Solo Show 'Spirit in Culture' by 'Juhikadevi Bhanjdeo'

Bestcollegeart.com  brings to you the coverage of the very well-viewed and highly appreciated show 'Spirit in Culture' presented by Glenfiddich & Bestcollegeart.com. 

The show was the first solo-exhibition by Juhikadevi Bhanjdeo, the winner of the the first 'Emerging Artist of the Year 2012 Award' held at Nature Morte, The Oberoi, Gurgaon on 5th April 2013.

 Juhika was the one lucky and very talented artist, who was awarded with a prize money of Rs 10 lacs last year and was sent on a 3 months residency to Scotland where she practiced her arts in a more elaborate way. All the works of Juhikadevi, which she accomplished in Scotland, as a part of her residency were displayed there.

Scroll through some of her works and the media coverage of the show. Cheers!

Juhikadevi with her artwork

Peter Nagy at the show

Mr Kapil Chopra at the show

Juhikadevi with her artwork

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Media and Press Release

 

Media and Press Release

An arty affair

(From left)The jury Kapil Chopra, Andy Fairgrieve, Swapan Seth, NitinBhayana, Peter Nagy, Rajiv Bhatia, JitenThukral, SumirTagra and Veer Munshi

What might world-class whisky and art have in common? Well, though making good whisky can be scientifically explained, it remains in the realm of art that's executed by skilled craftsmen. "So the qualities required for making good art and good whisky are not dissimilar!" said the kilt-clad Andy Fairgrieve of Glenfiddich, who was in India for a purpose.

Glenfiddich (the single malt Scotch whisky) has collaborated withbestcollegeart.com, an online Indian art gallery, to hunt down promising new Indian artists for its prestigious Artists in Residence Programme (AiR). The award called 'Emerging Artist of the Year' is in its second edition this year. AiR culls eight artists from across the globe each year, who are invited to Scotland for a three-month residency.

For this year's award, a top-notch nine-member jury including leading artists and collectors, besides Andy Fairgrieve, co-ordinator of the programme, picked 625 artists who feature in bestcollegeart.com.

From among them, the best five were shortlisted as finalists and feted at an evening dedicated to them. Sharing the stage were fresh new names — Chennai's Yuvan Bothisathuvar, Shivanand Shyagoti from Bangalore, Calcutta's Sumantra Mukherjee, Delhi-based visual artist Ankush Safaya and Gurgaon-based Poorvesh Patel. The event, dubbed as 'Five For The Future', was held at art gallery Nature Morte at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, where their works were displayed.

Kapil Chopra, president, The Oberoi Group with winner YuvanBothisathuvar

A bashful Bothisathuvar was declared the 'Emerging Artist of the Year' for his amazing work in paper/newsprint. Bothisathuvar has just earned himself an award which carries a total value of Rs 10 lakh including one lakh in cash, a residency in Scotland courtesy Glenfiddich, a monthly stipend, material allowances, travel, accommodation and – to top it all – a solo show at Nature Morte in 2014. Soon, Bothisathuvar will set off for Dufftown, home to the Glenfiddich distillery, and take inspiration from his surroundings and create his artwork.

Kapil Chopra, mentor, bestcollegeart.comand president, The Oberoi Group, said: "The award seeks out the next generation of artists and also nurtures and supports emerging talent." Chopra's bestcollegeart.com, by the way, is a veritable hotbed where young Indian contemporary artists reach out to collectors. Artworks are priced between Rs 60,000 and Rs 2.7 lakh.

The task of short-listing the five best artists from among the 625 (and a total of some 2,500 artworks) fell on a hotshot jury that spent months before arriving at the five final names. The jury comprised Chopra, Fairgrieve, Peter Nagy, director of Nature Morte, artists Veer Munshi, Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra, art collectors Rajshree Pathy, Swapan Seth, Nitin Bhayana and Rajiv Bhatia, director, William Grant & Sons, India sub-continent.

Last year's winner of the 'Emerging Artist of the Year' award, textile artist Juhikadevi Bhanjdeo, is still feeling the after-effects of her stint in Dufftown: "It proved life-changing for me," she gushed. She used the money to start her own studio in India.

By Samita Bhatia

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130414/jsp/graphiti/16782187.jsp

Artist Of The Month

My age is 80 years. I discovered my true calling of art very early in life. I completed my primary education from Hathras in U.P. a small town, where my father a railway station master settled after retirement in the year 1942. I had to curtail my desire to study further as  lack of a college coupled with financial constraints forced me to move to Delhi to eke out an honest living at a very young age.

I started my humble career designing sewing reel labels for a small printing press in Old Delhi. It was during this phase that I was appointed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on a short term basis to illustrate pottery and antiquities found in their various excavation of ancient sites. My art talent and vision found a permanent place with ASI and I spent many fruitful years drawing inspirations from travelogues with them. In my quest of learning  I received a Diploma in Art from the prestigious Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai in the year 1963.. During my stint with ASI, a veritable treasure trove of Indian art, I sought my inspirations from temple sculptures, caves such as the Khajuraho and Ajanta murals. I painted many ancient ruins to life during the day and my own art by night. Many of these found a pride of place at the National Museum, New Delhi and won me accolades and recognition galore. I retired as Chief Artist from ASI.

I have been pursuing my dreams ever since. My creativity is infused with the atmosphere of joy and life, and the belief I am capable of creating my own happiness. My body of work is polyphonic. I have explored a multitude of painting genres and have begun to explore the endless pathways that my creative mind is discovering.

Lalit Jain 
 

Biggest Art Award of the Year - Emerging Artist of the Year Award 2013

Bestcollegeart.com is very happy to announce the winner of the biggest art award of the year - ‘The Emerging Artist of the Year 2013 Award' presented by Glenfiddich. On 12^th April, 2013, Bestcollegeart.com brought to the forefront 5 amazing talents of India. The winner of the award is the talent from South India – YUVAN BOTHYSATHUVAR.

The competition was very tough between all the five finalists – Ankush Safaya, Poorvesh Patel, Sumantra Mukherjee, Yuvan Bothysathuvar and Shivanand Shyagoti, but our respected jury took a very wise, unbiased and experienced decision making Yuvan the winner. The jury comprised of Mr Kapil Chopra, Andy Fairgrieve, Peter Nagy, Rajshree Pathy, Art Collector, Rajiv Bhatia, Jiten Thukral & Sumir Tagra, Swapan Seth, Nitin Bhayana and Veer Munshi.

We got amazing reviews about the award announcement function at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, the show and the cocktail evening and some amazing media coverage. Many artworks got sold during the event along with the trailing follow-ups.

Yuvan has now got the exclusive chance of going to Scotland for a 3 months residency, all paid for by Glenfiddich. He is also awarded Rs 10 lacs and is entitled for a solo show in Nature Morte on his return.

Take a look at some exclusive pictures and media coverage from the show

Yuvan Bothysathuvar with Andy Fairgrieve

Mr Kapil Chopra with the jury members

Yuvan Bothysathuvar receiving the cheque and award

Jury members in contemplation

Artist Veer Munshi with Manu Dosaj

Veer Munshi, Swapan Seth and Kapil Chopra

Yuvan Bothysathuvar with Kapil Chopra

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Artist Of The Month

I work basically with Acrylic on Canvas, but sometimes I use variety of mediums like oil, charcoal, dry pastels, water colour etc. I opt for a large canvas where my work concept is spread-out suitably.

The fixation with all that glitters and the blinkered pursuit of all that the neighbour has, has set the fulcrum of modern existence on blingy show-ism. This has revolutionised the very culture of consumption, leading very often, to a murky bleakness; an inevitable fallout of selfish, inflated egos and life-patterns. Existences have gone from communal to intensely solitary. My figures symbolise this acute sense of loneliness, lost in a maze of self-inflicted consumerism. 

My Figures – as they appear in paintings or in sculptures – are, all, without an exception, depicted in a manner that is eerily grotesque and yet identifiably human. Slits for eyes, bulbous noses, thick-set lips and jaws, a baldness that places the pointedness of the ears in sharp focus and a neck – or the very pronounced lack of it – attaching the large rotund face to a flabby, disproportionate body, highlight my disturbance with the overt emphasis on the usual trappings of post-modern habitation. The colours I use are all solid enough to carefully avoid any merging with the textured backgrounds I creates. This solidity enhances the boldness of my figures endowing them with the intended quality of both awe and repulsion.

‘Bestcollegeart.com’ is the best online portal for young upcoming artist; they provide a big and reliable platform to upcoming artist. I also got an opportunity to exhibit my works in their 1st show name as ‘Present is Now’ 2010 curated by Peter Nagy. That was my big experience as a professional young artist, which I will never forget. Thanks to BCA.com and team.

Mrinal Dey

Santiniketan 

Artist Of The Month

I am Sumantra Mukherjee, A Bachelor of Visual Arts from The Government College of Art & Craft,Calcutta. I have been associated with www.betcollegeart.com since last few years and have gained immensely from the organization. BCA has given me a much wider platform to display my works and open up to greater viewer ship and sales. This platform brings together artists from all over the country and in doing so opens up avenues for them on a greater level. Apart from my inclusion in the bestcollegeart.com website, I had been a part of their show “Present is Now” curated by Mr. Peter Nagy in 2010 at The Trident, Gurgaon and has also a part of the prestigious Audi Art Book in 2012. Best College Art has given me the opportunity to continue working undeterred. The support and encouragement is truly cherished and highly valued.

Best Wishes
Sumantra Mukherjee