EDITORIAL PAGE
Movement to identity Art Deco is a statement. It is a reflection of aspiration. The height of the movement was when it transcended artistic expression to become a functional tool in engineering an identity. Akhila Shankar reminiscences Mumbai’s long-standing affair with this movement. Mumbai congeries memories on innumerable clichés-‘The city of dreams’, ‘The city that never sleeps’ and the less romantic ‘financial capital of India’. However, what is often overlooked is that Mumbai is also the second largest hub for Art Deco in the world after Miami, a movement only kept alive today by the architecture that still stands. A unique combination of factors led to the adaptation of the Art Deco style of Architecture in Mumbai. Increase in tourism and travel in the early half of the 20thcentury had made Bombay a cultural hub for western artists. Many touring European ballet, opera, theatrical and musical troops entered the Bombay scene. The social and cultural ambience in Bombay was hence very conducive to the incorporation of Art Deco into what would become quintessentially Bombay.
ment at this time. The Chamber Of Princes was the official body responsible for negotiations between the Nawabs, princes and maharajas of India and the British government. These Nawabs, princes and maharajas started building houses here so as to avoid staying in hotels. Almost all of these houses were built in the Art Deco style, creating the appropriate patronage for this style.
The inc re a s i n g number of graduates in Architecture from foreign univ e r s i ti e s brought in the new wave of architecture in a way no one could have thought of and with intellectual ideas flying around Bombay was soon to become the Paris of India. In November 1937 the first Architectural Exhibition ever to be held in India which was organized by the Indian Institute of Architects at town hall displayed the modern trends in lifestyle all over the Besides tourists, Bombay was world, and as unsurprising as it also becoming a political hub in would be- Art Deco was everythe pre-independence move- where!
The movement’s standing testaments were the new office building in the fort, Bungalows on Malabar and Cumballa Hill and Juhu, apartment blocks in Marine drive, Backbay reclamation and most importantly all the then new cinema halls such as Regal Cinema, Eros Cinema and Metro Cinema. Art Deco- A cinematic experience The Regal Cinema was designed by Charles Steven, son of Fredrick Steven (The man behind the design of Victoria Terminus, now CST). For its time Regal was the ultimate epitome of glamour. It was probably the first Indian cinema hall with completely air-conditioned theatres underground parking and even a lift. Following this example the idea of cinema being a luxury set in and cinema halls like Plaza Cinema (Dadar) Central Cinema (Charni Road), New Empire Theater etc. followed suit. Art Deco and Cinema reached a peak with Eros, which was rightly termed as the great grandpa of luxury cinema. Designed by Sohrabji Bedhwar, this building still stands today as a living mark of the good old 30s. Like Regal and Eros, Metro was the last word in luxury. The 2,943 square yard plot was formerly occupied by the Air force and was acquired by Metro Goldwyn Corporation on a lease for 999 with a ground rent of Rs.1 per year! Thomas W Lamb, a New York based Architect laid the plans for the Metro. The complete interiors were imported from the Unites States. The most sticking feature of the architecture is large mural paintings on both sides of the auditorium. The introduction of Art Deco architecture to the cinema
culture is probably one of the most important landmarks in our cultural history. The idea of a movie date, the idea of having the red lounge seats at movie halls today, the idea of 5 star service at a movie, delivery at seat amongst many other things dates back to the 30s when the art deco reformation made cinema into more of an experience and less of a medium for common man. Art Deco and culture Art Deco was a cultural statement. If not for the rest of the world, at least for Bombay it was and will be. The luxury which was native to this style was an expression of the lifestyle and culture then. People wanted change, people wanted to move away from the Victorian world (The British Empire as a whole), people wanted to travel, people wanted to exchange culture. People wanted to look forward to a new independent age and Art Deco was just the right style to exhibit this. The way Robert McGregor would put it “There was going to be no more poverty, no more ignorance, no more disease. Art Deco reflected that confidence, vigor and optimism by using symbols of progress, speed and power.”
JAPAN INTRODUCES CRICKET TO INDIA!
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Mohita Namjoshi
he year 2012 marks the 60th anniversary of the Indo-Japanese relationship strengthening the bilateral ties between the two countries more than ever. This being a perfect occasion of pride and celebration for both the culturally blessed countries, Japan seems to have decided to gift India an unforgettable memento. The bequest is a rendezvous of what the two countries do best: Animation for Japan and Cricket for India!
The land of the rising sun presents to India in this fall, ‘The Rising Star’ an anime on cricket. Based on one of the most famous sports comics ‘Kyojin no Hoshi’ (the Star of the Giants) Kodansha Ltd., a leading manga publication house is set to launch this unexplored theme in our very own country. Kyojin no Hoshi originally a manga of the 1960s which was later adapted into an anime series were both extremely popular among the boys in Japan. While the story of Kyojin no Hoshi, a weekly shonen manga, revolves around a boy who struggles to grow into an ace baseball player, The Rising Star is centered on a poor boy in Mumbai, named Salaji, who strives to
be a cricket star. The young protagonist who is a lefthanded cricket player aspires to be a cricket star like his father. The original manga series was a creation written Ikki Kajiwara and drawn Noburo Kawasaki which was published from 1966-1971. Japan’s TMS Entertainment Anime Studio had adapted Kyojin no Hoshi in an anime TV series in 1968 and now it will be TMS Entertainment again to handle the beginning of new show’s development which includes the script and the storyboards. The latter part of the production will be handled by Indian local studios that will also bear half of the production cost. For the start the new version of the anime will have about 26 to 52 episodes which will be aired in the autumn of 2012 in India. What is going to make it interesting is that even though the anime is an adaptation of an original series, there are many alterations involved. The creators will not only have to study the rules of cricket but they will have to understand in detail the geographies, the culture and the psyche of Indians. How to make the knowledge of all of these appealing to the audience they wish to capture in an altogether new display of cricket is probably going to be the real challenge.
shows. They believe that content that revolves around their mythological characters is likely to inculcate values among their children, thereby encouraging the viewership of these cartoons. That way, an already established character comes to the rescue. Japanese animation series are, however, dealt with differently. They are essentially made to cater to different areas of interest. They don’t just make animation for children or adults but for sports lovers, Shakespeare lovers, food lovers, music lovers, Goth lovers, history lovers, There are a few newer cartoons romantic comedy lovers, science coming along in India, which plot lovers and for every niche market around characters from famous which is likely to exist. What they Hindu mythologies. The viewers of put in is meticulous research behind these shows or at least the supervi- every creation because they are sors of the viewers are satisfied with used to targeting specialists of those the matter being shown in these fields or potential information seekers. Their magic has logic, their scifies have real science put to use, their detective stories are hard to understand in a go, and their absurd cartoons are an epitome of absurdity. When an anime is made on a storyline which is as simple as the story of ‘The Rising Star’, they will use their research to make sure that they are not exposing the content to any loopholes. In their bid to attain perfection let’s hope that they don’t Over the years the American cartoon culture has been highly influential in India. The superhero cartoons had taken their toll on almost all the major local stations. Most American cartoons used a lot of science fiction and larger than life events. Indians cartoon viewers are accustomed to that cartoon content which has big occurrences. As far as there are noticeable and comprehendible happenings in the content, the Indian viewers remain contented, notwithstanding the level of depth in the story.
let the story drag, else, it may not attract enough eyeballs. They will have to strike an appropriate balance between appeal and precision, which in fact they are good at! Most Indians love cricket the way no one does; few Indians love anime, but when they do, they do so much that they can easily compete the otaku-race, pun intended, in Japan. In the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Indo-Japan ties, the Japan External Trade Organization, more commonly referred to as JETRO had organized a Cool Japan festival in Mumbai. The event was for three days and about 24,500 was the total footfall count for the event. That was the first time when the city saw the madness of the otaku world and the madness went up when the TMS Entertainment kiosk showed in loop the trailer of The Rising Star. Eyebrows went up, jaws dropped and the kiosk was surrounded with a herd of otakus. The upcoming anime was much talked of, and the youngsters present there sent uproar of anticipation, clearly declaring their eagerness. Let’s hope that Japan’s ‘Indianized’ anime sets the foundation of larger number of anime lovers in the country!
12 Areas Of Photography to Watch Out For Aditya Sapkale Photography is an expansive art form that includes more than just portraiture, landscape or glamour photography. Both professional and amateur photographers may favor specific types of photography over others. While a professional photographer may work in photojournalism, an amateur may be particularly interested in macro-photography. Read on to know more! Photojournalism Although amateurs may break into this field without formal training, photojournalism is often limited to professionals. One reason photojournalism is generally practiced by professionals is that serious photojournalists must be sure that their shots maintain the integrity of the original scene. Photojournalism requires the photographer to shoot only the facts: no alteration or embellishment of the photo is permitted. Photojournalism pictures are often powerful images that engage the viewer with the news story. Knowing how to take such shots to capture the original emotion is often learned only through years of practice and experience. Documentary Photography Documentary photographs tell stories with images. The main difference between photojournalism and documentary photography is that documentary photography is meant to serve as a historical document of a political or social era while photojournalism documents a particular scene or instance. A documentary photographer may shoot a series of images of the inner city homeless or chronicle the events of international combat. Any topic may be the subject of documentary photography. As with photojournalism, documentary photography seeks to show the truth without manipulating the image. Action Photography While professionals who take action shots may specialize in a variety of different subjects, sports photography is one of the fastest and most exciting types of photography. As with any action shot, a good sports photographer has to know his or her subject well enough to anticipate when to take pictures. The same rule goes for photographers taking action shots of animals in nature or of a plane taking off. Macrophotography Macrophotography describes the field of photography in which pictures are taken at close range. Once restricted to photographers with advanced and expensive equipment, macrophotography is now easier for amateurs to practice with digital cameras with macro settings. Macrophotography subjects may include insects, flowers, the texture of a woven sweater or any object where close-up photography reveals interesting details. Microphotography Microphotography uses specialized cameras and microscopes to capture images of extremely small subjects. Most applications of microphotography are best suited for the scientific world. For example, microphotography is used in disciplines as diverse as astronomy, biology and medicine.
Glamour Photography As the name implies, the goal of glamour photography is to depict the model in a glamorous light. Consequently, many glamour shots carry flirtatious, mysterious and playful tones. Aerial Photography An aerial photographer specializes in taking photos from the air. Photos may be used for surveying or construction, to capture birds or weather on film or for military purposes. Aerial photographers have used planes, ultralights, parachutes, balloons and remote controlled aircraft to take pictures from the air. Underwater Photography Underwater photography is usually employed by scuba divers or snorkelers. However, the cost of scuba diving, coupled with often expensive and unwieldy underwater photography equipment, makes this one of the less common types of photography. Similarly, if an amateur has the equipment and the scuba know-how, taking shots underwater can be complicated, as scuba goggles are magnified and distort the photographer’s vision. Portraiture Portraiture is one of the oldest types of photography. Whether the subject is your family or your pet, the goal of portraiture is to capture the personality of the subject or group of subjects on film. Wedding Photography Wedding photography is a blend of different types of photography. Although the wedding album is a documentary of the wedding day, wedding photos can be retouched and edited to produce a variety of effects. For example, a photographer may treat some of the pictures with sepia toning to give them a more classic, timeless look.In addition, a wedding photographer must have portrait photography skills. He may also have to employ glamour photography techniques to capture the bride and groom at their best. Advertising Photography Because photography plays a vital role in advertising, many professional photographers devote their careers to advertising photography. The need for unique and eye-catching advertising copy means the photographer may work with multiple types of photography, including macrophotography and glamour photography. Travel Photography Travel photography may span several categories of photography, including advertising, documentary or vernacular photography that depicts a particularly local or historical flavor. A travel photographer can capture the feel of a location with both landscapes and portraiture.
Much ado about Dokra Tanvi Hegde
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ost who don’t know much about India, consider it is a mystical land of elephants, cows and snake charmers who somehow co-exist with the high tech world of computer geeks and call centres. In the art world, contemporary Indian art is synonymous with the old vanguard of M F Hussain, Raza and Tyeb Mehta, these days, Subodh Gupta (who some term the Indian Damien Hirst), Riyas Komu, Atul Dodiya are making waves at international auctions. The traditional arts of India are so diverse that even most Indians are not aware of the many myriad hues and forms that traditional India has to oer. This vast subcontinent is divided into states, communities (over 600), districts, dialects, tribes; which has given rise to a rich diversity in art forms as well.
using the lost-wax casting technique. This sort of metal casting has been used in India for over 4,000 years and is still used. Its name comes from the Dhokra Damar tribes are the traditional metalsmiths of West Bengal. The tribe extends from Jharkhand to West Bengal and Orissa; members are distant cousins of the Chattisgarh Dhokras. A few hundred years ago the Dhokras of Central and Eastern India traveled south as far as Kerla and north as far as Rajasthan and hence are now found all over India. What is so special?
The USP of Dhokra metal craft is that no two pieces of Dhokra art are alike. Each and every single piece of Dhokra craft is unique. The product of dhokra artisans are in great demand in domestic and foreign markets because of primitive simplicity, What is Dhokra? enchanting folk motifs and forceful Dhokra is non–ferrous metal casting form.
Dokra craft is so coveted by collectors is because of its powerful form, charming folk motifs and primitive simplicity – all of which let you explore and peek a glimpse into the indigenous folk culture of India and particularly Bengal. Intricate designs and every fine detail on each article holds its unique and distact identity. This individualistic touch is due to the hand crafted dexterity and skill that these Dokra artifacts boast of. However, although metal casting is used in Dokra craft, they are different from other types of metal craft. Although it is mostly brass scrap and bell metal that are used to manufacture Dokra craft, there remains a hollow core inside the metal casting consisting of a clay core. How to make your Dhokra art piece? The process of making Dhokra art piece is even more interesting. Dhokra metal crafts follow the traditional method of lost or vanishing wax technique. First the clay core is designed and then is layered by wax, resin and nut oil. Wax is then carved and every fine detail is given again this is covered by clay it works as a mould for metal art piece. Clay is then cooked and wax comes out from the drain ducts. Molten metal is poured inside the mould. After the netal has taken shape and has cooled down, outer clay layer is
tion of motifs. The line of products has undergone sea change and there has been a sudden burst in manufacture of beautiful napkin rings, serving sets, good quality vases etc. The proliferation of new design developments along with the latest technologies have enabled the Where is Dhokra now? Dhokra craftsmen to bring out lines Dhokra craft so far, was dying a slow, of Dhokra products that are usable nevertheless steady death due to and which can be put to good use by lack of patronage and government clients in the contemporary world encouragement, however the huge markets. demand for Dhokra craft along with other types of brassware handicrafts A new design artist called Mukul in foreign shores has resulted in a Goyal is helping out the Dhokra flourishing, resurgence and resur- craftsmen in their endeavor to derection of this ancient art of metal velop altered and contemporary crafting. The reasons for this are ranges of Dhokra art and Dokra plenty. Dhokra craft, just like any craft. The Dokra craftsmen are also other type of Indian handicrafts, was being helped by Mr. Goyal in the dying a slow death. Even a few years marketing of Dokra items in foreign back, it was difficult to find quality markets. These people have toor even accomplished Dhokra crafts- gether developed and brought out men and metal smiths. The dearth 10 new ranges or product lines. or paucity of skilled labor resulted in Some of those items in the product dwindling supplies and the prices of lines are door handles, flower vases, the end products sky rocketed up- napkin rings, lamps, food grade etc. wards. Naturally, the demand also There are however limitations to the went down because of the escalat- art, as practiced by these Dokra ing prices. Even the designs and pat- craftsmen. All the Dokra art pieces terns on Dhokra items had become are hand crafted, and so the finishoutdated. But there has been a turn- ing isn’t of excellent quality. So, around for this industry, which was those Dokra products which have to nothing short of a wonder. And this be exported have to undergo detailwonder has been brought about by ing and final finishing by machines in latest and advanced technology, some other place. adoption of latest product designs and patterns and newness/innovachipped off. Metal art piece is then polished and finished. Thus this method has a big disadvantage that mould can be used only once and hence two pieces will not be exactly the same.
Art In Cinema Vaidehi Tendulkar
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n Indian Art magazine without Indian cinema in it is unrealistic. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment and a powerful method for educating or indoctrinating citizens. Film making is also an “ART”. You need talent and foresight to make a movie. Talent of making film a piece of art work and foresight for knowing how much will it be loved by the audience. Intuitively, some films qualify as artworks and others do not. All film is art, though some of it is better art or higher art. This, it turns out, is not just a question for those with a special interest in film. It has interest for aesthetic value more broadly, because film can serve as a test case for definitions of art. A film can be termed as masterpiece only when all the aspects in the making of the film are on dot. These aspects are the story, the sets, the costume, the cinematography and lot others. This is not to say that a work becomes art when it’s taken up by an art-consuming audience. Moreover, audiences do not transform works into art; rather they discover that a works deserves to be regarded in that way. If this intuition is right, the key to understanding what makes a film count as art is what goes on in this discovery process. India is well known for its commercial cinema. Almost every Indian is well versed with onscreen “running around the trees singing songs”, the fight sequences, twins meeting each other after years, topped with some dose of mush and lots and lots of spice. These
movies are made completely to entertain the Indian audience. India is full of art and that is depicted in Indian movies. Whether commercial or non commercial movie, both need art.. Both have got distinct way of describing art through movies. There are a number of genres and styles of Indian cinema that a viewer encounters, such as, romantic comedies, gangster films, horror films, westerns, melodramas, musicals and historical films. While some of these genres are present in Indian cinema, often as a consequence of the impact of the western films, the Indian filmmakers have also created some styles of their own, that are acknowledged as their own. This is clearly discernible in the popular tradition of filmmaking in India. These movies spend a lot over creating huge sets, making dancers dance in the background, give audience too many colors, emotions and entertainment. The Indian Art Cinema has had a humble beginning. This genre doesn’t boast of foreign locales, hopelessly expensive clothes or the big star cast. The sole strength of these kinds of films is the story.
mercial cinema. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the art film or the parallel cinema was usually government-aided cinema. Such directors could get federal or state government grants to produce non-commercial films on Indian themes. Their films were showcased at state film festivals and on the government-run TV. These films also had limited runs in art house theatres in India and overseas. The Art film-makers have done it all. It’s amazing to see how some of the very talented filmmakers have gifted their audiences with some of their magnificent work. The generation today are more intelligent and open to a wide variety of topics. At the end of the day the purpose of the film and the audience should be served. From the very inception of this genre, there has The Indian Art Cinema has beauti- been a difference between art fully transformed and re-invented and commercial cinema. The auitself. From socially relevant topics dience wants a good story and a of Child Marriage, Dowry, Female really good way of putting it and Feticide, Widow Re-marriage to a that’s what the film makers are simple love story. A true admirers supposed to do. Yes masala flicks of cinema and a person who con- are welcome but too much of sider movie-making as an art call masala can cause acidity! A good it the “Offbeat” or “The Art House mixture of masala movies and inCinema”. Many people in India telligent cinema is what the audiplainly call such films as "art films" ence wants. as opposed to mainstream com-
In this new context of arthouse appeal to the mainstream, “of limited box-office appeal” is striking, if not, perhaps, inaccurate. On the other hand, general conceptions of “art house” have come to describe films simply on the basis of their production outside the Bollywood system, regardless of their status as conventional dramas or slightly offbeat comedies. However with changing times this gap has been bridged. The themes of art movies have witnessed a change. The audiences today look out for “good” films rather than the serious or popular films. Hence once a while a multistarrer movie bombs and a small budget movie like Aamir is much appreciated by the cine goers. The need for better subjects, the desire to watch something more feasible on the screen and the boredom that has set in with the regular candyfloss cinema are some of the reasons for this apparent change. If this trend continues then the day is no far when there will be no commercial cinema or art cinema, but just good cinema and bad cinema. The knowledge of Indian cinema gives you an opportunity to enter into the thoughtworlds and performanceworlds to the people interested in this art. Many Indian film directors, right from the pioneers such as Dadasaheb Phalke to the modern ones like Yash Chopra, have deployed their creativity along with traditional forms of dance, folk & classical music to enhance the communicated experience. Indian popular cinema has evolved into a dis-
tinctively Indian mode of entertainment by imaginatively amalgamating music dances also and because of the works of veteran directors like V.Shantaram. Guru Dutt and Raj Kapoor. So, through Indian cinema one can also enter the larger world of Indian aesthetics. Film makers like Ketan Mehta has made a movie on the life of 19th century painter Raja Ravi Varma named it as Rang Rasiya. It’s a very artistic movie showing us the reality of the society in the 19th century. He had also directed Mangal Pande which was again very artistic from the sets to costume everything gave you the feel on the 18th century. Aushitosh Gowarikar’s Jodha Akbar is another epic story in which art played a very important role. To add on the list is devdas Sanjay Leela Bhansali did a brilliant job with art direction. Indian cinema has presented a detailed version of India from its different historical movies to its present scenario movies. The distinct genres of films depicted by the different filmmakers have helped in the study of India from a different and distinct angle of vision. Thus, one cannot help but realize the fact that indeed it has been the old traditions and the cultures that have actually framed the Indian cinema, which have been an encouragement to uplift India and make it one of the renowned countries in the world. By seeing the cultures and traditions of the distinct societies, people can examine their own country`s culture with fresh eyes and with a special vision and approach.