National Gallery of Modern Art ~ Delhi

As I mentioned in earlier posts, one of the reasons I arrived in Delhi a few days early was to attend the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) – Delhi. Michele, gently insisted that I take transportation from her sources, and I was delighted that she had arranged a driver to take the additional Yoga Pilgrims, who also arrived early, and wanted to enjoy NGMA as well.

In the early afternoon, we assembled in the hotel lobby, where Amy and I met a few more of our Yoga Pilgrims. Having met these Yoginis for the first time, we felt an instant connection and sisterhood. The anticipation of meeting each other slowly dissolved, replaced by excitement filling the warm afternoon air. The comradery and conversation was like a runaway train. The expression on Mehrad’s face was one of joy, yet genuine concern, becoming aware that leading this group around India for the next three weeks was going to be like herding kittens.

We boarded an air-conditioned and immaculately clean van. The fervent conversations ceased when Mehrad announced, “I invite you to two minutes of silent mediation. Close your eyes. Feel the breath. Focus on your breathing and feel a sense of calm. On the inhale, breathe in Peace, Harmony, and Wellbeing, and breathe out, Peace, Harmony, Wellbeing.”

Those two minutes, to arrive in a place of calmness was the absolute best guidance Mehrad could have possibly given. Because when we finished, and he gave the “go ahead” to our driver, approaching the huge black gates, as they opened, and the van pulled out onto the chaotic streets of Delhi, I certainly needed and kept to the calmness within.

The streets were crowded, horns were honking, and the bustle was a jarring change from the past day within safety and serenity of the hotel grounds.

“DTC”

“WTF?”

We arrived at the gates of NGMA, as they opened armed guards inspected our van, and then allowed us to enter.

National Gallery of Modern Art

Everything is Inside | Subdodh Gupta at NGMA, New Delhi, 2014 | Artsome blog.artsome.co 768×942

We walked into the heavily guarded entrance, our purses were searched and ran through a security scanner, while we walked through a metal detector. This security process became commonplace for the duration of our journey.

Loving Indian art, I was in heaven as there were thousands of Hindu inspired pieces vividly depicting the deities with brilliantly colored imagery.

A exhibit that opened about a week prior, on Wednesday, 27th January 2016, titled Many facets of an Artist : Collections from the Bhupen Khakhar Estate, was now on view in the NGMA New Wing.

Bhupen Khakhar (also spelled Bhupen Khakkar, born Bombay 10 March 1934 – died Baroda 8 August 2003) Bhupen Khakhar was a leading artist in Indian contemporary art. He worked in Baroda, and gained international recognition for his work.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhupen_Khakhar

Bhupen Khakhar is remembered as an iconoclast and a maverick, a man who never did what was expected, and who was open about his views on everything – from social sectarianism to his own homosexuality, all of which are reflected in his works. Born in 1934, Khakhar began his career in art fairly late in life, at the age of 38. Then a practicing chartered accountant, he joined the M.S. University at Baroda to study art criticism in his late 1930s, and began his career as an artist creating collages from calendar art. He notes, “I was interested in the expressionistic style, which had no wit and humor. Now I am more involved in wit, painting people, and the environment around me.”

Khakhar received international acclaim as an artist much before he got recognition in India, when British artist Howard Hodgkin helped him organize a solo exhibition in the late 1970s. Among his inspirations, the painter counts British artist David Hockney. Like Hockney’s work, Khakhar’s own initial paintings revolved around the everyday, ‘insignificant man’ trapped in an unremarkable existence. Khakhar also worked with his contemporaries in Baroda like Gulammohammed Sheikh, to evolve a visual language that combined traditional Indian art elements with contemporary themes.

http://www.saffronart.com/artists/bhupen-khakhar

NGMA Virtual Exhibition:

http://www.ngmaindia.gov.in/virtual-gallery-bhupen-khakhar-estate.asp#

This exhibit is so amazing! Bhupen Khakhar’s artistic talents are displayed in a myriad of medium. Oil on canvas, water color, mixed media, sculpture, and even blown glass! His infinite artistic talents, speaks to me to continue to embrace and explore my limitless imagination and makes me feel that anything is possible.

In an earlier post, when asked the question “What did I like most about India?”, and my response being “The People”, here is another example. While viewing the exhibits, I noticed a woman and a child accompanied by an older woman. While I am not certain of their relation, I had the sense that that young lady was accompanied by her mother-in-law. Daughter and mother-in-laws project an energy that transcends culture.

They began to sing a song in Hindi. I thought “I know this song!” It was a hauntingly familiar melody, as I seemed to somehow know the meaning of the words. It was the Happy Birthday song, they were lovingly singing it to the child.

The NGMA is so colossal, we made it through many, yet not all of the exhibits.

As we were making our way to the exit, a tour of middle school boys, immaculately dressed in school uniforms, arrived and fell in a linear formation. The prepubescent energy, and high pitched goofy giggles of voices transforming from boyhood to young men, upsurged while we passed.

A few of the boys darted out to “greet” us, and met with direct reprimand by their militant chaperones. I got the sense they had weighed the consequence of being smacked on the head, and decided it was worth it.

While walking outside, some of the boys approached us with the giddiness of Taylor Swift fans, and said “Ha-lo.” I replied “Hello. How are you?” They responded “I am fine. How are you?” Their sense of pride to converse in their impeccable English was adorable. I thought “What a refreshingly different interaction than teenage boys here in Silicon Valley!” Some politely asked us to take pictures with them, which we graciously obliged.

Later that evening, we dined at one of the hotel restaurants, Sevilles, which has the most splendid ambiance. Hosting detached private dining areas glowing with candle light, and torch lit winding paths after crossing over a babbling brook on a small footbridge.