art4all show in Ahmedabad - paintings, jewellery collages & photographs

 A view of the gallery - 85 ft long and really majestic in depth! Those are my paintings on the left side. Its the best place to exhibit as it has a popular cafe outside and its located in the CEPT University area premises. Lots of people. Only drawback its open only from 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm.

The art exhibition in early March 2016 at Gufa, the leading art gallery in Ahmedabad was a great success. I had two fellow artists with me at the Gufa show- Mala Kothari makes extra-ordinary murals from rough semi-precious stones like rubies, emeralds, amethyst, etc., metals, wood, paintings and thus create collages of real beauty. Darshan Mehta, my nephew, is a diamantaire (diamond expert) by profession but his real passion is photography. He shoots in RAW format and not the standard jpeg hence his architecture images are awesome. Every image is crystal clear.

The works were put up beautifully. At the inauguration, (a very important event in all public events / exhibitions). The lamp was lit by ex Executive Director National Institute of Design as Chief Guest, accompanied by local dignitaries - a local well known art collector; a leading textile mill owner; heir to Gondal State which was 1^st state in Gujerat to have excellent infrastructure and free schooling in the 1920’s and my nephew in law – a paediatrician cum museologist and trick lock expert. You need to bring in VIP’s so that people then come to the show and you get written ​​in media.

I had taken along my frame maker from Mumbai for two days to ensure that the works were properly exhibited and as both Darshan and I are beholden to those who create masterpieces of our works, it was as a mark of respect that he also lit the lamp along with those luminaries. He performed with élan.   

As a total surprise to everybody, including my family, at the very end, I had a cake brought in and we all sang Happy Birthday Falguni as it was the charming lady’s ‘back to 21’ birthday… she is Darshan’s wife.  I enjoyed the look of surprise on her face. The ​professional ​photographer was told to capture that look but he was also too stunned and missed that vital shot! Anyway, we have many photos of the event for those interested.

Crowd scenes above - rather hectic time for those four hours.

 Due to my daughter, we tied up with a local NGO working with mentally retarded and physically handicapped children from very poor areas. On 21^st January 2016, I had personally visited the slums of Danilimda, Chamundanagar and the Lohar colony in Narol area of south Ahmedabad where the conditions are appalling and poverty / living conditions are unimaginable until seen.

I have met various social workers of Prabhat. One can visualize how awful the localities must be in rainy weather and these people are going about their work, truly committed.

Normal children are taught that playing and accepting mentally ill or physically handicapped children in their communities is important for the welfare of both groups. I have seen the physiotherapists handling the children needing care. It is wonderful that we have the privilege of supporting such an NGO.  We raised a decent amount for the NGO through the sale of our works – we had committed 30% of sales so I am happy at that end too. That’s my standard practice at each exhibition for a local NGO to be supported in this way.  We had 25 to 30 kids brought over with 20 + teachers and it gave me great satisfaction to see these kids in a totally new environment for them. They can’t express in words so when a child saw an art work he/she liked, he/she would raise a clenched fist and shake it. The others would see that. They had snacks and then sat in the open air of the garden for two hours before going back to their slums.

Finally, a surprise for me - after nearly 20 years, I met Taraben Kothari (aged a fit 90 years young!) - She and her husband had been my in loco parentis from 1963 when I arrived in London (in the coldest winter of 30 years when the snow stayed till end April of that year) till I left in 1972. We had stayed close after that but sometime in late 1990’s we lost touch. Due to her husband’s death last year, our friendship was rekindled and she happened to be in Ahmedabad a day before leaving back to London. A touching reunion with a wonderful lady who had treated me like a son, unreservedly for a decade. 
So, that was my 10^th art exhibition - eventful and very memorable in all respects.

We had EXCELLENT media coverage. We had six articles published in various media so that we had a decent crowd every day. The last two days saw 200 to 350+ people pouring in. It is true to say that many local Ahmadavadis came and complimented us on such an unusual exhibition. They had never seen such an eclectic mix as well as such works on display. Artists, architect students and the public came along with the VIP's.

 

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