Close X
Sunday, March 2, 2025
ADVT 
India

PICS: Canadian Artist Marcel Dzama Pays An Ode To Bollywood, Dance And Culture At The India Art Fair 2020

31 Jan, 2020 08:54 PM

    Inspired by the imagery of Indian movies of the 1960s, the paintings of Canada-born artist Marcel Dzama at the ongoing India Art Fair reference Indian culture and include details such as Bollywood dancers and regional wildlife.

     

    Presented by the David Zwirner gallery, which is making an appearance in the Fair for the third consecutive year, Dzama's work is a visual exploration of the Indian ethos, with hints of divine and royal iconography.

     
     
     
     
     
     
    View this post on Instagram
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Did some new drawings for a show coming up in New Delhi India with @davidzwirner . One drawing is base on some mix of mythologies the other on a performance of a song Raymond Pettibon wrote, I did with @fastfriends for a reading of Raymond Pettibon’s play for #Performa at the New museum. We did it to the tune of #NeilYoung ‘s Revolution Blues , My son did a drawing of us after. Here also is a great Song performance of Ray singing over #coleporter , and some photos of the night , Such a fun time hanging out with Ray, Mike Watt @kimletgordon @stella_stellina___ Sozita Goudouna @angelachoon @spencer__leigh #FrancesStark raydog699 and many others . Thanks for having me Ray ♥️

    A post shared by @ marceldzama on Nov 20, 2019 at 6:10am PST

    Dzama first rose to prominence in the late 1990s for his otherworldly scenes that recall childhood fantasies and fairy tales. His work draws equally from folk vernacular as from art-historical and contemporary influences, and presents a blurred relationship between the real and the subconscious through an immediately recognisable visual language.

     

    "You could rent Bollywood films back in the day. I've been drawn to choreography and dance, and costumes. I have also been drawn to masks, I would dress up in a costume as a child, and pretend I was that character all day long," Dzama told IANS, pointing to his work that seamlessly merge Indian mythology, pop culture and memories.

     

    His scenes are often also inhabited by an expansive cast of recurring human, animal and hybrid characters, as well as motifs such as masks and chess pieces.

     

    Dzama's works on paper are presented alongside two sculptures by the artist, as well as a new large-scale wall mural, which Dzama painted directly on to the gallery's booth at the fair, demonstrating the breadth of his wide-ranging artistic practice.

     

    His work can be seen at the India Art Fair till it closes on Sunday.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    View this post on Instagram
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    HAPPY YEAR OF THE RAT! 💥🐀 I’m off to India tomorrow or next day never been before 💥Here are some drawings I’m showing in New Delhi & a description of the influences of this series from some interview I did 🧐”I saw these drawings as some sort film poster or lobby card to an apocalyptic Bollywood film where a goddess comes from the sky to bring justice to the world, & her followers are celebrate in dance. I really can’t remember the first Bollywood film I had seen but I remember seeing the older 60’s film Gumnaam. It was brilliant I fell in love with them after that such great choreography and music and surreal story lines....The ones I remember the most usually had a soundtrack by Mohammed Rafi or Kishore Kumar. I also had a old book of lobby cards from Bollywood films. That also influenced this new work. Oh and my son asked me to draw Aladdin, so it’s Aladdin vs some Apocalyptic beast . @indiaartfair @davidzwirner @davidzwirnerbooks

    A post shared by @ marceldzama on Jan 24, 2020 at 1:16am PST

     
     

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Militants Use Posters To Fight Return Of Normalcy In Kashmir

    Unnerved by the absence of a violent public backlash against the abrogation of Article 370, militants are resorting to civilian killings and threats to instil fear among the people so that the return of normalcy is prevented in the valley.

    Militants Use Posters To Fight Return Of Normalcy In Kashmir

    Free Rides For Women Will Cripple Delhi Metro: SC

    Free Rides For Women Will Cripple Delhi Metro: SC
    A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on Friday slammed the Delhi government's proposal of allowing free rides to women in the Delhi Metro.

    Free Rides For Women Will Cripple Delhi Metro: SC

    At 74, Andhra Woman Becomes The Oldest-Ever To Give Birth

    A 74-year-old woman has became the oldest-ever to give birth after she delivered twins at a hospital in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur town on Thursday, doctors have said.

    At 74, Andhra Woman Becomes The Oldest-Ever To Give Birth

    Congress Leader And Former MP Sukhdev Singh Libra Dies After Prolonged Illness

    Former MP Sukhdev Singh Libra passed away on Friday morning after a prolonged illness. He was 87.

    Congress Leader And Former MP Sukhdev Singh Libra Dies After Prolonged Illness

    Chandigarh Police Issue Rs 10,000 Challan To Senior Punjab Police Cop For Violating Traffic Rules

    A Punjab Police cop was slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 for talking on the mobile phone while riding his scooter on Thursday. 

    Chandigarh Police Issue Rs 10,000 Challan To Senior Punjab Police Cop For Violating Traffic Rules

    Air Force Chief Wants Preparation To Ensure Ground Defence Of Air Bases

    BS Dhanoa exhorted Air Force commanders to revise their operational plans and training in consonance with the lessons learnt during various exercises and recent operations

    Air Force Chief Wants Preparation To Ensure Ground Defence Of Air Bases