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METROSCAPE
Abstract Figure
Towards the end of her life, Koltata-based artist
Amina Ahmed Kar had become delusional. She imagined that people were trying
to sneak into her apartment and steal her paintings. That overarching
fear led Amina-a prolific artist, muralist and art historian-to destroy
many of her works. A pity. The woman known to be India's first abstract
painter has little to show for today. Last week, Galerie 88 in Kolkata
organised an exhibition of her paintings (or what's left of them) with
a 54-item collection never seen before.
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| TREASURE KEEPER: The painter;
an untitled watercolour |
If Amina hadn't married fellow painter Chintamani
Kar, chances are no trace of this immensely talented woman would have
remained. After her death in 1995 at the age of 65, Kar scoured old notebooks,
tapped friends and private collectors to cobble together a body of work.
"I found reams of sketches in an old household accounts book,"
says Kar. The results are amazing. Amina, who worked through the domination
of the Bengal School, eschewed the figurative work of the day for a completely
new form of expression: abstract, spontaneous, with bold colours. Her
stint in Paris under Dutch painter Caesar Domelo also comes through. Most
of the mixed-media, oil and watercolour works have a strong European influence.
The best part of the exhibition, though, is bringing
Amina back. The reclusive artist, who most people had heard of but never
seen, comes alive in the show. Especially for the younger generation.
"She was always something of a mystery," says 40-something artist
Ashok Mullick. "Now at least we have an idea of her work." It's
never too late for a coming out party
-Labonita Ghosh
  UNCOVERING
A NEW LINE: Whatever happened to J.J. Valaya? The usually conservative
designer's show in Delhi last week had a surprisingly generous display
of feminine flesh-necklines so low they almost touched the waistline,
transparent blouses, bra tops and less. "I made a distinct shift
with my fall-winter line last year," says Valaya wryly. "I thought
the first fashion show of the 21st century was a good enough excuse to
make the move." He's also had shows in France and Germany recently,
and the resultant "more western mould with a distinct Indian signature"
has translated, among other things, into a lot more skin. "A lot
of the stuff I showed has got less to do with wearability and more to
do with creativity finding expression on the ramp." Though you may
not wear them, you can't help but look.
-Anna M.M.
Vetticad
E-tertainment
 The
designation gives the impression of a geek and a Schwarzenegger-ish persona.
But 19-year-old Neerja Shah who claims to be India's first electronic
jockey (a mix of a garrulous e-terviewer and dejeey) working with catchuslive.com,
a lifestyle site, is a self-confessed "NRI stereotype that all Hindi
films talk about".
When Shah started doing television promotions
in UK at 15 she had no idea that meeting and quizzing people would become
such a passion. Today, after having a 40 minute discourse with Jackie
Chan or discussing Jaya Bachchan's broken nail, her story even sounds
a bit clichéd.
Shah came to Mumbai for a few months last year
but fell in love with the place and "its spirit". Now she has
her schedule packed for the next three years ... juggling interviews with
Lata Mangeshkar, Kylie Minogue and Amitabh Bachchan.
-Himanshi
Dhawan
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