Madras Art Weekend 2024: Explore this art and design showcase in Chennai

It is not often that a white cube, whose silence and solemnity is broken only by the colors and canvases on the walls, gets submerged. Last week, a precursor show to the upcoming contemporary art festival Madras Art Weekend, highlighting over 60 artists from South India, titled Spotlight on the South, opened to a large crowd – typical of a fine art gallery, Reveals all the unspoken rules of individuality. Usually punctuated only by appreciative nods or disapproving frowns.

Chennai turned out in surprising numbers as the artists, selected from over 1,000 entries received through an open call on social media, took up every inch of the walls.

Certainly, in the eyes of an aesthete the performance was overcrowded and in some parts even sparse because performers with varying levels of skill gathered within the same walls, resulting in a performance that was inconsistent in quality. But it also contributed to a movement within Chennai’s youth art community, including students from the Government College of Fine Arts, Egmore and others, who had never before been represented in any gallery in the city.

Now in its third edition, the primary objective of the Madras Art Weekend is to foster conversation, says founder Upasana Asrani. What started as an experiment soon turned into an annual event following the interest received from collectors and artists alike. The weekend has now turned into a four-day festival with art and jewelery showcases, panel discussions, home tours of collectors and a fashion showcase. “Contemporary artists from the South need to be put on a higher pedestal,” says Upasana.

One of the artworks that will be on display in the gallery exhibition. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

However, the art that originated from the glorious home of the Madras Art Movement is still missing as the focus has shifted to fashion, jewelery and design this year with a keen eye on preserving the culture.

Upasana says, “The main attraction [of this edition] Must be Mr. Mehta [of Mehta and Sons] Bringing together the threaded vision of Milaya Art Gallery by Anjali Bhimrajka Jewels and their expert craftsmanship with jewellery, we are enlightened about the connection between jewelery and art. The session also features Delhi-based art and design collector Shalini Pasi, who rose to fame after her appearance in the Netflix reality series. Luxurious Life vs Bollywood Wives. There will also be a fashion showcase along with this performance on the first day.

Another session that is worth anticipating is a panel discussion exploring metaphors in artistic practice that brings together celebrated contemporary artists Rekha Rodvitiya and Jayshree Burman in conversation with Sunaina Anand and Uday Jain. The session was conducted by Jaiveer Johal. Upasana says, “Sujata Setia brings A Thousand Cuts, a powerful series of photographs that explores the patterns of domestic abuse within the South Asian community.” Finely Cut Portrait Curtains is one of the UK-based Indian photographer’s most acclaimed works, and it is being exhibited in Chennai for the first time.

Some of India’s leading galleries like Dhumimal Gallery, Art Alive Gallery, Archer Art Gallery, Art Magnum Gallery, Tao Art Gallery, Art Nouveau, Artworld Sarala’s Art Center and Gallery Sumukha will bring their respective collections to Chennai.

One of the artworks that will be on display in the gallery exhibition. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

With conservation at the core of the programming this year, conversations about the importance of preserving heritage while planning for a sustainable future will feature Mrinalika Bhanj Dev of the palace-turned-boutique Belgadia Palace, Mayank Bhutra of Erode Clothing and youth. Contemporary artists Jayesh Sachdev, Lakshmi Madhavan and photographer Amar Ramesh are in conversation with Uma Jacob, Director of External Relations and Outreach at India Art Fair. Another panel discussion on design will be moderated by Mumbai-based interior stylist Sameer Wadekar.

Folly in Amethyst will host an art and fashion showcase featuring collections and products from sustainable brands like Akaro, Erode Clothing, Anushka Khanna, Indru and Knotts Bags. Alas, one will also see displays of art and ceramics by Hashtag Collective, Ramkumar Kannadasan, Arun Velayutham, Ravi Vaturi and others.

Upasana says she is overwhelmed by the response to every open call and other registered events, which she believes reflects the strength of the arts community within Chennai. This year, two collectors opened their doors to the public to discuss the rights and wrongs of conservation. “There will be a waiting list in every collector’s home visit. Many people are interested to hear about others’ art collecting journeys. Every year the response got better. “This is enough validation for us to move forward,” she says with a laugh. The conversation with Sethu Vaidyanathan, Saloni Doshi and Narayan Laxman, moderated by Ranveer Shah, will revolve around connoisseurship.

Upasana plans to expand what she considers a success story. “We want to set up an arts college and a foundation besides many other schemes in the pipeline.”

In collaboration with MAW The Hindu Made of Chennai is open from 12th to 15th December. See the full schedule @madrasartweekend on Instagram