SUBODH GUPTA:
AN EXTRAORDINARY AND BEAUTIFUL EXHIBITION.
La Monnaie de Paris always keeps surprising us with its extraordinary and magnificent exhibitions. On this occasion, Le 11 Conti – Monnaie de Paris presents the very first retrospective in France of the internationally renowned contemporary artist Subodh Gupta.
Today, Subodh Gupta is the great guest artist at the Monnaie de Paris. The contemporary artist of Indian origin, is being applauded all over the world for his metal sculptures. His iconic works are mainly composed of stainless steel cookware and objects drawn from everyday life.
The artist plays with direct evocations to his home country through works that deceive the human eye. Everyday objects are transformed by bronze, brass, copper or nickel castings.
The life of the artist.
Subodh was born in 1964 in a small town in Bihar, on of the India’s poorest states. He didn’t need to look very far to find his favorite material. For some artists, marble or wood are their favorite materials. For Subodh it will be stainless steel cookware. A very rare material in Europe, but rather familiar in India.
Painter by training, the artist lives and works in New Delhi, and is interested in many other artistic forms. His works have no limits, he also works with video, photography, sculpture or installations. Subodh Gupta conceives the exhibition as a meeting place, an appointment that one would give oneself, resulting in discussions, exchanges and debates. Some of his works are exhibited in the courtyards and in the heart of the 11 Conti – museum.
The artist’s work.
As if it were a magic trick, the artist manages to amaze everyone with a giant skull made of thousands of stainless steel pans. His most famous work, “Very Hungry God” (2006) represents a skull made of steel utensils, to emphasize the need to feed an ever-hungry god. Between the day-to-day life and the marvelous things of life, Subodh Gupta has managed to take the best of both.
His secret is to play with the surprise element, but in excess. Gupta makes part of the artists who creates all his works from almost nothing. He is an artist with a touching ideas who manages to talk to about the problems of our society without mentioning pathos, on the contrary he speaks with great enthusiasm. His works describe the drama of life with a lot of optimism.
Behind each work, lies a double message, a critique of our contemporary society. Subodh Gupta immortalizes the domestic work, with symbolic works such as “Atta” (2010), an installation in painted bronze, flour, wooden table, “Faith Matter” (2007-2008), installation presenting brass bowls very characteristic from India, “Two Cows” (2003-2008), milk pails in bronze bicycles the best known of his works.
Subodh Gupta also expresses the idea of exile through a brass door (“Door”, 2007), a wooden boat filled with pots held by ropes (“The Pot is in the Water, and the Water is in the Pot”, 2012), or through an aluminum car (“Doot”, 2003).
One of the biggest international stars of contemporary art.
The words of Aurélien Rousseau, CEO of La Monnaie de Paris: “This is the a unique chance, where our universe meets with Subodh Gupta’s universe. Gupta’s metal works have a profound significance in today’s India. This brilliant metal without being precious becomes an object of art, and it shines in the beauty of our society. A unique work made only by metals, with precious iconic significance”.
Do not hesitate to contact us at trianon.rg@wanadoo.fr to help you make your reservation for this superb exhibition.
