Hope is a powerful thing. It can come in many different shapes and forms, but it always inspires us to do the impossible, and helps us carry on during difficult times.
This was our approach to Collectively Independent 2021, as the New Year approaches, bringing with it the promise of new opportunities and horizons. With new hope for spreading more positivity and love in the world, we artists had come together in unity and solidarity, to assist in this journey towards a brighter future. No matter the hardships, we wish to spread joy and contentment amongst everybody through our art.
Collectively Independent was an annual show by IKA, Inner Konnect Art. which was dedicated to exploring the delicate threads of affinity between creativity and its versatile approach towards the realistic world in diverse emotions. This exhibition was made up of constructive styles by different artists through a variety of mediums. By working in a range of disparate styles and genres, these artists remain deeply engaged with their shared experiences of movement, influences, modernity, and 21st century life.
Collectively Independent referred to the fact that the exhibition itself wasman exciting look at some of the genius talents flowing together. Art is a language which artists use to bring forward their beliefs, thoughts, and emotions to the society. “Collectively Independent” was the voice of the artists, distilling their thoughts to an audience, thereby bringing art into the lives of everyone. Collectively Independent was a show to incorporate different independent individual artists, with different ideas, styles of work, perspectives, and different viewpoints. It was a show to prove that by taking a collective yet independent approach, to work together in a progressive society and contribute to making it better for all.
Gaurav Chawla picked up the brush with more zeal after an attack of optic neuritis in the year 2009 left him with low vision and loss of colour in his right eye.He created abstract works by applying layers of paint placed delicately with a knife, leaving textures and allowing the older layers to resurface. The surface of the paintings was animated by horizontal or vertical lines, with the paint delicate and fluid in some areas, while being coarser and more solid in others.
Ruchi Chadha’s works were known for their fluidity and inspiration from nature itself. Having experimented with a variety of mediums including oils, water colours, poster paints, charcoal, pen and ink, and acrylics, she poured in her emotions into her work, to create paintings that evoke feelings of serenity, vibrance, and passion, much like nature itself. Inspired by mythical forces of nature, Bharti Verma created vivid semi-figurative and abstract works in oil paint, that transport her viewers into wondrous magical realms.
Working on the energies that exist in the universe and flow through all of us, she made a point to the viewer, highlighting the resilience of Earth and its power to regenerate in spite of the ravages of time. Abhinav Goyal hoped to establish the role of digital architecture in intuitive thinking, and meet the needs of sustainability for the future. He used art and science together by blending design methodologies and turns complicated things into simpler forms. Inspired by origami, he had created sculptures out of sheet metal. The components are laser cut, folded into shape, and joined back together, creating low poly sculptures in a range of abstract forms.
Siddharth Jhariya is primarily a water colourist, although he is fond of mediums like oil, graphite, charcoal, and Indian ink as well. His work captures the oft unseen facets of common people in their instinctive states, conveying their moods and expressions beautifully.
Soumick Nag is an abstract artist, and the non-linear strokes, thick colours, abrupt line-endings, interesting circles, words without meaning, and the imperfections and restlessness of the colours all characteristically describe his works. His paintings are made up of contradictions, geometry of thoughts, and limitless textures, creating something that is as unique as it is intense.
Sonali Chaudhari likes experimenting with texture and colour, with many of her paintings having themes revolving around women, depicting the strength and beauty of the feminine spirit. Sonia Sareen is a sculptor who works in a range of varied mediums, having learned from several acclaimed artists and craftsmen.
Her works draw inspiration from global spirituality and cultures across the globe, giving physical shape to all her swirling amorphous thoughts and emotions. And lastly, Vrinda Jharia is a brilliant young emerging artist, with a sharp perception of scale, colour, composition and a keen eye for detailing. With her own evolution throughout the pandemic, her art has also evolved to reflect all her learnings, and the patience that it has taught her.