Kanchan Chander Featured at New Indian Gallery in Singapore

July 31, Singapore
The works of New-Delhi-born artist, Kanchan Chander are among those being featured at a new Indian art gallery and boutique in Singapore opening today, which aims to revive craft forms that are in danger of dying out.

Art products on exhibition were sourced and commissioned from across India and the rest of the world, said the Sandalwood Room boutique owner Jayashree Mani.

“Central to The Sandalwood Room concept is an eye for unique products, hand crafted workmanship and artistry,” said Mani, an engineer from Chennai who invested in the boutique here.

“Many of the products are also sourced from designers who are committed to reviving dying craft forms and provide employment to the underprivileged, making The Sandalwood Room a socially-aware enterprise,” she said.

Talking on the art business prospects in Singapore, Mani said, “We do believe that there is a very sound market for our products.”

“The concept will appeal to arts and craft lovers, artistic Singaporeans and well-travelled expatriates seeking an interesting and rewarding retail experience in which product lines will be rejuvenated each month,” said Mani.

The Sandalwood Room opened with a range of products from the renowned artist Chander, who creates mixed media art inspired by the sights and ambience of the old bazaars of Delhi, stars of classic Hollywood and Bollywood cinema, and the modern aesthetics.

Speaking to PTI at the opening of the boutique, Chander said her work was already being widely showcased across India, Europe and Japan.

It would now be on show at the boutique, a concept of collaboration between Mani and retail consultant Mathangi Srinivasamurti, who is also from Chennai.

Kanchan Chander

Born 1957 in Delhi Kanchan received her formal training in Painting and Printmaking at various institutions and in different continents including the College of Art at Delhi, Kunsthochschule at Berlin, Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris and Art School at Santiago in Chile.

Later she joined the Delhi College of Art first on a research fellowship and then as a teacher for a few years before turning freelance. Her earlier work was primarily in print making featuring tribal imagery of the Shakti cult while in her subsequent work she took to collage and brightly painted female torsos, bedecked with sequins, silver leaf and beads, portraying the fertility, the erotic and the sensuousness of female form and her multiple roles in life. This infatuation with feminine issues and body has now expanded to incorporate other female legends mainly Freda Kahlo, mixing embellishments, photographs, drawing with painting on canvas, wood and other material.

Accolades to her credit include AIFCAS Delhi and Print Biennale Bradford UK awards. Her work has been exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions in India and other countries including Australia, London and Nepal and found its place in varied collections including the V&A London, Fukuoka Museum Japan, Mumbai Airport and Air India amongst others. The artist lives and works in Delhi.