The design duo of Thukral & Tagra (T&T) are known for their fresh bursts of visual stimulation; a fusion of Asian and Western pop icons into cheeky visual puns aiming at consumerist contemporary lifestyles.
Their exuberant signature is much in evidence at their new solo exhibition which opened 21 March at Art Plural Gallery; large canvases are adorned in their trademark bright, whimsical style. Influenced by all facets of contemporary life and in particular the fantasies and aspirations of today’s Indian society, the duo presents art that fuses popular culture with the clichés of India’s rising middle class. Their bold graphic designs and intricate art references create paintings rife with meaning.
Windows of Opportunity is a new series of paintings exploring the myriad of issues raised by the Punjabi diaspora. The hopes of many young Punjabis are illustrated by their desire to move to Western countries as the opportunities abroad are perceived to be better. The ‘windows of opportunities’ referenced here are the airplane windows that each frames a diptych of faces, their appearances brimming with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. These frames themselves are also pinball machines drawing parallels to life as a game.
There is also a quirky site-specific installation of a running track affixed to the ground floor of the gallery. Visitors can follow the track to view the works, experiencing the art space through becoming part of the work and also expanding on the ‘gaming’ theme.
In the light of the current debate on the influx of foreign talent, maybe Singaporeans could use this as their ‘window of opportunity’ to confidently take up the cudgels and explore the world beyond these shores.
One half of the dynamic duo. Sumir Tagra and guest
About Thukral and Tagra:
Jiten Thukra and Sumir Tagra both attended the Delhi College of Art in the 1990s, a decade of radical change as India experienced an influx of new ideas, products, images and media. The influences and in fact the heart of their art are the fields of graphic and product design, advertising, and commercial interior design. Solo shows of their work have been presented at the galleries Nature Morte (both in New Delhi and Berlin), Bose Pacia (New York), Hilger Contemporary (Vienna), Arario (Seoul), Barry Keldoulis (Sydney), Tokyo Gallery (Tokyo) and Chatterjee & Lal (Mumbai). They are currently working on projects with the German porcelain manufacturer Meissen and the Italian fashion house Etro and were artists in residence at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute in 2010. The artists live and work in the New Delhi suburb of Gurgaon.
Exhibition Details:
22 March to 25 May 2013
Art Plural Gallery
38 Armenian Street, Singapore 179942
Monday – Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm
T: +65 6636 8360
www.artpluralgallery.com
Click here to view more photos at our Flickr album.
