‘GenNext’, the Annual Exhibition, hosted by Aakriti Art Gallery is the platform for the artist. Here, painters, sculptors and graphic artists are encouraged to put up their works, showcase their skills and their ability to negotiate complex modern issues through their medium of choice. The annual exhibition is held every year in the month of October, was conceptualized as an initiative to set up a fresh focus on the contemporary art where the pathfinders to enunciate this project would be the young generation. The focus here is on the works of young and upcoming artists and their interpretation of contemporary issues through art. With a hiatus in 2011 this year would bring in the best of emerging talent on a level playfield.
The motivation behind the ‘GenNext’ show is to promote the creative potential of young talents below forty years. A clear and transparent selection procedure was conceived for this. The final artists would be selected by a committee comprising artists Chandra Bhattacharya, Chattrapati Dutta, Samindranath Majumdar and Art connoisseur Vikram Bachhawat.
The feature and new addition to this years Gen Next is the formation of an award sponsored by the Avani Group for the next three years the “Avani Gen Next 2012 award “-for the best emerging artist .The award would carry a prize money of Rs ILac with and a certificate of excellence. Over the years the Avani Group has conceptualized and delivered landmark living, leisure and business space. Today a reputed name in Eastern India’s real estate sector , the group has carved a niche for itself in providing residential and commercial solutions.
GenNext I (2006) showcased works of twenty-seven emerging painters, sculptors and printmakers from Eastern India. The show brought together a melange of images and expressions that are compelling, engaging and at the same time confrontational in its discourse with its viewers.
GenNext II (2007) brought together forty young artists from various corners of the country to display delightful medley of expressions, where imageries engaged viewers to respond to new-age visual language. Gen Next II was an endeavour to encourage young artists to blossom unhindered. The show assumed a national perspective.
GenNext III (2008) encapsulated a panoramic vision to build up and brought together a global generation who will be the leaders next to give novel direction to the art world. The show bloomed into an expedition in the exploration of dynamism in thoughts, plurality of ideas, vivacious nature of concepts and their explicit trend of execution. Forty young artists below forty years of age from different corners of the world were selected to deliver their creative potentiality on the same platform. Artists from Austria, USA, Canada, France, Poland, Italy, Bangladesh and Pakistan came together with Indian young contemporaries and initiated a new discourse that set up the fresh geographical contour of the world art map. Again GenNext III was not limited only as a fortnight show. It was exuberantly sewed with workshops and open interactive sessions to form a complete vista of creative journey.
In the GenNext IV (2009) once again thirty-four artists from India, Pakistan, South Korea, Hungary and USA were in assignation for creative expedition in form of painting, sculpture, printmaking, interactive sculpture, video art, photography and installations. A panoramic creative carnival of international stature started on the 1st day of October to commemorate the onset of GenNext IV. Apart from being a fortnight show, GenNext IV provided platform of discourse, debate, ideation and thought process through interactive sessions, symposiums and so on.
GenNext V (2010) showcased paintings, sculptures, textile and fine prints, digital prints, new media, mixed media along with photography, and installations, thus expanding the boundary of the conventional faculties of visual arts. GenNext V crossed beyond borders to all hemispheres of the globe. Though emerged from the City of Joy, Kolkata, it covered far ends of the country and its neighbouring countries like Pakistan, China reaching out to UK, France and Italy. Again another feather was added to its cap of accomplishment as the year three GenNext artists from previous years were given ECA KHOJ Residency. Apart from just an exhibition, GenNext V was a gamut of activities through workshops, symposiums, interactions and so on.
This year to make the show as competitive as possible the huge gamut of over 1000 works from various corners of the universe will be brought down to 10-15 artist .This would ensure the cream of works and two eminent Judges would select the best work and the award would be given to the winner.
Aakriti Art Gallery
Orbit Enclave, 1st Floor
12/3A, Hungerford Street
Kolkata – 700 017
Tel: 91 33 22893027/5041
Fax: 91 33 22895042
Email: aakritiartgallery@yahoo.com
TRALARTE 