PRESS RELEASE
MAYYUR KAILASH GUPTA, solo exhibition
Aicon Gallery, Palo Alto
June 13 – July 12
Opening reception Friday, June 13, 2008, 6-9 p.m.
PALO ALTO, Calif., June 13, 2008- Aicon Gallery, 535 Bryant Street, Palo Alto will present a solo exhibition of the works of Mayyur Kailash Gupta from June 13 through July 12, 2008. An opening reception will be held on Friday, June 13 from 6-9 p.m. The show will be the artist's first solo exhibition with Aicon Gallery. His work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout India; this is the artist's first showing in the United States.
Mayyur Kailash Gupta's latest body of work explores the inherent beauty in the most feature-filled and personality-laden form of the human body: the face. Emblematic of so many things– life, interaction, communication– Mayyur's newest creations are a celebration of that which we come across every day. Observers of Mayyur's past work are aware of his ability to cull the seemingly mundane from his surroundings and allow objects to transcend and metamorphose into cherished tokens that reflect his own experiences. With this new collection of forms, Mayyur addresses a subject far more difficult to distill. The heads are crafted with meticulous care, lending a sense of preciousness that one might think appropriate to the depiction of an idol. Their expressions are reserved, but the totemic figures have a definite undertone of complacency and a noir quality that indicates emotion beyond their cold exteriors. Thus, even though the characteristics attributed to each sculpture are condensed to the barest of minimums, each form exudes a personality that is at once tranquil and arresting. Mayyur has accomplished a balance of elegance and force that many are unable to identify, much less express in physical form.
Born in 1961, Mayyur Kailash Gupta's sculptures have been shown extensively throughout India and abroad. Mayyur has been recognized internationally, having received the Charles Wallace India Trust Award fellowship for the UK, along with several other accolades. The artist lives and works in Baroda.
For further information and images please contact Shona Dutta, Gallery Director, at 650.321.4900 or shona@aicongallery.com