Thursday 16 August 2012

Platters for animals




Ceramic platters to raise money for animal shelters
People for Animals (PFA) is featuring ceramic platters at its annual fundraiser. A thousand-odd original platters by artists, from all over the country, will be on sale. “There is a wide range of platters from 18 inches to 24 inches in diameter, which are priced between Rs. 5,000 and a lakh,” said Shilpa Chaudhary of the PFA. The unique handcrafted pieces have been done by renowned artists including Yogesh Mahida, Kristine Michael, Jyoti Bhatt, Vinod Daroz and Rini Dhumal.
PFA, headed by Lok Sabha member Maneka Gandhi, lobbies for animals rights and conducts advocacy campaigns in India. They also run a network of veterinary health centres and mobile hospitals and carry out animal disaster rescue missions all across the country. PFA aims to have an animal welfare centre in every district in India.PFA is aiming at generating Rs. 60 lakhs from the sale.
While regular potters are apprehensive about experimenting with shapes, for fear of them cracking in the furnace, these artists have spent months experimenting with shapes, using the finest clays and glazes to create these masterpieces. They are in various shapes and textures inspired by themes like space, the sea and auto rickshaws. There are brilliant works that can fit ones budget too — like Leena Batra’s platter — based on the fairytale The Frog Prince— which costs only Rs.6000. The works are like paintings with three dimensions. Works like those by Neha Pullarwar and Neera Makhija have an aboriginal fossilised look to them, while Keshari Nandan’s clouds on a black platter have an antique Greek touch to it.
PFA’s annual fundraisers — taking place since 1987 — concentrate on emerging genres in the art market. Previous exhibitions have featured porcelain mugs, designer T-shirts, antique tiles and Raj-era lithographs. The prices of the platters, according to the PFA, are lower than those in the open market. So if you want to stock up your art collection, what better time and cause than this.
The exhibition is from August 17 to August 19 at The Lalit on Barakhamba Road.

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