Art for one, art for all

Jogen Chowdhury

Affordable art has a slight downmarket twang to it. At least Mumbai art circles turn their noses up at those who cannot afford the real thing. But Jogen Chowdhury's exhibitions of serigraphs at Pundole Art Gallery, Fountain, is drawing a big number of aficionados. .

The word serigraph literally means to draw through silk. A serigraph is a fine art print, which has been produced using the screen-printing method, thus more precisely making it a fine art screen print. Lavesh Jagasia of The Serigraph Studio located in Bandra is holding the exhibition, which runs till July 9. The Jogen Chowdhury serigraphs are originals and the artist guarantees no further prints will be made. Serigraphs are considerably cheaper than real paintings, and cost thousands instead of the crores that many Indian artists command nowadays. However, said Jagasia at the launch, "It is not that people who buy serigraphs cannot afford real paintings, it is just that the particular painting by the artist may have been sold out." The serigraphs in question are priced at Rs 18,000 each. Even as Mumbai's arty crowd bit through paneer starters and quaffed down wine as it meandered through the gallery, one was struck by Jogen Chowdhury's work. His serigraphs depict people from ordinary life. Men with civilian paunches, women fatigued by daily chores, mundane, everyday, and yet, compelling at the same time. .