'Trashscapes'
Photo Art by Kishan Meena
Found objects from trash have for generations sparked the imagination of the artist. If nothing else then at least the idea of it. This is always reinforced with a title. There is also, some degree of alteration, modification by the artist, to create his own touch, values and political thought. This method is now being critically discussed, as any object taken from its real ‘purpose’ including ‘ready-mades’, constitutes modification of the object because it changes our perception of the utility and purpose of the same. This is exactly what Kishan Meena’s work tries to do.
Artists from India & round the world have dealt with the subject of trash, waste water and other such general daily refuse that man creates, over and over again, in abundance and without much thought. Trash objects have been picked up and relocated in art galleries for a few decades. One of the main objectives of the artist who picks out objects from trash heaps is to rearrange them to make a profound statement and give a new meaning.
Kishan Meena’s work is unique because he has not gone through heaps of trash and rearranged the objects as his eye has remained on flowing waste water in a small polluted river round the corner from where he lives. He has photographed flowing water with toxic waste and debris, stopping it just for the moment when it turns into an abstract visual. Unlike a trash artist he has not picked up anything, nor re arranged it to suit his vision, he has simply shown ‘what it is’. The only manipulation he has done is to mirror the images, and with that, like a magic wand has turned them it into intricate abstract images, almost unrecognizable from what they actually are. Even if critically examined, if not told what the images are about it is difficult to imagine the original source of them.
What is interesting about Kishan Meena’s ‘art’ is that he has taken a flow of extremely toxic waste water and frozen it in time. Unlike many, Meena has not titled any works and leaves them to the imagination of the viewer. One of the images, which has dry stems of grass sticking out, reminds one that nothing lives in this water. With his own humble eye he has made a political statement about life around his own living area showing from such minute detail where the world is going if we do not become more responsible. All the images are photographs, and disturbingly beautiful.
Written by Navroze Contractor
(photographer/ writer)
Kishan Meena
Born 13 MARCH, 1962
EDUCATION
1988 Master of Arts in Philosophy.
1986 Master of Arts in Public Administration.
1986 Foundation of Fine Art from Rajasthan School of Art, Jaipur.
SOLO SHOW
20-24 Fab 2013 Kala Mela by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy, Jaipur,Raj.
24-28 Feb 2012 Kala Mela by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy, Jaipur,Raj.
26-31 Aug 2011 ICCR, Azad Bhavan Art Gallary, New Delhi.
17-22 Nov 2009 Kala Mela by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy, Jaipur,Raj.
1- 7 Des 2007 Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, Raj.
1993,96 Kala Mela by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy Jaipur, Raj.
1990-92 Sheo Das Pura & Kala Mela by Art Council of Rajasthan.
TWO MEN SHOW
12th Feb -14th March 1998 Street Center, River Side, UK.
27th Jan -12th Feb 1998 Ely Library, Grand Avenue, Ely, UK.
14th Nov -11th Des 1997 Barry Hospital, Cardiff, UK.
GROUP SHOW
2013 'Confluence des Arts' a group show of 100 artists at Gallery Artchill, Amber Fort, jaipur.
27th-29th Nov 2012 Jawahar Kala Kendra Jaipur.
03rd-24th march2011 Walse UK.
06th-10th jan 2011 Rajasthan walse exchange exhibition, J.K.K. Jaipur.
13th-15th July 2010 India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi.
2010 State photographic exhibition by Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur.
2008 10 Rajasthan School Of Art Alumni Show J.K.K. Jaipur.
1996 9th Rastriya Kala Mela, Calcutta.
1995 8th Rastriya Kala Mela, Bangalore
1993 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai.
1993 International Exhibition of Art Organised by W.L.R.A. at Jawahar Kala Kendra,Jaipur.
1991 Kala Mela by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy,Jaipur.
1990 West Zone Culture Center, Udaipur.
PARTICIPATION
2009-12 State Exhibition of Art by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy, Jaipur, Raj
1993 2nd Biennale of Creative Photography by Rashtriya Lalit Kala Academy,Delhi.
1991-94 All India Photography Exhibition, Delhi.
1991-92 All India Exhibition of Art by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
1989-95 State Exhibition of Art by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademy.Jaipur,Raj.
PUBLICATION
2012 ART of DUNGARPUR by Jawahar kala kendra Jaipur.
ART CAMP
26th-30 April 2011 Ranthambhour National Park, Swaimadhopur, Rajasthan.
31st-4th June 2011 Dungarpur, Rajasthan.
17th-21st Nov 2011 International Art Camp by MS Univercity, Udaipur.
AWARDS
Kala mela Award 2012 by Rajasthan lalit kala Akademi, Jaipur.
Photography state award 1990 by Dept. of Public Relation, Rajasthan.
ATPRESENT
FREELANCE ARTIST & PHOTOGRAPHER.