IPL 2013: Delhi Daredevils to give tournament artistic touch
“Batting for Art…Khelo Front Foot Pe” initiative by the Delhi Daredevils includes a suite of works of around 15 artists © AFP (Representation Pic)
New Delhi: Mar 28, 2013
The upcoming Indian Premier League will witness an artistic flourish, especially during matches involving the Delhi Daredevils team, which has got together a clutch of celebrated and upcoming artists to capture the diverse and vibrant spirit of the game and its players.
Custom-built large-sized five-inch cricket bats, each painted in different styles by 15 artists are set to be exhibited at the various IPL match venues as well as other places like the airport before being finally auctioned off.
“Batting for Art…Khelo Front Foot Pe” initiative by the Delhi Daredevils includes a suite of works of artists Binoy Varghese, Chintan Upadhayay, Dileep Sharma, Farhad Husain, Jayasri Burman, Kanchan Chander, Khem Vaishnav, Neeraj Goswami, Paresh Maity, Sanjay Bhattacharya, Satish Gupta, Seema Kohli, Sidharth, Thota Vaikuntam and Yusuf Arakkal.
A desktop calendar documenting the works of art would also be bought out.
The funds raised in the auction of the works and a dinner GMR Sports, owners of the Delhi Daredevils IPL franchise, are set to support the Arts for All Residency Programme and its other initiatives.
“To create a build up for the finale, the creations will be displayed at the marquee in Feroz Shah Kotla when the team plays its home games and other locations including the airport.
“The idea is to make this exhibition popular and to reach a larger audience. The finale will be a high-profile event that would include a gala dinner in New Delhi in the presence of the artists and players,” says organisers.
While artist Paresh Maity celebrates cricket using his signature vibrant, rich, linear colours along with stylised figures and motifs of birds etc, Binoy Varghese uses his trademark colourful foliage to reflect the rich and colourful game of cricket.
Chintan Upadhyay has titled his creation “Hit The Ball” styling his signature baby icons “Chintu” in a playful and enthusiastic stance.
Farhad Hussain decorates the cricket bat with fun-filled kitchish work and Kanchan Chander in her forte style has painted the players in action using mixed media embellishing the team members as well as their fans and sponsors in the vibrant colours of the team logo.
Yusuf Arakkal, who is a passionate cricket buff himself, expresses his love for the sport by choosing to emphasise on the greenery associated with the cricket pitch.
Dileep Sharma in his vein of popular culture demonstrates the fantasy, energy, zeal, power and romances of the game. His figure forms in recurring motifs variously cropped are linked to modern icons in media, sports and glamour in a heady mix of pop and fun.
For Seema Kohli, myth acquires relevance and she paints a contemporary story using ancient legend. Noted sculptor Satish Gupta in his work titled “Buddha in Cricket” plays with the primal colours.
Khem Vaishnav portrays the tribal and local life and culture of Chhattisgarh in his folk language, Jagaar.
Sidharth supports his favourite DD team and employs his signature human figure along with his stylised calligraphic doodling that reads cricket is great meditation while also being all about fun.
Sanjay Bhattacharya depicts Krishna as the biggest player of the universe who in his childhood played with Radha and gopies and later played as the main player in the Mahabharata.
The youthful, charismatic and passionate spirit of Lord Krishna is taken forward by the Delhi Daredevil players.
Jayasri Burman plays around with myths and mythology and has illustrated various Gods.
Neeraj Goswami, in his work tiltled “Golden Bat of Hope”, makes use of the rich gold colour along with the radiance and vibrancy of his palette reflecting the ethos of the DD team.
Thota Vaikuntam’s paintings in his multiple small format carries differently colourful and bold imagery of the Telangana beauties and pandits.
“A holistic representation is formed in the show as a confluence and merging of cricket played by the Delhi Daredevils and modes of expressions that the ensemble of 15 artists in ‘Batting for Art’ from around the country and with different sensibilities, have especially put together for the exhibition,” according to organisers.