Myriad responses of artists from the first Indian Ceramics Triennale ‘Breaking Ground’ to the curatorial prompt of squaring the circle, symbolising the pursuit of the impossible, will be showcased at an exhibition at Arthshila, Santiniketan, from June 24.
Titled ‘Squaring the Circle’, the exhibition will feature exquisite creations in ceramic by 35 artists from across India and abroad and has been organised by artists Reyaz Badaruddin and Madhvi Subrahmanian in collaboration with Indian Ceramics Triennale.
Madhvi Subrahmanian and Reyaz Badaruddin Coutesy: Indian Ceramics Triennale
The show will serve as a prelude to the upcoming edition of the Triennale, Common Ground, to be held at Arthshila Delhi between January 19 and March 3, 2024.
The Indian Ceramics Triennale has been initiated by the Contemporary Clay Foundation that aims to showcase and nurture the growing diversity of ceramic art expression in India and to exhibit together with the best practices in international contemporary ceramics. The foundation is an artist-driven, not-for-profit organisation set up to support and elevate clay-based art practices as well as build informed audiences for national and international ceramic art in the country.
Another exhibit likely to be put up at the exhibition Courtesy: Juree Kim
Teacher and artist Reyaz Badaruddin has his own studio Atelier Lalmitti in the Himalayas and holds an MA in ceramics from the Cardiff School of Art and Design, UK. Artist Madhvi Subrahmanian is based out of Mumbai and Singapore and is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and Artaxis. Trained at the Golden Bridge Pottery, Pondicherry, Subrahmanian has an MFA from SMU, Dallas, Texas.
“Over the last one year, we have showcased artworks from a variety of mediums at Arthshila Santiniketan. But this is the first time, we will be exhibiting ceramics and we are delighted to collaborate with Indian Ceramics Triennale to present this show featuring 35 artists from across India and abroad, who have worked on a wide range of ideas as well as in responding to the concept, ‘Squaring The Circle’. The works displayed are produced with a wide range of thoughts and techniques available in ceramics as an art medium which will surely evoke engaging conversations among the viewers,” Ruchira Das, artistic director of Arthshila, told My Kolkata.
Two more exhibits likely to be put up at the exhibition Courtesy: Atita Taware and Shampa Shah
An initiative of Takshila Educational Society, Arthshila currently works out of four locations — Ahmedabad, Santiniketan, Patna and New Delhi — and is an immersive platform for creating and sharing ideas centred on the arts with spaces designed to facilitate artistic expression and curate creative experiences. Each centre offers a unique set of experiences from design-knowledge, performing and visual arts, literature, and cinema.
Arthshila Santiniketan aims to initiate dialogue, both between individuals as well as with the multiple resources — collection of books, films, digital media, and educational content in the many fields of visual art and art history — available at the centre. The centre strives to engage different audiences through its exhibitions, lectures, workshops, interactive dialogues, film screenings, children’s art engagements and more while making every effort to carry forward the local ethos of Santiniketan—of knowledge exchange and cultural transmission.
Squaring the Circle will be open from June 24 to August 27, between 11am and 7pm on all days except Mondays and national holidays.
The Arthshila centre at Santiniketan Courtesy: Arthshila Santiniketan