The Amalgamation 8 show lends a helping hand to youngsters

Aparimita Sapru curates an exhibition of paintings, prints, ceramics and sculptures by 30 Indian and international artists at Cymroza Art Gallery

Here’s art for a cause. Mumbai-based Cymroza Art Gallery’s new mixed show ‘Amalgamation 8’ with 30 established and emerging Indian and international artists features paintings, prints, ceramics and sculptures. Curated by artist Aparimita Sapru, the exhibition will be held from September 2 to 5. A portion of the proceeds will go to fund two projects of The Rotary Club of Mumbai Juhu – Aadhar, a home for 335+ intellectually disabled people in Badlapur, Nasik, Jalgaon and Sholapur, as well as an NGO Sakshi with its flagship programme The Rakshin Project that aims to raise a generation of responsible adults to protect children from sexual offences.

Besides fibreglass, ceramics and bronze sculptures, around 70 canvases – abstracts and semi-abstracts, realistic, figurative and spiritual – in acrylic, watercolour, oil, and pen will be mounted on the walls.

This eighth edition of the show features works of contemporary and acclaimed artists handpicked by Aparimita such as veteran Prakash Bal Joshi, Shashikant Dhotre, Paramesh Paul, Ratan Saha, Om Swami, Sandeep Chattraband, Mahesh Anjarlekar and Swati Pasar. Other participating artists include Swarupa Bhosale, Sanjeeta Ahmed, Kadambari Mehta, Pooja Vivek Balkundre, Cdr. Shantaram Rawool, Deepa Kulkarni, Sudipta Adhikari, Amisha Mehta, Gauri Gulati, Abid Kanchwala, Alka Pandey, Qureysh Basrai, Rakhee Shah, Uma Krishnamoorthy, Rao Ranveer, Shobha Patki, Sulochana Gawde, Preksha Lal, Kajal Shahdadpuri, Rashmi Bajaj, Nandita Desai and Namrata Jain.

Says Aparimita, an alumnus of Sir J J School of Art, “Even as a fledgling artist, I realised the need for an organised manner to showcase artistic talent, and that’s how my curatorial journey began in 2012. I use my company Expopedia to scout talent from across India and abroad, and following a careful selection process, we accept artists into our fold.”

The first group show Amalgamation 1 in 2013 held in Mumbai had Javed Akhtar as the chief guest. “ I am truly overwhelmed with the response we have garnered from the art world,” adds Aparimita.