Humans have evolved to become like bees, we’re a paradox of sorts, says artist and curator of Grune Elefant Art, a city based virtual art gallery, Mark D’Cruz. "From a society of hunters who moved around and trusted one another to live, we have become bees who live in different cells of the hive, together but incredibly alone," he said.
His latest art collective called the Solitude of the Human Hive is a journey through this complicated structure that serves as our nest through the eyes of nine different artists. “At the rate at which we are evolving, I doubt we stop and think about where it is we’re heading. We’re connected to hundreds of people everyday but find ourselves lonely,” says D’Cruz, “We’ve colonised nature and its wildlife, taken whatever we’ve wanted irrespective of the damage. Co-existing has become almost impossible yet we scramble to make connections.”
Incredibly relatable, simplicity is the essence of his work and the entire collections stays true to that. “Each of the seven billion people of the world will have felt these emotions at one point in their lives or another. The art is about the most basic emotions that are triggered by incidents, like coming home, or memories of one’s childhood,” he adds.
The 25 piece art exhibit not only has perspectives, but a variety of themes and styles surrounding human beings and their relationships with each other and their surroundings. French artist Emilie Moreau, who is one of the contributors is bringing the pop art flavour to the exhibit, explains D’Cruz.
By Uma Krishnamoorthy
“She works with animal welfare and her art depicts her experiences in this very colourful technique.” There are portrayals of Benaras by Uma Krishnamoorthy and a painting called the Sunset Years that captures life in Jeruselum today through her eyes. There are a bunch of abstract pieces by Girish Udkude that are based on human relationship with nature, and pieces of water colour on paper by Chitrakala Parishath alumni Srividya.
An interesting painting on the Bhopal gas tragedy by artist Sana Khan is also a part of the collection that depicts a small child gaping at the sky with her mouth open, perhaps waiting to quench her thirst at a time when the gas leak had made water undrinkable. “I firmly believe that even if one's mind takes the time to stop and think and look for a way forward to coexisting, the show will have done its job,” says D’Cruz.
The curator, a contributor and the brains and heart behind the exhibit, D’Cruz experienced his first brush with art when he was about 8 years old and it left quite an impression. They are some of the happiest memories of his childhood, he says. “I wanted to pursue art as a career but as life usually goes, I had to go do more important things,” he says, making air quotes. After working in the corporate sector all his life with his heart still standing its ground in an art class, the 43 year old decided one day that enough was enough, he had to follow his calling. One of his artworks in the collection tells this story, a story he likes to call Homeward Bound, after the popular Simon and Garfunkel 1996 hit.
“I saw this cluster of clouds, dark and majestic floating on top of this long, never ending road. As I stared, I saw the silver lining. I was en route to Bengaluru with my wife, taking a break from the city trying to figure things out and still grasping on the uncertain reality of what I had just done. For some reason, in that one moment, I felt like I was finally going home. I was finally listening to my heart.”
What: Solitude of the Human Hive, an art exhibition hosted by Grüne Elefant Art When: May 9th to May 14th, all day
Where: Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath
