NEW ART WORKS OF 90-YEAR-OLD VETERAN ARTIST ON SHOW IN BANGALORE

It’s a riot of colors. Captivating. Mesmerising. You catch your breath and go beyond the hues, tints and shades. The connotations of the subject make you breathless again. Such is the power of K.G. Subramanyan’s works.

One of India’s most senior artists, Padmavibushan K.G. Subramanyan is affectionately known as "Mani Sir" or "Mani da" by his students and fellow artists. He turned 90 on Feb 5th 2014.  And now, 90 of his most recent paintings are being showcased via the exhibition New Works of K. G. Subramanyam at the National Gallery of Modern Arts (NGMA)

What can you say about a man who paints every single day -- on paper, board, canvas, reverse acrylic sheets and on terracotta plates. It doesn’t stop there for a man who is adept at using his hands to breathe life into any material. He makes wooden toys; sculpts in a variety of mediums; persuades terracotta to do his
bidding and take the shape he wants.

He writes poetry; essays on art and culture and lectures on a variety of topics ranging from handicrafts to the state of neglected murals in public spaces to art education as a vital necessity for a fast growing young population hungry for knowledge across the arts.

Oh yes and he writes and illuminates stories and fables for young children! His artworks are renowned for wit, subversion, eroticism and critical social commentary.

Mani da was born in Kerala in 1924 and educated at the Presidency Collage, Madras and at Santiniketan in the 1940s.He has been part of the arts faculty at M. S. University, Baroda, and is Professor Emeritus at Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan.

The Seagull Foundation for the Arts, Kolkata  has curated a travelling exhibition of new

works to celebrate the life and times of this amazing personality.

This exhibition highlights the brilliance and originality of his recent paintings that depict numerous narratives articulated through gesture, like in theatre or a spectacle. The striking colors of these paintings that form intense emotions within the viewer often collides with his drawings, creating movement and solidity at the same time.

It’s a must-visit and do-not-miss occasion for art lovers.

New Works of K.G.SubramanyanVenue: At National Gallery of Modern ArtManikyavelu Mansion, 49, Palace RoadDates: From 30th November to 28th December 2014.