IIFA BUZZ - Picture House: The Art of Bollywood

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Picture House: The Art of Bollywood is a tribute to the unique art practice that has evolved over the last 75 years in India. Hand painted cinema billboards and posters have been created by three generations of talented artists. Some of these artists studied at India’s best art schools while others apprenticed in studios from an early age and grew up learning the techniques and styles of painting from their fathers or mentors. They have, however, largely remained as unsung heroes.

Works by 10 of the most prolific artists from billboard/poster making industry in India with careers spanning over several years have been selected to provide a full perspective on the development of this very distinct and prominent art practice.

Canadian Community Arts Initiative is pleased to bring together this effort with Art Gallery of Mississauga to the viewers in Canada. This exhibition is our effort to show you that Indian Cinema is much more then just Bollywood. As an industry it is one of the largest in the world but it is also a testament to the vibrant life force that courses through the veins of South Asian artists and artisans.

The exhibition includes a wide selection of original hand painted posters and billboards from local and international collections.

Exhibition also includes a video installation by Mike Hanson as he responds to a 1926 clip of Hollywood short film.

Talks about Indian Cinema , contemporary practices , set designing and art produced by Indian Cinema will be part of the programing as well.

Speakers include Dr, Thomas Waugh from Concordia University 19 May ,while Cyrus Sunder Singh presents "Painted Nation; a talk about the billboard painters and poster painters of India" on Thursday 16 of June .
It is Presented by CIBC a Production of Canadian Community Arts Initiative, An IIFA buzz event... in collaboration with the South Asian Gallery of Art and the Art Gallery of Mississauga

Curated by Ali Adil Khan, Asma Arshad Mahmood and Robert Freeman, Exhibition runs from May 12-July 10, 2011.

For further information, visit www.mississauga.ca/iifabuzz.