40 Indian artists illuminate interplay of light & shadow at Chiaroscuro art exhibition

Pune: The age-old technique of Chiaroscuro, which emphasises the dramatic contrast between light and dark, has found new meaning and relevance in the works of 40 artists from across India.The artwork is displayed at Monalisa Kalagram in Koregaon Park till October 6.The exhibition, titled Chiaroscuro, showcases the enduring power of this artistic approach to black and white, and its ability to captivate audiences with only two tones.Chiaroscuro is a style of painting that originated during the Renaissance period in Italy. It involves the use of strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume and depth in a composition. This technique has been employed by countless artists throughout history —from Rembrandt to Caravaggio —and continues to inspire artists to this day.Deepak Sonar, an artist and curator, said the show has been in the making for over 30 years. His passion for the concept of Chiaroscuro led him to embark on a journey that spanned three decades, gathering artists from all corners of India who shared his vision and were up to the challenge of creating a few pieces for an all black-and-white exhibition. But it all started with some words of artistic wisdom from his guru."My guru, Vasant Wankhede, would always tell his students to hone their skills with black-and-white work. He did it for six years himself. It is not easy to work with just two tones. During my travels since the 1990s, I have been discussing the concept with other artist friends. As many as40 ofthem have contributed five works each for the show," Sonar said.A total of 200 black-and-white artworks are on display at the exhibition, all uniformly sized 12x12 inches.Mumbai-based artist Nitin Dadrawala's contribution to the exhibition explores the concept of repetition and its ability to imbue an object with meaning."Throughout history, many artists have revisited certain forms to communicate their inner worlds. Giorgio Morandi's bottles and vases, Picasso's guitars, Cézanne's apples, Van Gogh's sunflowers, Raza's Bindu, Gaitonde's calligraphy, and Prabhakar Barwe's seemingly unrelated forms are all examples of how repetition can imbue an object with meaning, both in the eyes and the mind of the viewer," said Dadrawala.Jayant B Joshi, renowned painter and son of the legendary vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, said Chiaroscuro is a very intuitive and impulsive expression. "Black and white imagery creates a strange dreamscape that colour cannot. There is symbolism associated with the dualism of black and white. They are different and distinct, yet one cannot exist without the other. They depict opposites, good and evil, and light and dark. Whether using the contrast of black and white alone or softened with greys, artwork in the black-white spectrum always stands out," said Joshi.As visitors immerse themselves in the artworks on display at the exhibition, they are reminded of the timeless appeal of black-and-white art and its ability to evoke deep emotions and narratives.