Ahead of the India Art Fair, Yigal Ozeri earlier delivered a fascinating lecture introducing his work as well as that of his predecessors and contemporaries at the National Gallery of Modern Art.
India Art Fair yet again lived up to its reputation of being the leading platform for showcasing modern and contemporary art from India as well as South Asia. Among the various international artists and designers attending the India Art Fair 2023, two individuals stood out with the sui generis nature of their oeuvres: New York City based Israeli artist Yigal Ozeri and Swiss-Argentine designer Alfredo Häberli.
Yigal Ozeri is best known for his large-scale cinematic portraits of distinctive young women in rich prodigious landscapes. Ozeri brings an ethereal and uninhibited sensibility to his paintings. Many celebrities have already had the privilege of being painted by Ozeri— Whoopi Goldberg, Ai Weiwei, Lizzie Jagger (Mick Jagger and Jeri Hall’s daughter), and Uri Geller to name a few. The global importance of Ozeri’s work was emphasized in 2017 when he was included as one of thirty contemporary artists featured in the exhibition ‘Hyperrealism: 50 Years of Painting’ presented at the Kunsthal Rotterdam.
Ahead of the India Art Fair, Ozeri earlier delivered a fascinating lecture introducing his work as well as that of his predecessors and contemporaries at the National Gallery of Modern Art. “I am incredibly honored to be exhibiting in India. It is a country with so much rich history and culture. I find the vibrant energy and color that runs through the pulse of India connects with my work on many levels. My work deals with intimacy and beauty, but it also deals with reality. I am eager to have my work exposed in India for the first time,” Ozeri rejoiced.
At the India Art Fair, Ozeri premiered his latest series Americana with the artist choosing to focus on ‘the diner’—an institution that has its image engraved into the fabric of American life. Ozeri has elevated the hyperreal genre to astounding new heights. Following his widely successful exhibitions and art fairs in neighboring Asian countries he works are brought to India courtesy of the Bruno Art Group. Ozeri aesthetically captures the most appealing retro-elements from the furniture to the lighting. The chrome accessories reflect pops of neon and bold lines of vibrant colors. The Artist remains true to his painting approach combining sharp detailed brushstrokes with abstract constituents. Speaking about his process Ozeri explained, “At first I go and do a photo shoot. Now, all the photorealistic artists of the 70s or in the 60s for that matter they would admire the photo and copy it exactly. I, on the other hand, follow a process called erasing photography. I take a photograph and then I go to the computer and change it completely. So from the first original I create the new original by erasing. And from that I project and do the drawing and then I paint.”
Also, at the India Art Fair 2023, Rado introduced a special anniversary edition, created in collaboration with Swiss-Argentine designer Alfredo Häberli, along with three new DiaStar Original models that enter the collection with a range of exclusive dial colors. World renowned for designs which are reduced and inventive, Häberli, at the launch said, “Rado DiaStar was the world’s first scratch-proof watch, and it was one of the historic moments in the space of design. 60 years later when I got the opportunity to revamp and redesign this iconic watch, it was one of the most inspiring moments for me as a designer. As I designed the new watch, I imagined it to be bold, edgy, and futuristic keeping the essence of the original DiaStar. I am thrilled to be here at the India Art Fair in India to launch this iconic piece and I hope this watch connects with the audiences here”
The new standard DiaStar Original models feature a parallel-stripe-faceted sapphire crystal, polished and brushed H-link stainless-steel bracelet, and a range of different dial colours in blue, grey and green. Speaking about his association with Rado, Häberli, who has worked with leading design companies including Alias, Camper, Kvadrat, Moroso, Volvo, etc., revealed, “I always dreamt of designing a watch. It began when I started studying industrial design. But, why it took so long? Well, because nobody called me.
I tried to make contact with people within the industry but apparently they weren’t used to working with designers who are well known. The big companies whether it’s the car industry or the watch industry they sometimes don’t want to have our name on their products. But Rado is one company which is very strongly attached to designers and that’s why my name is on it.”