After a month-long artistic immersion in Lucknow, international artists Jakob Veigar and John B McGarity presented their works at a private art gallery, turning the space into a canvas of global perspectives and local inspiration. The exhibition, Form, Matter, Meaning, marked the culmination of the India International Artist Residency Program, celebrating cross-cultural exchange and creative dialogue.
Alok Vishwakarma
(L-R) Heena Badlani, Taruka Srivastav and Juwaira
The show was inaugurated by Professor Jai Krishna Agrawal, Anju Maurya and John, followed by a ceremonial lamp lighting. However, Jakob couldn’t make it to the exhibition as he flew back to Italy. The evening saw photographer Ajaish Jaiswal, Taruka Srivastava and Shams Warsi among those engaging in conversations around the displayed works.
(L) Ayush Katiyar and Himansh Prakash (R) Bhupendra Asthana and Ajaish Jaiswal
(L) Dheeraj Yadav and Harish Ojha (R) John B McGarity
(L) Prof Jai Krishna Agarwal (R) Sonal Varshneya and Anju Maurya
During their four-week stay, the artists explored the city’s cultural and sensory landscape. Reflecting on his artistic journey, John, one of the artists present at the exhibit, shared, “My work explored the intersections of identity, history and legacy. I drew inspiration from folklore, spiritual traditions and the structures of the city. I used ash and powdered kulhads transformed into pigment and mixed into acrylic gel to create canvases that carry both metaphorical and physical meaning.”— Amina Ashraf
