30 January - 3 February 2025 | Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur
Ojas Art, a gallery of repute, has an innovative approach to Indian art and presents new ideas in the contemporary art space with a pronounced mission of presenting projects that are well researched and socially inclined. Ojas has also been instrumental in programming visual arts at the Jaipur Literature Festival and initiating the Ojas Art Award. Over the last few years, some of the artists recognised are: Bhajju Shyam, Santosh Kumar Das, Lado Bai, Anwar Chitrakar, Rajesh Chaitya Vangad and Mayur & Tushar Vayeda and Durga Bai Vyam. Ojas is headed by Anubhav Nath.
At Jaipur Literature Festival 2023, two magnificent installations will be showcased by Ojas -- The world sits on my toenail. Vishvaroopa by Bhajju Shyam, Manjunath Kamath and Santosh Kumar Das. And a special artwork created for the Festival, Private Poem by Manjunath Kamath.
Conventionally, Vishvaroopa is considered as the supreme form of Lord Vishnu, who denotes the sustenance aspect of earth. In this form, the whole universe is described as contained within Him. The toes are said to be connected to our vital organs, the Earth sitting atop a toe nail means how our being is linked to its rhythms. The entire imagery becomes a celebration of the universal connection we share with our planet and highlights how the earth is just one part of the universe. This artwork is an exploration of these various perceptions about the universe and the three artists together have re-imagined the Vishvaroopa with nature as the central deity and expands the iconography of the universe, viscerally and cerebrally.
The artwork is the result of multiple conversations and two-week long engagement at Ojas Art, Delhi. It measures 8 feet (width) and 12 feet (height) and is made on wasli paper, mainly using inks.
In collaboration with Gallery Espace, New Delhi
During the lockdowns, Kamath went through a phase of introspection, which led him to dilute certain predispositions about his own work, prompting him to seek the elusive abstract formlessness-how it lays down the foundation for something new. He persevered through the acuteness of solitude and began responding to it by sculpting instinctual forms from terracotta, thus manifesting a private poem.
Bhajju Shyam is a well-known Gond artist, having exhibited his works all over the world. In 2015, Bhajju received the Master Artist Ojas Art Award and 2018, he was conferred with the Padma Shri, making him the first Gond artist to receive this honour.
Manjunath Kamath studied art at the Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts, Mysore and later the School of Art & Design at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, United Kingdom. He has had numerous shows in museums, galleries and fairs in India and internationally. His art draws from diverse cultural references -- sculptures, frescoes, calligraphy, carvings in temples and churches from various cultures and civilizations.
Santosh Kumar Das, a Bachelor of Fine Arts, decided to return to his native village in Madhubani, Bihar and continue working in his traditional style, using a basic nib and ink. Das' works are in multiple institutional collections including The Art Institute of Chicago, Oberlin Museum, Ethnic Art Foundation, USA. In 2016, he received the Ojas Art Award.
Wolf is a Jaipur-based art practice led by Ritu and Surya Singh who work with scrap, discarded and rediscovered material to create objects, spaces and ephemeral experiences. Generational craft practices find their way into many of their narrative-based works. Theirs is a process -oriented art experience wherein each time as the materials change, depending on what is found at the scrap dealers, there is a new exploration of techniques.
Phad is a narrative style of folk painting practiced in Rajasthan. Traditionally done on a long cloth or canvas, phads are used to narrate stories and are often accompanied by singing.The Education wing of the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum Trust, City Palace Jaipur worked with students from Jaipur and NCR to create phads on various subjects with an aim to make learning more fun and innovative. A total of 29 phads were created.
A window to restore the beauty of nature, Jharokha has been woven with salvaged plastic waste by the artisan Zehra.
Interactive Activity
To increase interaction & engagement with audiences at the Festival on sustainability, Sirohi will give a 'SURPRISE GIFT' to our audience who complete the following steps: -
To increase interaction & engagement with audiences at the Festival on sustainability, Sirohi will give a 'SURPRISE GIFT' to our audience who complete the following steps: -
Sirohi is a luxe-sustainable home and lifestyle brand that advocates a slow and simple lifestyle based on values of Indian craft heritage and culture. We make contemporary products that meet the design and functional needs of the global conscious buyer while reviving traditional Indian weaving practices.
Art Idea is a Jaipur-based Design Studio and Atelier of Mr. Sandeep and Mrs. Smita Gomay. The studio believes in giving Jaipur a new identity and recognition through art and showcases how widespread the field has become. Both the founders are Jaipur-based artists, Mr. Gomay specialises in fine art, sculptures, installations and Mrs. Gomay has mastered several forms of art and sculpture. At Jaipur Literature Festival 2023, Art Idea will be experimenting with neon art and will present six installations, including displays that showcase blue pottery design, Wish Houses, selfie booths, etc.