A stroke of faith

Its intriguing how an art gallery can make you forget itrsquos one and remind you of a chapel and a less opulent version of the Vatican Museums all at once But this is perhaps one way of describing the two hours spent at the Nine Fish Art Gallery inside an erstwhile mill compound in Byculla on a Tuesday afternoon The venue is home to Milburn Cherian and Paul Brsquos artworks for this week and it is interestingly the first time that the noted contemporary artists mdash with very distinct styles tied together by their inspiration from Christian art mdash are showcasing their works togetherPaul B with the triptych Emanuels Tale PICSBipin KokateThe exhibition Trilogy Christian Strains of Divine Art is a collaboration between the gallery and the art foundation Dot Line Space Curated by Gourmoni Das it features 17 paintings by Cherian and over 25 works of Paul Itrsquos after six years that Paul who divides his time between Mumbai and the hills is exhibiting his works Thatrsquos how long it takes to create a body of work he says And the work speaks for itselfGourmoni DasAt the entrance is a panel of three artworks called Easter Monstrance Trilogy A closer look reveals that it is intricate work on chicken eggs which Paul cracked open emptied out cleaned and glued back together deftly It is inspired by church festivals dedicated to a saint where a relic of the saint in a monstrance is brought out on special days he informsSigns in the Sky by Cherian is the newest addition to Cherians oeuvreIt is after you move past the panel that the chapellike transformation becomes evident At the centre of the gallery is a huge boat with candles which were lit on the opening night With its many metaphors for Christianity the boat is a fitting addition Facing each other from across the two ends of the space are the two artistsrsquo works While Paulrsquos Virgin amp Child is a 24 carat gold leaf acrylic on canvas set in a carved teak wood sunburst Cherianrsquos Signs from the Sky reflects her signature Renaissanceart inspired style full of such detailing that it reveals a new layer each time you stand before it The huge 62X40 inch acrylic on canvas is Cherianrsquos latest addition to her oeuvreMilburn Cherian in black at the opening of the exhibition A triptych called Emanuelrsquos Tale in a corridor of sorts that connects the gallery spaces at the front and the back is another example of Paulrsquos process that treats the artwork and the display in its entirety A little down the hallway is his series Songs of Faith which features artwork on pickle jars The series became a metaphor for me for preservation of faith and iconography Paul shares referring to how he and Cherian are perhaps the only contemporary artists working in a style inspired by Christian artPaul Bs The Virgin amp ChildInside Cherianrsquos stunning rendition of the Last Supper done as a triptych adorns a wall It needed a wall of its own Paul remarks Itrsquos intriguing that while Paul is selftaught Cherian began painting as a hobby It was at my first Jehangir show that Adil Jussawalla discovered that I was more of a Christian painter even though I had never painted a single religious work she says Paul who comes from a family of pastors is not a Churchgoer I go to church to see what can be restored he sharesSongs of Faith ndash Easter Lullaby by Paul BDas who designed the display of the works puts the surreal afternoon in perspective Imagine these works going up on stark white walls Art needs to be experienced not viewedChristian art in townIt is the old churches in Mumbai including the St Thomas Cathedral Afghan Church and the Blessed Sacrament Church where Christian art is well preserved The Archdiocesan Heritage Museum in Goregaon is worth a visit tooTill June 23 1030 am to 730 pm At The New Great Eastern Mills Byculla Call 8655042300Catch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates