The universal function of art is not just to reflect the world around us but also to provide the audience a chance to explore deeper sensibilities. Indian contemporary artist NS Harsha, who lives and works from Mysuru, confirms this statement through his recent exhibition ‘Stomach Studio’, which is on display at Vadehra Art Gallery, Defence Colony, till May 2. Featured here is a series of artworks that Harsha painted amid the pandemic, in the last two years.
Elements of change
The 15 distinct artworks that are part of ‘Stomach Studio’ are an inquiry into the many aspects of the pandemic and the consequent ‘new normal’. This series comprises a few of Harsha’s detailed works, with elements that provide a panoramic gaze of life and keeps the viewer engrossed for hours. “I like to pay attention to life’s moments. It could be incidents on a street or an observation of a landscape... These observations inspire me to create a painting in which hundreds of events and incidents are brought under one panoramic gaze.”Harsha’s work ‘Emission Test’ (2021) is one where he explores an unusual situation—all citizens, including entities from the animal kingdom, go through a test to identify “what they emit”. “It is a secular test where people and other elements from all walks of life are placed on iconic plastic chairs,” the artist says.
