How the pandemic inspired artists to create art in a Covid world
Artists were asked to respond to the global health disaster with innovative ideas.
By ET Bureau |
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Pro Helvetia New Delhi's “Now On” open call got over 100 applications, of which eight were chosen for the grant.
The global pandemic has put a lot of things on hold, cultural activities included. There’s still a long way to go, despite the unlock, before audiences can enjoy arts like before. But Pro Helvetia New Delhi is trying to do something about it with their open call entitled “Now On”. In response to the global pandemic, they have asked artists to respond to the global health disaster with innovative ideas, thoughts and experiments.
Talking about the project, Akshay Pathak, Director at Pro Helvetia New Delhi says, “When the pandemic came, it put a stop to much artistic exchange and mobility. It was clear that artists and organisations would also be facing an enormous challenge. We are overwhelmed with the response we have received. It only goes out to show how this global pandemic has further inspired artists in the region to create and share their art with the world.”
Call for arts The open call got over 100 applications received, of which eight were chosen for the grant. They received about 130 unique entries from across South Asia—India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. And these artists are certainly thinking out of the box. “There was a good mix of emerging and established artists and organisations,’ adds Pathak.
Watch out for Emerging artists such as Dhruv Saxena and Praveen Sinha, whose project, Idee Fixe, proposed anticipating the future of crafts, and Tejas Pande, who is looking at how information circulates in WhatsApp groups. There are also established organisations such as Attakkalari, who proposed a hybrid online and offline platform for performing arts through their project “Spaarkk.”
Banksy, KAWS & More: 5 Things To Know About Collecting Street Art
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Street art is no longer spray painting on bus stops, street corners and walls. It’s making its way into your home, and if you’re a collector, it’s a genre to consider.
Works by pioneers such as Haring, Stik, Banksy and KAWS have gained popularity in recent years as we have seen an urban liberation of art media, pushing through the conventional parameters of paper, cardboard and canvas and on to pavement, sidewalks, subways and the bricks of buildings.
As the personification of movement, freedom and spontaneity, art inspired by graffiti has taken centre stage, both literally in scale and visibility and in its burgeoning popularity.
Street art is no longer spray painting on bus stops, street corners and walls. It’s making its way into your home, and if you’re a collector, it’s a genre to consider.Works by pioneers such as Haring..
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“Since the hip-hop crews of Philadelphia and New York turned graffiti into an elaborate language, encrypted in a range of unique styles, Street art has become an established art form. While its very public presence may scream manifesto, perhaps with subversive intent, Street art nonetheless promotes a sense of the uncompromising, a radical ethos that consistently attracts clusters of fervent supporters throughout the world,” says Noah Davis, Specialist, Post War and Contemporary Art at Christie’s Inc. They share their tips on what you need to know if you’re considering going street.
In pic: INVADER (b. 1969), Alias SP_43, 2011. Ceramic tiles on perspex. 28? x 14 in (71.5 x 35.6 cm). Estimate $40,000-60,000. Offered in Trespassing, 5-19 August 2020, Online
“Since the hip-hop crews of Philadelphia and New York turned graffiti into an elaborate language, encrypted in a range of unique styles, Street art has become an established art form. While its very ..
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Artists inspired by graffiti often revisit a theme or rely on a repeated technique in their work, creating a recognisable trademark that forms an essential part of their visual vocabulary. Haring developed his man figure; Jean-Michel Basquiat combined symbols and epigrams; and Banksy fashions irreverent, politically-charged subjects.
In pic: Left - KAWS (b. 1974), Untitled Ad Disruption (Prima/Paris), 1999. Acrylic on found advertising poster. 68 x 47¾ in (173.5 x 120.1 cm). Estimate: $100,000-150,000. Offered in Trespassing, 5-19 August 2020, Online
Right - KAWS (B. 1974), Untitled (Astro Boy), 2003. Hand-painted resin. 18½ x 12 x 4½ in (47 x 32 x 11.2 cm). Estimate: $150,000-200,000. Offered in Trespassing, 5-19 August 2020, Online
Artists inspired by graffiti often revisit a theme or rely on a repeated technique in their work, creating a recognisable trademark that forms an essential part of their visual vocabulary. Haring dev..
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Some street artworks are site-specific, such as Haring’s infamous ‘Crack Is Wack’, a 1986 public project still visible along the Harlem River Drive in New York City. As a way to represent the whole, a distinct element of the work may be replicated in a more portable form. Haring’s iconic figures and symbols repeat throughout his oeuvre, finding themselves not only on his murals and canvases but also on his screen prints. This is also true for artists such as Stik and Banksy.
In pic: Banksy (b. 1975), Girl with Balloon — Colour AP (Gold), 2004. Screenprint in black and gold. Sheet 695 x 495 mm. Sold for £395,250, 24 Sep 2019, Online
Some street artworks are site-specific, such as Haring’s infamous ‘Crack Is Wack’, a 1986 public project still visible along the Harlem River Drive in New York City. As a way to represent the whole, ..
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Street art can be easily duplicated. As stencils can be used and infinitely reused, the question of originality that plagues all art becomes particularly critical for this genre. Consult a specialist. For prints, it is extremely important that they match the catalogue raisonné for the artist or compare well to other examples from the edition.
In pic: HAROSHI X KARIMOKU (b. 1978), BE@RBRICK KARIMOKU HAROSHI 400%, 2019. Repurposed skate deck maple wood
Street art can be easily duplicated. As stencils can be used and infinitely reused, the question of originality that plagues all art becomes particularly critical for this genre. Consult a specialist..
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Street art is, by its very nature, exposed to the elements more than other kinds of art. Restoration may be possible — some artists, such as Stik, make a point of personally touching up their works in situ whenever they can — but some level of wear is to be expected. Collectors should keep in mind that, as with any kind of artwork, condition may impact the perceived value of a piece.
In pic:D*FACE (b. 1978), London — LA, 2014. Acrylic and printed paper collage on panel. 60 x 48 in (152.40 x 121.92 cm). Estimate: $12,000-18,000. Offered in Trespassing, 5-19 August 2020, Online
Street art is, by its very nature, exposed to the elements more than other kinds of art. Restoration may be possible — some artists, such as Stik, make a point of personally touching up their works i..
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Since Street Art is a relatively new movement in art history, it’s important to know what came before in order to understand where it’s going. Most are aware that graffiti — and more specifically, Wild Style — represented the nascent form of Street art in the 1970s, but Pop art also paved the way, incorporating many of the same topics for the first time, from mass consumerism to elements of pop culture.
In pic: Barry McGee (b. 1966), [Untitled], 2007. Double-sided — silkscreen on envelope. 10¾ x 6? in (27.3 x 16 cm). Estimate: $2,000-3,000. Offered in Trespassing, 5-19 August 2020, Online
Since Street Art is a relatively new movement in art history, it’s important to know what came before in order to understand where it’s going. Most are aware that graffiti — and more specifically, Wi..
