AstaGuru auction offers diverse collection of works by leading contemporary artists

Team L&M

The next edition of AstaGuru’s two-day auction titled Present Future Contemporary Art Auction that begins tomorrow is an eclectic assortment of artworks by leading contemporary artists. There would be over 100 works in diverse styles, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and mixed media art representing the prevalent art trends, giving an insight into the future of contemporary art.

Artists whose works are being put up on auction include Anish Kapoor, Bharti Kher, Atul Dodiya, Jitish Kallat, Nataraj Sharma, Valay Shende, Suryakant Lokhande, Ranbir Singh Kaleka, Surendran Nair, Bose Krishnamachari, NS Harsha, Jagannath Panda, Mithu Sen, Baiju Parthan, Chittrovanu Mazumdar, TV Santhosh, Jayashree Chakravarty, Sheila Makhijani, GR Iranna, Mrinalini Mukherjee, Sudhir Patwardhan, among others.

Talking about the upcoming auction, Ankita Talreja, AVP, AstaGuru Auction House, says, “These artists are reshaping the narrative of Indian art in the modern era. Rooted in their individual histories and cultural backgrounds, these experiential creations possess a unique blend of personal and universal elements. They mirror the rich diversity of contemporary Indian art, not only in terms of subject matter but also through the array of styles and techniques employed. Furthermore, these artists’ unconventional use of materials adds an innovative aesthetic dimension to the evolving landscape of contemporary art in India. These experimentative practices have steadily sparked significant interest among collectors who are consistently looking to diversify their art collections.”

Among the highlights of the auction are three works by internationally renowned artist Anish Kapoor. Besides his other works, Lot No 31 belongs to the notable series of mirroresque stainless steel discs, which he began creating in the late 1990s.

Lot No 73 titled Seeing Some Things Better, is a signature style bindi creation by Bharti Kher. In this work, bindis arranged meticulously in vibrant chromatic constellations swarm across the surface, creating a multi-layered visual effect.

On offer are three signature style works by artist Valay Shende. These works depict wildlife through life-size sculptures, and are executed in bold colours and metallic hues.

Lot No 8 is a large-scale work by artist Jitish Kallat titled Frozen Footnotes – 1’.

Lot No 15 by artist Atul Dodiya belongs to his creations centred around Mahatma Gandhi, for which he first gained recognition during the 1990s.

Two works by artist Nalini Malani will also be showcased.

Lot No 52 titled Quietly Flows The River, is a captivating creation by Nalini Malani from her series Living in Alicetime series, which delves into the multifaceted relationship between women and their environments, using Lewis Carroll’s iconic character Alice as the central protagonist.

Lot No 44 and Lot No 109 are two sculptures from Mrinalini Mukherjee’s seminal Natural History series executing with bronze.

A colossal work by artist Baiju Parthan, spanning 24 feet is also among the auction highlights. Titled Gargoyle River, the sprawling tetraptych with four panels presents distinctive scenes, each infused with profound mythic implications and historical references.

Lot No 95, is a work by artist Nataraj Sharma. Titled Sama Talav, the large-scale work scaling six feet depicts Lake Sama in the city of Vadodara, where the artist resides.

Lot No 106 is a beautiful rendition of Lord Krishna playing the flute by artist Suryakant Lokhande. Executed in his distinctive style and preferred medium of high gloss oil on canvas, the large-scale painting reaching five feet, exudes an aura of vivacity and draws the viewers to Krishna’s musical enchantment.