Bindu Accompanied by Hindi Verses Acquires Deeper Meanings of Life in Series ‘Shabd-bindu’

THE HINDU
By Anusha Parthasarathy

INDIA---In a recent interview, S.H. Raza says that he metaphorically never left India. And that his work has always encompassed his roots, delved within it and found meanings and answers. ‘Shabd-bindu’, which exhibits recent works by S.H. Raza and poetry by Ashok Vajpeyi is full of such artistic journeys. S.H. Raza, a legendary artist who has been living and painting in Paris for 60 years returned to Delhi recently. A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, Fellowship of Lalit Kala Akademi, Kalidas Samman and other awards, he excels in bringing together Hindi verses and his world of colours. [link]

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Art Show of Hindu Homosexuality Comes Under Attack by Religious Extremists

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

Art show on homosexuality comes under attack by moral police

INDIA---India's Supreme Court reinstated a "colonial-era law banning gay sex," made back in 1861, and Gay artist Balbir Krishan's art exhibition was cancelled after organisers received threats from the moral police. You might say the Religious extremists in India were busy this week. While the national government has pledged to take action, few are hopeful for their action. Krishan's art show was cancelled after a group of people, claiming to belong to a political party, threatened the organisers and demanded them to call off the event. The group termed the paintings, which are themed around nudity and homosexuality, 'against Indian culture'.

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Thangka Art for Buddhist Helps Focus ‘Mindfulness’ Meditation

TIMES OF INDIA

INDIA---Sapan More brings a unique repository of works of art from a variety of cultures — Indian, Nepali, Tibetan, Chinese and Central Asia. While some of the works are collected, others are commissioned from artists who work in Tibet. Titled "Tresors de L'Orient," the show will be up for display in mid December at the Artisans Art Gallery in Kala Ghoda. The Thangka painting is a uniquely Himalayan Art, which attained classical levels in Tibet between the 7th and 14th centuries. "Tresors de L'Orient" by Sapan More can be viewed at Artisans Art Gallery, 52-56, Dr V B Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda on December 10 and 11. [link]

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Yoga Exhibition Spotlights The Continuing Church-State Debate

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
By Lee Lawrence

Bringing to life a constellation of yogas, from ascetic to esoteric to physical.

WASHINGTON, DC---It isn't every day that an art exhibition at the Smithsonian's museum of Asian art speaks (however unintentionally) to a continuing church-state debate in California. The issue is whether public schools should be teaching yoga: Do "downward dog" and "salutation to the sun" postures promote mental and physical well-being or do they constitute religious practice? Simply put, what is yoga? This is the question that "Yoga: The Art of Transformation" explores—or, rather, explodes. As curator Debra Diamond researched the topic, "it kept growing in depth and complexity," she says. Although meditation was always important, she found no single practice or belief that consistently defined yoga as it moved through India's religious and cultural communities for 2,000-plus years. [link]

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$32 million university donation a boost for study of ancient Asian art

UNIVERSITY WORLD
By Yojana Sharma

ILLINOIS---A visit to the abandoned and dilapidated Yangon University campus in Myanmar over a year ago was the unlikely setting for a discussion that led to a groundbreaking £20 million (US$32 million) donation to London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS. The grant from the Alphawood Foundation in Chicago will go towards training art and culture experts in ancient Hindu and Buddhist art in South East Asia, and will help revive museums in those countries after decades of neglect. [link]

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Tampa Artist, Paula Brett's Candy Mandalas Earn National Recognition

TAMPA BAY DISPATCH
By Robynn Mitchell

"Tree of Life" Candala (2013) by Paula Brett

FLORIDA---Paula Brett placed the ribbon candies in a circle atop a sheet of white paper on the floor of her art studio in Tampa. She was building a mandala, an artistic representation of the universe and the idea of impermanence with roots in the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Brett, former yoga instructor and art teacher, connects with the idea of impermanence and the sacred symmetry of mandalas. Wall-sized 40-foot by 40-foot photos of Brett's mandalas will go on display in New York's Dylan's Candy Bar on Dec. 2. Dylan's Candy Bar will display the limited edition candy mandala prints and sell them for $2,150. [link]

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A World of Colors: Artist Gayatri Shantaram Celebrate the Universe

THE HINDU
By K. JESHI

Mandala exhibition of paintings by artist Gayatri Shantaram at
Contemplate Art Gallery in Coimbatore. Photo: M. Periasamy

INDIA---Artist Gayatri Shantaram’s paintings celebrate the universe. Black is a defining colour in artist Gayatri Shantaram’s work. The other predominant colours are white, red, blue or purple. Her ongoing exhibition Mandala at Contemplate Art Gallery is a celebration of the universe. “Mandala represents a circle or the universe. It showcases a little bit of my universe. All my paintings have a focal point, a circle often represented as the sun or the moon that encompasses a square (the canvas). In our Indian temple structures, a number of squares lead up to the garbagraha. The Tibetan Mandala comprises of a square within the circle. The Mandala collection constitutes what I am,” she says. [link]

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What Ethnic Diversity Looks Like: Fort Bend, Texas

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By CORRIE MACLAGGAN

Hindu temple made of more than 33,000 pieces of hand-carved Italian marble and Turkish limestone.

TEXAS---Nikhil Sabharwal of Toronto stood outside a hotel, next to a cart piled with luggage, holding a tall stick decorated with gold garland, a bhangra dance prop from an Indian wedding he had attended here. Steps away, at a coffee shop, a woman wearing a hijab sat near the spot where, minutes earlier, Lynne Gabriel, a fashion blogger of Filipino descent, had posed for photos for her website. All of this played out on Monday at the town square in Sugar Land, the largest city in Fort Bend County, which Stephen Klineberg, a sociology professor at Rice University, calls the most ethnically diverse county in America. By that, he means that this county southwest of Houston comes closer than any other county in the United States to having an equal division among the nation’s four major ethnic communities — Asian, black, Latino and white residents. [link]

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Chazen Museum's Mithila Painting Shows How Adaptable a Traditional Hindu Art Form Can Be

THE DAILY PAGE
By Jennifer Smith

The focus is on line, color and filling the entire picture space. Credit:Chazen Museum of Art

WISCONSIN---It's been a strong year of exhibitions for the UW's Chazen Museum of Art, and there is a little time left to catch one of its most intriguing and unexpected offerings. "Mithila Painting: The Evolution of an Art Form" (through Dec. 1) features a style of painting that's unfamiliar to many. But even if it's new to you, you'll quickly be drawn in by intricate, stylized works with themes ranging from Hindu deities to contemporary social and political issues. [link]

Chazen Museum of Art: "Mithila Painting: The Evolution of an Art Form" (Ends Dec. 1); 750 University Ave; Madison, WI; 608-263-2246; chazen.wisc.edu

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Artistically Speaking: Works That Stand Out With Spiritual Feeling

THE HINDU
By Ranjani Rajendra

Painting by Suniyata Khanna

INDIA--- The themes each of the artists has dealt with are markedly different. If Sujit Kumar Ghosh has dwelt upon the urban landscape full of chaos, Bhawana Choudhary’s works are full of fantasy, while Archana Sonti depicts herself as a stick figure interacting with various elements of nature in her quest to find God. Suniyata Khanna’s works on the other hand are more spiritual and have a sense of surrealism. Suniyata’s works however, are what stand out the most with a more spiritual feel to the paintings that have various segments. The paintings are on view till November 30 at Alankritha Art Gallery. [link]

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Three Different Strokes of Hindu Art at Kasthuri Sreenivasan Art Gallery

THE HINDU
By Parshathy. J. Nath

Myriad hues: Art exhibiton at Kasthuri Sreenivasan Art Gallery Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

INDIA--- The caves of Ajanta and Ellora rush to your mind as you enter Kasthuri Sreenivasan Art Gallery, which showcases the paintings and sculptures of three Chennai-based artists — V. Dhakshinamurthy, S. Arunagiri and M. Raja. The meditative face of Lord Buddha, sitting under the Bodhi tree, surveys you as you walk around the hall. V. Dhakshinamurthy, its creator, says he has been inspired by the primitive cave art and temple architecture of India. “In the olden days, artists used to create colours using earth and leaves. I have tried to use earthy shades such as fiery oranges, and leafy greens and browns to recreate the ancient look. ” His acrylic paintings bring alive royalty. [link]

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Complex Hinduism for Dummies: Sages, Gods, Manifestations, and Core Beliefs

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

A Christian friend, and visual artist is in India this week, and described it on Twitter as "completely complex." In Hinduism for Dummies, Amrutur V. Srinivasan writes: "To people raised in other faiths, Hinduism may seem very complex, but the core beliefs of Hinduism are actually quite simple to understand. Many Westerners also know that Hindus worship a variety of gods and goddesses who personify aspects of Brahman." One of the complexities are the spiritual leaders such as Bhrigu Keshav, a manifestation of Vishnu. This manifestation is associated with Sage Bhrigu. Legend has it that Sage Bhrigu once kicked on the chest of Vishnu to wake him up in the Vaikunta. Vishnu was not at all angry with his Bhakta, Sage Bhrigu. The murti of Bhrigu Keshav is associated with Sage Bhrigu’s Bhakti for Vishnu, and representations of the Sage are in temples throughout the country. I have a long way to go in understanding the complexity of Hinduism, but the artwork helps.

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Raqib Shaw: Paradise Lost opens this week at Pace Gallery

ARTDAILY

St. Sebastian of the Poppies, 2011-2012. Oil, acrylic, enamel, glitter and
rhinestones on Birch wood, 60" (152.4 cm), diameter© Raqib Shaw, courtesy Pace Gallery.

NEW YORK---Pace Gallery presents Paradise Lost, a three-venue exhibition of London-based Kashmiri artist Raqib Shaw. This is his first public presentation in New York since the 2008 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Opulent scenes of beastly anthropomorphic figures amidst fantastical worlds of idyllic skies and classical ruins fill Shaw’s first exhibition at three venues at Pace. Included in the exhibition are ten paintings, three sculptures, and five drawings. Based on the theme of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, they are a fusion of Indian mythological figures, hybrids of man and beast, warring in landscapes inspired by quattrocento and Renaissance painting. [link]

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Three Hindu Artists and a Gallery in India Presenting "Intersecting Geometries"

THE HINDU
BY PANKAJA SRINIVASAN

Shapes, colour, imagination and sensibilities Three artists
show their work at the Contemplate Art Gallery. Photo: M. Periasamy

INDIA---Nature Morte and Contemplate Art Gallery present ‘Intersecting Geometries’. They exhibit the works of three internationally renowned artists, quite different from each other. Ajay Desai and Manisha Parekh are Indians, while Seher Shah is a ‘very-much-in-demand’, young and renowned artist from Pakistan. It is a rare opportunity for art lovers to view their paintings. [link]

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Richard Rampersad's Rangoli Art for Divali

GUARDIAN

Richard Rampersad completes a peacock-inspired rangoli design
at the UWI Hindu Society’s annual Divali and Theatrical Production

INDIA---Rangoli is a traditional Indian art form consisting of folk and tribal elements. Rangoli signifies a relationship to ritual space, mapping the contours of ritual purity. Additionally, it is seen as an offering that has an inherently dynamic creative capacity. It is used during Hindu festivals and events. Rangoli is drawn to honour, celebrate and mark various occasions. Rangoli is the sacred welcoming area for Hindu deities. Wherever and whenever sacred spaces need to be created, cleared and cleaned for ritual purposes, rangoli is nearly always necessary as a visual sign. Examples of some events include Divali, Navaratri, weddings and pujas. However, rangoli is never used for funerals. [link]

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Chicago Philanthropist’s Gift to Aid Studies of Southeast Asia

THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Kimko de Freytas-Tamura

UNITED KINGDOM---An American philanthropist and major donor to President Obama’s campaign and Democratic causes has given £20 million (about $32 million) to London’s School of Oriental and African Studies to support research into Buddhist and Hindu art in Southeast Asia. The donation will help fund 80 scholarships for students from the region, add three new chairs and help expand the school campus, according to a statement from the Alphawood Foundation, presided over by the donor, Fred Eychaner. The school, part of the University of London, specializes in humanities and languages from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Mr. Eychaner is a Chicago-based media baron who in 2009 studied for a post-graduate degree at the school. [link]

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Diwali, Hinduism's Festival of Light is Coming on Sunday, November 3

THE PENDULUM
By Jessica Petrocchi

An Indian craftsman paints clay 'diyas' (earthen lamps) ahead 
of the Hindu festival of Diwali in Amritsar on October 29, 2013.

NORTH CAROLINA---Diwali, one of the most celebrated Hindu holidays around the world, will get its recognition at Elon University for the second year in the Numen Lumen Pavilion Nov. 5. Interns in the Truitt Center for Religious Life and Assistant Chaplain Adam Miller-Stubbendick are putting this holiday celebration, sometimes referred to as the Festival of Lights, together. The event is open to Elon’s campus, no matter if they are a Hindu student or just want to learn more about a culture different from their own. The interns are still in the planning process, but they already have a good idea of what the celebration will look like. [link]

Indians buy lanterns from roadside stalls ahead of Hindu 
festival of lights Diwali, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013.

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Smithsonian Opens Exhibit on Art of Yoga

THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Yoga: The Art of Transformation" exhibit at the Smithsonian's
Sackler Gallery includes items that showcase the history of yoga.

WASHINGTON, DC - Yoga is moving from the studio mat to the museum gallery.The Smithsonian Institution has organized what curators believe is the first exhibition about the visual history and art of yoga, its origins and evolution over time. The Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery will showcase the exhibit, "Yoga: The Art of Transformation," through January. Later, it will travel to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and to the Cleveland Museum of Art. Curators brought together Indian sculptures, manuscripts and paintings, as well as posters, illustrations, photographs and films to showcase yoga's history. [link]

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Sirpi Jayaraman’s Breathtaking Meditating Hindu Trees, and Vibrant Brushstrokes

THE HINDU
By LAKSHMI KRUPA

"Thyanam" by Sirpi Jayaraman

INDIA---Over two dozen paintings dot the walls, and Sirpi Jayaraman’s technique shines through in each piece. Strokes — small, curvy and pointed, come together all across the canvas to create breathtaking details. The central piece at the exhibit is ‘Thyanam’. A colourful image, in which a tree, on whose trunk a face has been fashioned, looks upon serenely as if meditating. [link]

Breathtaking details: Sirpi Jayaraman’s works

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Hindu Goddesses Mix With Mortal Art and Activism

WOMENS E-NEWS
By Reshmi Kaur Oberoi

A wounded goddess Lakshmi from the Abused Goddesses campaign.

INDIA---The subject of who can tap Hindu goddess imagery and for what reasons has been stirring rising discussion, particularly in India, where some female artists are invoking goddess power in a year of notoriously brutal gang rapes. In India, taking such artistic license can stir controversy over crossing a religious line. When the Indian ad agency Taproot released an "Abused Goddesses" campaign in India in September, Jasmine Wahi, an American artist of Indian descent, had a two-part reaction. First she liked it; then she didn't. [link]

In two recent gallery shows in New York female artists of Indian heritage emphasized the universal appeal and power of female Hindu deities.

• Jasmine Wahi's exhibit: "The Least Unorthodox Goddess," at Gallery 151 in Manhattan from July 18 through Sept. 22, featured white walls dotted with contemporary paintings, word-art and a solid white box with a hole, that if looked into, revealed an old-fashioned Hindi film actress, mid-song, with a cathedral in the backdrop. 
• Manjari Sharma's exhibit: "Darshan," at the ClampArt gallery, showcased a very different atmosphere in her Sept. 12 to Oct. 12 show to describe a connection between a deity and a mortal. Vedic verses, texts extracted from Hindu holy scriptures, permeated the air and were punctuated by the anecdotal crackling of oil lamps.

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