrid forms, stands out as the nayika (heroine) of the showcase. Thirty two photos on the top floor capture Pal in various moods while a display of personal letters written in Hindi to her son, Marish aka Punnu, offers a rare glimpse into her life as a mother. One undated letter drips with timeless relevance: 'Love... I am designing a poster to be sent to Russia. It is against nuclear weapons for war... I want to see you as a grown-up man in a world without wars." A hidden heroine of the showcase is Mumbai. "There's a fascinating story of VP Madhav Rao, the Dewan of Travancore, encouraging Varma to send his paintings to Europe for printing," says Nidhi Choudhari, director of NGMA Mumbai. "Later, Varma set up his own press in Girgaum in Mumbai and it was his prints of gods and goddesses that made him a household name and democratised the divine," says Choudhari, adding that this "vital chapter of art history remains unknown to most." Also featuring works by Goutam's students including Priya Mishra, Priyanshu Chaurasia and Janvi Kemka, "a remarkable young artist who is deaf and mute and currently working in London", the show aims to promote young talent for whom the spotlight remains elusive. "Many young women from places like UP, Bhopal and beyond are entering the fie," says Goutam. "Unfortunately, the art world tends to focus on established names, making it harder for new voices to be heard."
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Goutam Ghose and son Ishaan win best cinematography at Asian Art Film award for ‘Parikrama'
1 2 3 Kolkata: Goutam Ghose and his son Ishaan jointly secured the Best Cinematography trophy for the film 'Parikrama' at the 1st Asian Art Film Award , hosted in Macau on April 23. Notably, this marks the first time a father-son cinematographer pairing from Kolkata earned an international accolade. After collecting the award, Ishaan shared with TOI that the pursuit of awards is not on their minds during filmmaking. He stated, "Serious filmmaking is a very long process. The most difficult thing in good cinematography is to capture emotions with authenticity. Good cinematography should be seamless and very immersive to get viewers inside the world of the characters. Our film won the award among some really wonderful films. So, I hope the jury saw something authentic and honest." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Goutam expressed his delight over the recognition and recalled his experience as a National Film Awards jury member in 1986. He recollected that it was the only occasion when the celebrated Subrata Mitra received a National Award. "My co-jury member, Jaya (Bachchan), suggested that the decision for cinematography be left to me since I am a cameraman. I suggested Subrata Mitra's name for the cinematography of 'New Delhi Times' though another jury member said that the film is quite dark. I remember pointing out that the darkness was created by lights! While shooting 'Parikrama', we tried to emulate that process in some interior shots of Chitranganda (Singh) or the early morning or night shoots of Marco (Leonardi)," Goutam said. Reflecting on collaborative cinematography, Goutam mentioned the work of VK Murthy and Govind Nihalini on Shyam Benegal's 'Bhumika'. He reminisced about Ishaan's early exposure to filmmaking, including his visit to the outdoor shooting of 'Antarjali Jatra' as an infant. Later, in 2008-09, Ishaan travelled to Kumbh Mela with a camera while on a break from music studies in America. "He returned with a few photos and declared that he would never return to America. I realised that he has an eye for the camera," Goutam said. Subsequently, he trained and worked with Goutam on various documentaries. The Italian segment of 'Parikrama' was filmed by Goutam before the outbreak of Covid, with Ishaan joining for the Indian segment. Their approach to cinematography involved distinct tonal planning for the Indian and continental parts. "Colourist Debojyoti Ghosh understood that. Accordingly, the colour saturation and colour combination, including the costumes of artists, were planned. Both Ishaan and I love a soft palette. That looks closer to celluloid shoots. It can be manipulated on digital," Goutam said. Shooting in India posed challenges due to the dynamic, run-and-shoot method required. "Ishaan used the gimbal camera to shoot a known actress like Chitrangada along with a multitude of pilgrims with no one facing the camera. We carefully chose the equipment with two cameras with different sensors being used for the shoot in India and Italy," Goutam explained. The father-son duo has different approaches while making films. "Whenever I work with him, the story and his vision come first. The goal is to always do things as simply as possible. But that simplicity takes a lot of work to realise how to subtract unnecessary things," Ishaan said. Gfx: Name of the film: Parikrama Director: Goutam Ghose Cast: Marco Leonardi, Chitrangada Singh, Cristina Donadio, and Aryan Badkul MSID:: 120647885 413 |
