An exhibition that explores motifs of urbanisation

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New Delhi, Dec. 21: Against a swirling background of ink and water colours, reposes Yayati — the mythical king who lost his youth on account of his infidelity.

He lounges back on the seven- headed Sheshanaga with each head of the snake showing various beauty products for men.

Juxtaposing elements of mythology and modernity, city- based artist Pallavi Singh seeks to mock the human fallacy of vanity in her painting,

‘ Yayati and Me’.“I have a fascination for the grooming culture, but from the perspective of a man,” Ms Singh said.

Yayati could only get his youth back if he exchanged it with his son. And so he does.

“The greed for youth is eternal,” Ms Singh, whose painting is one of the 236 works being showcased at the 90th Annual All India Art Exhibition here, said.

Organised by the All India Fine Arts and Craft Society, the show was inaugurated recently by MP Karan Singh here.

“Art is the only way to make life worth living. I wonder at people who do not appreciate art. Art is global. And artists are global citizens. Art, all works of art, knows no race, religion, gender or caste,” Ms Singh said.

The exhibition also

Juxtaposing elements of mythology and modernity, city- based artist Pallavi Singh seeks to mock the vanity in her painting, ‘ Yayati and Me’. More than 200 of her paintings are showcased in the art exhibition includes sculptures, drawings and graphics displayed across three galleries at the All Inda fine arts society.

From Ashish Kushwaha's dark and smog ridden ‘ Urban metaphor 5’; showing the pollution choked environments, to an even darker rendering of ‘ Insanity’ by city- based artist Amrita Singh, the motif of urbanisation is a common theme running through the works.

In the sculpture section is Jagabandhu Mondal’s ‘ Metamorphosis Wood’, another award- winning work. Cast in curves, the sculpture’s sinuousness hints at a serpentine form.

“A work of art calls you. Something about it makes you stop, step back and look at it. That is the impact a work of art must have. Not all pieces of art can be impactful. For the jury, it was the major deciding factor, Jagdish Chandra Dey,” one of the five jury members, said.

In the graphic section, Srinivas Pulagam's ‘ Hidden Memories- 3’ is an eyecatching work of a city, perhaps of the yore, with twisting lanes, winding steps and huts, strewn throughout.

It requires one to stand and look at the details such as thumb prints, an aqueduct, ancient ruins and trees, including human features that trace the edges of the lithograph.”

The exhibition will conclude on January 3.