The Bombay Art Society (BAS), a non-profit organisation, based in Mumbai, was founded in 1888 to promote artists, and operated in the Jehangir Art Gallery, which is also the regular venue for the society's annual exhibitions.
Most of the renowned artists on India's art scene have been associated with the Bombay Art Society in some way or the other. The society bestows numerous awards and medals, and gives a platform to young artists.
During the society's centenary year in 1990, veteran artist and then president of the society, KK Hebbar, and the committee took the initiative to build the complex on a piece of land given by the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar.
The complex houses three exhibition galleries, an auditorium and an art books library.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Samsara Art presents a group exhibition, titled Stories In A Frame, on November 27, 2022, and Goan artist, Sripad Gurav, was approached by the curator, Muneera Soni, to participate, alongside works by Indian masters and well-established artists, showing works in digital print, acrylic on linen, canvas and polyester yarn, a panel of Molela tiles, oil, acrylic, pen and ink, watercolour, fibre and clay, mixed media, charcoal, colour pencil.
Artists in the collection include Akbar Padamsee, Anu Chawla, Babu Xavier, Deashish Dutta, Devagana Chhabria, Harisha Chennangod, G Subramanian, Aman Khanna, J Niranjan, (acrylic on linen canvas), G Subramanian, Hardik Khansara, J Niranjan, Jagannath Paul, N Harinath, Jayasri Burman (framed carpet in acrylic & polyster yarn), Jamnalal Kumhar (Molela tiles), Jogen Chowdhury, KG Subramanian, Kabir Hirani, Lalu Prasad Shaw (Tempera on board), Laxman Aelay, Madhuri Bhaduri, Nagesh Ghodke, Nikhil Chaganlal, Om Swami, Rajwant Kaur, Ramesh Gorjala, Rajab Chowdhury, Rashmi Pote, Ruchi Bakshi, Sachin Tekade, Sakti Burman, Seema Kholi, Suresh Parihar, Thota Vaikuntham, Yuvan B, carved wooden and forged gas-cut iron sculptures by Arzan Khamdatta, P Elanchezhiyan (in bronze), and Sharanu Allou (fiberglass).
“I exhibited in a show with BAS several years ago. It’s an elating sensation to exhibit alongside artists of international repute,” says Sripad, who has depicted themes relating to happenings in the lives of the local populace, social scenarios, changing customs and old houses being replaced by apartments.
In this exhibition, he has paintings in gouache. The term gouache was first used in France in the 18th century to describe a type of paint made from pigments, bound in water-soluble gum. It is added to watercolours to produce opacity, and is used most consistently by commercial artists for posters, illustrations, comics, and other design work.
“I like gouache because of its opaque finish. My inspiration is a family enjoying a relaxed day with a drink, I explore form and formlessness, mortal and divine energy and desire, combine semi-figurative portraiture, picturesque staging with bright colours, tender glazes, luminous surfaces, forms and crisp sound. I want to project a symbolic idiom of a personal experience of enjoyment and happiness,” adds Sripad.
The harmonious assimilation of bright, florescent colours and tints grants a soft gradation in figurative and animal elements, and makes reality out of imagination and reverie, which are human representation of the artist’s thoughts and visions.
Samsara Art’s group exhibition, titled Stories In A Frame, will be on exhibit from November 27, 2022 to December 2, 2022 (11 am – 7 pm) at the Bombay Art Society, Bandra Reclamation Bandra, Mumbai