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Chandigarh Has a bright future in art February 16, 2015

Publication: Hindustan Times

By Ayushi Goel and Varu
The centuries long coexistence of multiple ethnic groups has helped create a genre of its own and enriched the art-scape with a unique fusion of ideas and existential realities. This sensitivity to diversity that is intrinsic to our cultural realities in some way makes India a perfect venue for an engagement such as the 4th International Art Conclave.

HT spoke to few artists at the the third of the ongoing International Art Conclave organsied by the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi at Government Museum Art Gallery, Sector 10, about the various emerging discourses in their work.

Peter Fink
Artist Peter Fink, famous for The Pink Sqaure in Italy, does not bother to put up his works in galleries, for he prefers entering the public spaces and touching the lives in a more significant way. Born in London, artist Peter Fink grew up in Czechoslovakia. Initially, a student of engineering, he shifted to studying sculpture from St Martin’s followed by philosophy from the University college of London, with a deep interest in architecture.
In his presentation at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, he spoke about but he got his first break with his opening of Art2Architecture, where he focused on collaborative works between artists and architectures, and completed projects like the Car-free London. Later he founded Studio Fink to focus on large scale projects like Irwell River Park master plan, the Gateway in Liverpool, Light walls in Birmingham, Light Rooms in Wales, and many more. He focuses on both environment and social sustainability and also on technological implications for recycling and developing urban agriculture.
“Money is never a problem. Ideas are the real problem. Artists use money as a material. If you start thinking about money, you’ll never do anything,” he shared. The artist also feels that Chandigarh has a bright future, and has taught him the multiplicity of usage from semi-commercial to artistic. “Stop living on paper and start saying what you want and no one will stop you,” Fink added.

Ali Najjar
Currently based in Sweden, Ali Najjar was born in Iraq and studied painting in Baghdad. His work at the ongoing Art Conclave was an extension of his sensitive thoughts.
His fascination with water, as depicted in his art work, dates back to an almost-fatal drowning experience in the river water at the age of 9 years. Ali who came all the way from Sweden in his fragile health with just one kidney working and that too just thirty percent, shared, “Art can heal not only oneself but the world.”

Gerd- Alois Zwing
“I don’t like to speak much about my photos because I talk through the language of my art,” said German artist Gerd-Alois Zwing whose musical presentation was appreciated by all on the third day of the Art Conclave.
He also showcased his recent paintings which included different types of patterns which were made using bright colourful dots. Interestingly, the reason he cited for using various bright colours was vibrant culture of India that left him inspired. He is fascinated with the various oscillations and vibrations of things on the Earth. “Once I was sitting at a sea side in Spain and it was midday with the sun overhead. There was so much stillness and silence and peace. It was so overwhelming that it made me an artist.”Gerd believes that nothing is static and all is flowing, vibrating and oscillating. “I love wilderness. I like to go to places with minimum human trace as they are closest to nature. Such kind of beauty cannot be explained.”

Contact

Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi

Rani laxmi Bai Bhawan 2nd floor opposite
Gurudwara sahib sector 38-c Near fire station

City Chandigarh

Chandigarh-160014
India

Phone: 0172-2686422

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