Handprints, a retrospective of artist Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, is currently underway in the city

One hears of scientists, musicians and different modern beings who’re oblivious to the enormity of their work — just because they’ve been busy creating for the pure pleasure of it.

One thing comparable might be mentioned of Gujarat-based artist Gulam Mohammed Sheikh. At 87, the artist who nonetheless paints, will not be solely recognized for his artwork, but in addition his works of prose. But, not many are conscious of his fascination for prints.

Handprints, the primary of a two-part retrospective options as many as 60 prints, chosen from works courting again to 1965 when Gulam was nonetheless a pupil, to the current day. “There’s a big physique of labor spanning seven many years and none of us knew about its entirety, since he’s primarily often known as an artist and artwork critic. I’ve been his pupil and have recognized him since 1977, however other than the occassional prints hanging in his home or seen at reveals, the majority of those haven’t been exhibited,” says artist Pushpamala N, who curated the present.

Pushpamala says an opportunity dialog about holding a present of Gulam’s work in Bengaluru, led to the revelation that he had by no means exhibited his prints in a solo present.

Printmaking is the method of making artworks by printing, not solely on paper, but in addition on cloth, wooden, metallic, and different surfaces. Some conventional printmaking methods are woodcut, linocut, etching, aquatint and lithography, whereas modern-day strategies embrace display screen and digital printing.

“Since prints are created in multiples utilizing completely different methods, there have been so lots of them that we needed to exhibit them in two components. Half one titled Handprints are these items executed utilizing the normal method,” she says.

In context

“I’ve contextualised his works for this present since he’s not solely a celebrated artist, but in addition a poet and author, an artwork historian and influential instructor; all these aspects come out in these works.”

Pushpamala says Gulam started writing and portray concurrently, discovering his personal language and magnificence, and creating it alongside the best way. “He started writing his memoirs within the late 60s, happening to publish it 40 years later,” she says, including literary and historic references seem in his work within the interim.

Talking Tree, silk display screen, from Handprints, a retrospective on Gulam Mohd Sheikh.
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association

As an example, his work The Riot, is a response to the violent communal riots in Baroda that occurred in 1968-69. “Gulam had at all times considered himself as a Nehruvian secularist in a world that was open and the place all the things was free. At that time, nonetheless, he all of the sudden realised he was ‘The Different’, particularly throughout these riots.”

But, Gulam’s depiction is not only a vignette from his life — additionally it is homage to a well-known Mughal folio titled Hamzanama. This sixteenth century work introduced out beneath Emperor Akbar will not be very well-known, however since Gulam was instructing artwork historical past, he got here throughout this work which intrigued him.

Pushpamala says she has proven his work in chronological order, connecting them to his personal historical past and to occasions that occurred on the time. “I additionally see it as pedagogy. Numerous college students come to the present and the works are a testomony to Gulam’s enthusiastic perspective. He loves working with completely different methods and media, experimenting with something new he hears about.”

Untitled woodcut from Handprints, a retrospective on Gulam Mohd Sheikh
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association

The wealth of woodcut, linocut, etching-aquatint, lithography and silkscreen works on show at Handprints are testomony to his prowess.

Throw again to the previous

Handprints additionally options hand written magazines, comedian strips and illustrations executed by Gulam as a schoolboy. “I consider younger artists of right this moment who convey out zines will relate to his work,” says Pushpamala.

By the point he was 15, Gulam was illustrating Pragati, his college’s literary journal, transferring on to Kshitij, an avant garde literary journal when he was artwork pupil. By then he had learnt the artwork of printmaking and editions in Kshitij, which carried his poetry and prose, benefitted from lino cuts and different illustrations contributed by him and fellow editors.

Feminine determine with Nonetheless Life, lithograph, from Handprints, a retrospective on Gulam Mohd Sheikh
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association

Gulam additionally established {a magazine} Vrishchik with Bhupen Khakhar whereas instructing artwork historical past in Baroda. The periodical which aimed to provoke debate, dialogue and dialogue among the many artwork neighborhood, had linocuts and lithographs as covers in addition to pull outs.

Pushpamala believes that is how Gulam’s artwork was disseminated in numerous methods into the literary and public spheres.

Up subsequent

Mindprints or the second a part of this retrospective which can go on show from August 17 is extra modern and vibrant. “The primary half is monochromatic due to the character of conventional printmaking methods,” says Pushpamala.

Pushpmala provides that Mindprints contains digital prints. “Gulam is likely one of the pioneers of this method in India. having begun engaged on it from the late 90s and 2000s. That’s when the expertise first got here in — folks had been suspicious of this mode then and rubbished his work on the time.”

Gulam’s fondness for pre-Renaissance artwork from the West, Persia, Turkey and China, come out in his modern work as do autobiographical references to his household and mates. His perspective on cities and fascination with maps have additionally been documented in Mindprints.

Pushpamala says Gulam’s depiction of cities will not be a sensible perspective, however somewhat a distorted imagery. “One can get glimpses of magic realism and miniatures in his maps, a few of which open up like books. In others, pictures of snakes and ladders enhance the borders or outlines of a metropolis”

“Generally, you’re looking right into a courtyard and one thing is going on throughout it. At occasions it isn’t a direct reference — Gulam is referencing completely different sorts of work and historic occasions.”

A forty five-minute video of Gulam in dialog with artist Vasudevan Akittham is operating on the exhibition.

Handprints, a retrospective of artist Gulam Mohammed Sheikh is on at Gallery Sumukha until Juy 27.

Ek Achambha Dekha re Bhai, etching-aquatint, from Handprints, a retrospective on Gulam Mohd Sheikh
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association