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Cross-cultural journey
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Similar ideas on concepts and material saw Kanchan Chander of India and Helen Geier of Australia embark on a collaborative venture. ALKA PANDE writes.
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Kanchan Chander and Helen Geier ... working together..
FROM Karol Bagh to Tascott is an interesting cross-cultural journey. The travellers are: Karol Bagh-born Kanchan Chander, an artist who works out of New Delhi and teaches painting to students of the College of Art, and Helen Geier who lives in Australia. For 12 days, the two worked together in Helen's studio in Braidwood, 100 km from the city of Canberra.
The project started when Helen came to India in February 2000 where she had a show at the Lalit Kala Galleries, New Delhi. Together, they conducted a large format banner workshop for senior painting and printmaking students of the College of Fine Arts, New Delhi. The process of collaboration began when the two started exchanging e-mail about concepts and the choice of materials, which included beads, threads and muslin. They began by using each other's motifs, colours and techniques to develop works that combine those elements, which have layered meaning and associations for each individual. "I enjoyed exploring the possibilities of juxtaposing the geometric nature of the grid with the curvaceous and lyrical form of the female body, While Helen works more at the abstract level, her work blended very well with Kanchan's strong feminine forms. "Although I rarely do work that is primarily figurative, many of my techniques and much of my material has feminine associations," reiterated Helen.
Using beads, sequins and hand woven superfine cotton saris in fluorescent colours that Kanchan had taken with her from India, the two began work together almost immediately. "We gave each other enough space, a lot of inputs, a sharing of ideas, yet decided to keep the works separate but do the installations together," said Kanchan.
Six scrolls, 10 feet by 12 feet, were made with paper and super fine transparent cloth. What was even more interesting was the manner in which the exhibition was displayed in the gallery at Canberra. Some scrolls were hung from the ceiling filling the internal space and flowing onto the floor. Others were suspended across the ceiling while the rest were pinned up on the walls in a cloud format. Pencil outlines of the grid and the torso were executed on the walls, which were then sprayed with paint.
Working side by side for 12 days without encroaching on each other's space and work was quite an experience.
"There is an element of real trust and openness that you reach while working side by side with someone else,'' says Kanchan.
The exhibition is on show in India at the British Council, New Delhi, Art Folio, Chandigarh and Gallery Sumukha Bangalore all through 2002.
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