~AJIT CHAUHAN/JACK HANLEY/opens to-nite

AJIT CHAUHAN – ‘STARING AT THE SUN’ – OPENS – SAT MARCH 1 – 7-9PM
the show runs: MARCH 1 – APRIL 5, 2008
JACK HANLEY GALLERY – 136 WATTS ST – TRIBECA – NYC

AJIT CHAUHAN’S – New York debut – this solo show will include video, installations and drawings.

“Ajit Chauhan’s drawings evoke the tradiitional imagery of his parents’ native India with a sharp contemporary edge. Intricate, richly detailed, and delicately drawn in black and sepia ink on recycled pages, his sketches of hesitant symmetry show the hand at work. While illustrating his belief in the necessity for imperfection to enter the artistic process, Chauhan creates works that defy the notion of completion.

“His films capture rural life in remote parts of India, where he traveled frequently and extensively. Departing from narrative-driven documentary form, Chau transforms his footage into an expressive compound, in which he superposes animated drawings and juxtaposes unusual scenes, from boats bulging with oddly shaped huts to stray dogs, to faces of the idle villagers.”
PRESS RELEASE

Ajit # 2
AJIT CHAUHAN/IMAGE COURTESY: JACK HANLEY GALLERY

UP-DATE: MONDAY MARCH 3, 2008

. . . we heard some buzz that . . this guy was supposedly “the inspiration” . . behind DEVENDRA BANHART’S drawings – but – here was nothing to indicate any connection or interesting tangent – such as this – on the press release.

. . . as well, supposedly there was some “beautiful music” – our source didn’t make clear if it was even live or not – though he seemed to have heard it was “Indian”. again, there was no mention – whatsoever – of any musical performance, or sound track, of any kind on the press release.

. . . very strangely, an opinion of how interesting the show itself – was – meaning the art – didn’t accompany the brief conversation.

the gallery now seems to have a phone in place: 1-646-918-6824

JACK HANLEY GALLERY