The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bringing alive his `Delhi Days'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 14, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Bringing alive his `Delhi Days'

Mandira Nayar

ARTISTE FROM AUSTRIA: Rudi Benetik is holding his exhibition of collages in Delhi till March 23.

NEW DELHI: Rudi Benetik likes the "speed of India". Looking for colours other than green, this Austrian artist has "pressed" his experiences in collages to tell the story of his "Delhi Days''.

Like his work, he talks in pictures. Giving minute details about a motif in his collage -- the letter "ch" in Hindi -- cut from a newspaper and carefully pasted on the side of his canvas, he attempts to stick together his impressions.

"I love that," he says, pointing to the Hindi alphabet on his canvas. "It is like a painting to me. I don't usually use green as Austria and Europe is all green. But in my collage here I have used it to symbolise exotic. There is red in Austria but not so deep," he says smiling.

In the Capital as part of Austria's attempt to present its outstanding contemporary artists to India during its presidency of the European Union, Benetik is one of Carinthia's most important artists. His work, 37 collages -- all made in India -- are on display at an exhibition that opened at the Visual Arts Gallery here on Monday. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Austrian Ambassador, Jutta Stefan-Bastl.

Big wide spaces with a broken petal of bougainvillea or a thumbprint, Benetik's collages are patterns of his experiences in the city. From block-printed black and white pieces of cloth or pale turquoise blue swatches sourced from tailoring shops, Benetik's "Delhi Days" is a refreshing look at the tiny details that go into making the city's day, but are often forgotten, except to the eyes of a newcomer.

"People are always in a hurry and there is quick traffic in India. I can work here in tranquillity. I like white spaces to make my composition. I like putting only little things, I don't like big things," he says pointing to the white tiles on the floor.

While finding peace in the midst of chaos might sound like a paradox, but for Benetik, who comes from a country with wide-open spaces and peace, it seems to work just fine. "I brought my canvases from home and have finished them here. I have been coming to India for the past four years. But this is my first exhibition here. I am very excited," says Benetik.

The exhibition is open up to March 23 at India Habitat Centre.

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