Auroville hosts three expos as homage to artist

Auroville hosts three expos as homage to artist

Auroville is hosting three painting expos through this month in homage to the recently-passed artist Audrey Wallace-Taylor, who founded the Centre for Research, Education, and Experience in the Visual Arts (CREEVA) in the international township.

Black and White: In Life and Beyond, an exhibition and fund-raiser co-hosted by CREEVA and Bharat Nivas, is on at Pitanga Cultural Centre from October 7 to October 24. Another tribute event is under way at the Kala Kendra Art Gallery from October 14 to October 29. Along with these, a third commemoration is scheduled to be hosted by the Centre d’Art, Citadines, on October 27.

The nonagenarian had passed away during a visit to her family in the US in August.

Proceeds from sales of the exhibition will go towards support for CREEVA, which was Audrey’s passion and life mission in Auroville, said Sathya A of CREEVA.

Audrey had established the atelier-equipped unit to serve as a platform for people “to experience art first-hand and overcome their fears, doubts, and myths”. The art studio, for her, was a place where art enthusiasts could experiment with mediums, forms, and themes, hone their art skills, and “explore deeper and find your language and comfort”.

The three exhibitions featuring over a hundred paintings set up a perfect showcase for the versatility of the artist and the diverse media she dabbled in—from acrylic to mixed media to water colours. In between the landscapes, sketches, and works from a favourite pastime of painting cows of the villages surrounding Auroville, the Black and White series ink-on-paper is also counted as among her notable works.

Audrey, who was associated with The San Francisco Art Institute and recipient of a Yaddo Fellowship in Saratoga Springs, New York, and a teaching assistantship with renowned artists such as Francoise Gilot and Harry Sternberg, permanently moved to Auroville in 2007, after being drawn to the universal township during her 1990s tour of India, along with Russia, England, and Ireland.