Kolkata to play host to European modern artists

(L-R) Lorella Paleni, Ina Kaur and Christian Bold at the opening ceremony of the Indo-European Residency Project

First time visitors to Kolkata and cross media abstract artists, Ina Kaur and Lorella Paleni have teamed up with returning sculptor, Christian Bold to create a collaborative art project inspired by their stay in the city.

The Alliance Francaise du Bengale is hosting the Indo-European Residency Project in Kolkata, scheduled to last from November 2 to December 15. The event will see two of Europe’s finest print artists spend six weeks in Kolkata at the Max Muller Bhavan in the company of Indian modern artist, Ina Kaur. The European artists are Germany’s sculptor and pop art specialist, Christian Bold and Paris based Italian painter and animator, Lorella Paleni.

In their six weeks of residence, the artists will explore the city in an attempt to understand its dichotomy. During this period, they would also be part of the gregarious celebrations that engulfs the city every year during this time of the year as people celebrate Diwali (the festival of lights) all across India. Kolkata’s indigenous festival, Kali Puja (the worship of Goddess Kali) is going to be a major inspiration for the artists.

Meet the artists

Lorella Paleni and her art

Lorella Paleni is an Italian by birth who pursued her studies in art from New York before settling in Paris as a new media artist. Her work is very much advocative of media convergence and rarely can be classified into a traditional art form. Her artistic research investigates various subjects ranging from ecology and nature to the relationship between humans and animals as well as femininity. Her animation art is especially renowned with the short loop, “Dwellers” having received critical acclaim across New York. Her other pieces include, “Guitar Tofana” and the equal parts warm and equal parts foreboding, “Benandent” (the night guest). In her own words to Media India Group, “My art is not bound to any particular genre. It is an examination of relationships spanning across any stereotypes”. While in Kolkata, Paleni will focus on the 250 years old great banyan tree in the Botanical Garden for inspiration.

Ina Kaur and her abstract work

Ina Kaur hails from New Delhi and studied the fine arts in New York. When in India, she works out of her studio, “Inkspace” in Bangalore. Her art is post-modern and abstract in nature with a muted psychedelic side. Her “Gray series” is extremely adored by critics. Though, trained in print, Kaur is a regular experimenter in newer avenues. Her studio-research explores how identities are influenced by history, society and the immediate surroundings. While asked about her art form she replied, “My art has always been about the study of tangible and intangible concepts. Abstract allows me the freedom to achieve that”.

Bold and his rebellious pop art

Christian Bold from Leipzig, Germany is a lawyer turned sculptor turned pop artist and choir singer with a wide range of artworks. Bolt is an outspoken individual with strong liberal inclination whose art is reflective of his opinion. His sculptors, “Stabber” and “Launcher” are strongly anti-war. While the “Hekatomb” and “Sucker” are his cries against propaganda. Bold was young during the fall of the Berlin Wall and in his words to Media India Group, “It was a defining moment of my childhood. The event molded me into the individual I am.” Branching into print, Bold started to work on colourful pop art which are reflections of contemporary Europe on canvas. When asked about the political poignancy of his art, Bold said, “Of course, it is political. It is my work, after all. But, I do try to make my work accessible to everyone.”

Following the six weeks of residence in Kolkata, the artists would embark on a sojourn to Shantiniketan–the university town established by Rabindranath Tagore, in the week before Christmas where they hope to find inspiration to collaborate together and form a new project.