Vizooka
Awadhesh
Misra is an artist devoted in spirit and practice to Indian culture and its
enduring traditional ethos. Across every phase of his artistic journey, his
works seem to unveil ever-expanding dimensions of Indian civilizational life.
His sharpened artistic vision continually offered him new subjects to
explore—at times the simplicity of rural existence, at others the innocence and
exuberance woven into village life; sometimes the emotional world of
studenthood, and at others the lingering tenderness of childhood memories. Yet,
around the year 2007, the figure of the Vizooka—the scarecrow—entered his
artistic vocabulary almost imperceptibly and remained a dominant motif in his
oeuvre for many years thereafter. Reflecting upon this emergence, the artist
remarks, “Having lived amidst a rural landscape since childhood, I was always
frightened by the scarecrow. But as my faculty of observation and understanding
evolved, I began to perceive it in many different forms. In the same process,
the canvas of my expression kept widening.”
For
the artist, the scarecrow is not merely a rustic object standing amidst fields;
it is the embodiment of an entire cultural consciousness. It evokes a world in
which human life, from birth to marriage, is nurtured through songs of
collective welfare and shared joy. It recalls a society where values and
rituals delicately weave happiness into everyday existence, where the
agricultural cycle—from sowing seeds to harvesting ripe grain—is celebrated
through festivals steeped in music, rhythm, and communal participation. It is a
culture in which hospitality survives even amidst deprivation, where a guest is
honoured despite personal hunger, and where kinship transcends blood relations,
allowing an entire village to become an extended family. In such a world, the
wisdom of the elderly commands moral legitimacy even in matters concerning
households beyond their own.
The
background of the Vizooka series draws from the cultural and traditional fabric
of a vast geographical expanse of India. Over generations, the scarecrow has
silently witnessed the transformations of society and the unfolding of history.
Having grown up listening to tales of ghosts and spirits, Awadhesh once feared
the scarecrow deeply. That fear gradually etched itself onto his psychological
landscape and later transformed into a profound metaphor through which he began
to perceive the negativity embedded within individuals, institutions, and
social systems. At times he viewed the scarecrow as a helpless being—one upon
whom any form of violence or injury may be inflicted without resistance.
Elsewhere it appears as an illusion, a deceptive form perceived as something it
is not. In another context, it assumes a frightening presence that terrifies
birds and animals in the fields, just as structures of power intimidate the
weak within society.
As
the series evolved, the appearance of the scarecrow underwent striking
transformations. No longer clad in torn rustic garments, it begins to appear in
coats and ties; in some works it even stands armed with a rifle. Yet, through a
deliberate irony, the artist simultaneously strips it of its original purpose
and authority. In certain paintings, a crow calmly rests upon its head—as
though the very creatures once meant to fear it have ceased to acknowledge its
power. The scarecrow has abandoned its foundational meaning and moral
relevance. The world has moved beyond it; its presence no longer inspires fear
or respect. This loss of significance becomes even more poignant in images
where animals are shown feeding upon the very clothes suspended upon its wooden
frame.
Broadly
speaking, the dominant character articulated through this series is that of
negation and absurdity—a figure alienated from its authentic self, its cultural
grounding, and its human sensitivity. Through this metaphor, the artist
launches a powerful critique of contemporary society, governance, and public
morality. In one painting, a judge and an advocate stand beneath the same
umbrella, symbolising complicity and collusion within systems of justice. In
another, three heads emerge from a single oversized kurta worn by a scarecrow,
sharply satirising political dynasties whose members outwardly belong to
different parties while remaining united by shared self-interest. The artist
also directs his irony toward a public indifferent to civic discipline, portraying
a scarecrow riding a donkey alongside five individuals crammed onto a
motorcycle in open disregard of law and order.
Rendered
boldly in oil through the experimental use of rollers, this series of nearly
fifty paintings was exhibited with considerable success in 2009 at Bharat
Bhawan, Bhopal and Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, 2011 at Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Azad
Bhavan in New Delhi, Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, Gallery Art2Day in Pune
and Thane Kala Bhavan Art Gallery in Thane.
Awadhesh Misra, Composition-04,2011, Oil on Canvas, 75x120 Cms
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-01,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-01,2010, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-01,2011, Oil on Canvas, 75x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-02,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-02,2009,Acrylic on Paper, 120x150 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-02,2010, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms. |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-02,2011, Oil on Canvas, 75x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-03,2010, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-03,2011, Oil on Canvas, 75x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-04,2010, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-05,2010, Oil on Canvas, 75x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-06,2008,Oil on Canvas, 90x120 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-07,2008,Oil on Canvas, 90x120 cms |
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Awadhesh Misra, Composition-07,2009,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms
NOT AVAILABLE |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-09,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-09,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms |
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Awadhesh Misra, Composition-11,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms
NOT AVAILABLE |
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Awadhesh Misra, Composition-11,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms
NOT AVAILABLE |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-12,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-13,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-13,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-14,2008,Oil on Canvas, 120x120 cms |
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Awadhesh Misra, Composition-15,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms
NOT AVAILABLE |
Awadhesh Misra, Composition-05,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms
Awadhesh Misra, Composition-06,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms
Awadhesh Misra, Composition-07,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms
Awadhesh Misra, Composition-08,2011, Oil on Canvas, 120x120 Cms
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-24,2007,Oil on Canvas, 120x240cm |
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| Awadhesh Misra, Composition-25,2007,Oil on Canvas, 120x360cm |
रंगों का अद्भुत संगम । किन्हीं किन्हीं चित्रों में भावनात्मक अभिव्यक्ति अत्यंत स्पष्ट, साफ और उजागर है । कहीं कहीं चित्र का अभिनय कर्ता जीवंत और बोलने को उत्सुक और उत्साहित भी दिखता है ।
ReplyDeleteअवधेश जी,आपको ..आपकी कला क्षमता और कलाकृतियों के लिए साधुवाद 🙏
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