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Navjot Altaf’s first retrospective charts her 5-decade artistic practice

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Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) The first retrospective of acclaimed contemporary artist Navjot Altaf, mapping her artistic presence in the Indian art scenario since the 1960s, is open for public till January 25 here.

With over a 100 works carefully curated and exhibited, the retrospective “The Earth’s Heart, Torn Out/Navjot Altaf: A Life in Art” opened at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here on Tuesday evening. It is presented by The Guild Art Gallery and curated by Mumbai-based cultural theorist and curator Nancy Adajania.

This is her first retrospective and it is also probably the first time that an exhibition of a living woman artist has been presented at Mumbai’s NGMA, the galleries said in joint statement.

Born in 1949, Altaf’s rich career spans over five decades, during which the artist experimented with a spectrum of media, including painting, sculpture, installation and video, and extended her practice through a series of encounters and collaborations with intellectuals, activists and subaltern artists.

From the earliest phase of her career, as a painter emerging from Bombay’s Sir J.J. School of Art, to the present, when she straddles the worlds of tribal central India and of global contemporary art, Navjot has sustained ideas and works through a process of intense scrutiny, the statement said.

Calling her work “process-oriented”, the curator, who has authored “The Thirteenth Place: Positionality as Critique in the Art of Navjot Altaf” in 2016, said that Altaf’s art is not based on creation of individual masterpieces but on the act of “searching, plotting and re-structuring the course of meaning through a life of artistic and civic interventions”.

“As an alumna of the J.J. School of Art, Bombay (1967-1972), Navjot was trained as a formalist, with the academic emphasis on abstraction. However, her introduction to Leftist politics while still at J.J instilled in her an empathy for the marginalised denizens of society,” Adajania, who lectures and writes actively on art, said in a curatorial note.

The retrospective, she said, follows the long arc of Navjot’s practice, showcasing her drawings from the early 1960s, before she had joined the J.J. School, as well as never-before-seen student assignments there.

It also shows rare posters and prints from the 1970s and 1980s, her iconic paintings from the 1990s, and collaborative and new media practice from the 1990s to the present.

About the title of the show, she writes: “(It) is a tribute to all those voices that have been suppressed by an apathetic State, but refuse to be silenced.”

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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