THE ART AND THE ARTIST

In our quest to understand how art is perceived and its evolution through the years, we spoke to a few sought-after names in the art and design industry to take cognizance of the art culture in our country, and also unearth essential ingredients that empower people through their creative prowess

- KASHISH KAUSHAL

Do you remember your first encounter with art? What makes Leonardo da Vinci's Monalisa or Van Gogh's Starry Night the most famous pieces of art that we know? Art has existed in human culture for thousands of years and has been implemented for a plethora of reasons such as expressing emotions, recording historical events and representing cultural values. Over time, society has enjoyed its various forms such as paintings, graphics, sculptures, architecture, theatre, dance, cinema, music and literature. But with the development of technology, the presentation and the way in which these elements are consumed were modified too. The inception of Modernism marked the onset of other mediums of art-photography, video art, mixed media, and more. Today, it has reached a point where art presents beauty in all its forms, and where nature and human relationships are its pillars of knowledge and inspiration.

INSIDE FOUR WALLS

The art world is often perceived as a mysterious place, or a distant universe. It has also been considered by many to be exclusive and elitist. While museums serve as a place of interactivity, discovery and discourse, the primary purpose of an art gallery is to nurture visual artists, promote their work, and expose them to the public and cultural stakeholders.

A recent example of such an establishment is the IF.BE (Ice Factory Ballard Estate) that has been reimagined as an organism that merges art, exhibition, events, performance, gathering, food and design. The team at Malik Architecture has sensitively both 'unmade' and 'remade' the Ice Factory as a multi-pronged response to the rapid erosion of public space and institutions. In a way, it is an act of resistance towards the lack of physical space for open, healthy, democratic discourse and a hope that other like-minded individuals embark on a similar journey.