Boomerang - the act of re-appearing or returning from a direction that is opposite. There is a sense of familiarity to the boomerang effect. Usually it comes back faster, bigger and closer. The phenomena is present on micro and macro levels of the exhibition. Revisiting the past, the exhibition is a contemporary take on ancient India's texts and traditions of making.
Michal Raz is an Israeli Born and London Based artist who has experienced India through her travels and reading about its culture. In contrast, Viraj Mithani has spent his academic career overseas, but was born and resides in Mumbai. Boomerang is a harmonious meeting point where their works are presented side by side for the first time. Arriving at the same subject from opposite experiences, both artists tackle their individual confrontations, reflections and learnings of India within their works yet stay loyal to their stylistic trajectories.
Raz and Mithani capitalise on a bold colour palette and processes of layering to produce a body of work that might be two-dimensional in nature, yet evokes a sense of fluidity and momentum. On one hand Mithani stylistically revives motifs and tales through representation, his body of work can be read like leaflets of a book where narratives come alive. On the other hand, Raz rejects narratives and playfully toys with semiotics, leaving hidden meanings, metaphors and symbols through her work. Familiar visual associations with 'traditional India' boomerang in front of us, but will we be able to place them?
- Sneha Shah, Curaty Ltd.
