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Divine Victory of Neeraj Gupta Sculpture | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
Earlier this year, when the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ram Mandir was held in Ayodhya, Sanjeev Kishore Gautam, director general of Delhi's National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), mooted the idea of curating a healthy and presentable exhibition. A dynamic visual representation of the epic, the Ramayana.
His team excavated artistic masterpieces from the gallery's rich collection and collaborated with several institutions and private collectors. The result? The Ramayana Chitra Kavyam exhibition now houses some of the finest paintings, prints and textiles from across the country, including shadow puppets, sculptures and a massive collection of immersive art installations.
Curator Jyoti Tokas says the 100-plus exhibits displayed in an area of 4,000 square feet include sculpture from Nepal and an exquisite bronze statue of Lord Rama from Cambodia, selected works from Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, DAG and Memeraki Foundation. and the Crafts Museum.
NGMA director general Sanjeev Kumar Gautam says the Ramayana is a timeless text and the exhibition aims to advance India's cultural heritage by telling the story.
Ramayanam Chitra Kavyam | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
The range of artworks is diverse: it includes outdoor and indoor sculptures, traditional miniature art from the 1850s, immersive hologram art based on cutting-edge digital technology. Phad, Gond, Madhubani and Pattachitra paintings, kalamkari art, textiles, shadow and wooden puppets, theater chavu masks, prints of Raja Ravivarman's magnificent paintings – all these together provide strong visual depictions of the epic.
The eclectic collection aims to inspire dialogue, appreciation and reflection on the timeless theme of the Ramayana and Indian storytelling through art, says Sanjeev. Jyoti adds that creativity and talent of nationalist and traditional as well as modern and contemporary artists are on display to educate, inform and entertain visitors across age groups.
Sculptor Neeraj Gupta | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
Neeraj Gupta's six-foot-by-five-foot sculpture, titled Divine Victory, is made from a massive trunk of an aged rosewood and depicts the homecoming of Rama and Sita. What stands out in his artwork is the absence of facial features. The blurred lines between abstraction and figuration add a unique contemporary touch. Neeraj says that the statues are kept faceless for viewers to interpret them in different ways.
Another mirror-finished work in stainless steel by Vaibhor Sogani, called Divine Walk, creates the illusion of sparkling water with steps made in brass in the shape of slippers. It is an abstract interpretation of Rama's mystical walk over the sea towards Lanka.
An Exhibition on Ramayana Film Poetry | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
A painting by Upendra Maharathi showing Rama and Lakshmana standing by the sea attracts attention as do works by Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, K Venkatappa giving interpretations of the epic story. Chittoprasad's mesmerizing Ramayana sequences and Kalighat's pot show the whole story.
National Gallery of Modern Art, Jaipur House, India Gate in Hexagon; Until April 30; 10 AM to 6 PM (Closed on Mondays)
Divya Vijaya in Neeraj Gupta Shilpa Ramayana film poetry | Photo credit: Special Arrangements
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