Making An Impression

The Frank Museum's first display of Indian art showcases contemporary prints.

Contemporary Indian printmaking is on display for the first time at Otterbein College's Frank Museum of Art in Westerville, Ohio, in an exhibition titled "Current Impressions." Selected by New York-based printmaker and curator Vijay Kumar, the 35 prints are in different media including etchings, serigraphs, woodcuts, engravings, aquatints and lithographs.

There were three criteria when Kumar asked the 29 artists to submit their work. First, the prints had to be made by traditional, hands-on methods. "I did not want to include digital (computer-generated) images or scanned-image reproductions," he says. Second, the prints had to be on paper no larger than 56 by 76 centimeters, to make them easy to ship to the United States. Third, the prints had to be recent, done since 2004.

"I am especially pleased that several artists produced a new print series in response to the invitation to submit work for this exhibition," says Kumar, whose first memory of printing dates back to his childhood in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, where he saw woodblock printing on fabric.

The works depict a variety of themes and sensibilities. While Walter D'Souza says "Tricycle," which is part of his series "Ticket to Ride," is a comment about "the present scenario we are journeying through in the subcontinent," Hemavathy Guha's "The Clown" lends itself to multiple interpretations with its use of the traditional clown mask to show moods ranging from glee to pathos.

"I've tried to transform the subtle tones and rhythms of various musical compositions into visual forms," says Bhawani Shankar Sharma of his "Color Symphony."

"The imagery in a few prints can identify their country of origin, but this is not true of most," says Kumar, who planned the show to be diverse in both style and theme. "Some work is humorous, some narrative, some mostly concerned with issues of composition and color. Images by several artists involve galaxies and outer space, many include figures, but all are quite personal."

So, from the rich hues of Uttam Kumar Basak's "Intimacy," the folk motifs in Shahid Parvez's "Friends" to the multidimensional perspectives in Yashpal Chandrakar's "Ten Windows," the exhibition provides a glimpse of the varied palette contemporary Indian printmaking has to offer.

"I attempt to create humor in my work, which comes from the perception and depiction of the incongruities of existence which are always present in the folk and tribal art forms from which I draw my inspiration," says Parvez.

"I look at the scene with a child's curious mind, full of richness as well as complexity. The overall treatment is a subtle blend of an adult's experience and a childlike fantasy."

Other artists participating in the exhibition include Dattatraya Apte, Rajan Fulari, Hanuman Kambli, Vijay Kumar, Avijit Roy and K.R. Subbanna.

The museum is located in Westerville, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, in the house of Lillian Frank, who taught art, theology and philosophy at Otterbein College for 29 years. With the help of her husband, Paul, she converted the former Salem Evangelical Church, built in 1877, into a residence in 1956. The structure was given to the college after she died in 1999, for the purpose of creating a museum for the college's collection. It opened in 2004.

According to museum director Nicholas Hill, small private colleges in Ohio agreed to focus their art collections in particular areas many years ago in order to maximize their resources.

"The Frank Museum of Art has a mission of exhibiting global art exclusively. We have had several…of African and Japanese works but nothing from India," says Hill. "Another reason for the selection of an Indian exhibition was that there is a large Indian American population in the Columbus, Ohio, area."

The exhibition, which is open from April 2 to June 6, came about because of Hill's contact with Kumar at the Manhattan Graphic Center in New York City. Kumar had coordinated a major U.S.-Indian print exhibition in 2004-06 that traveled to India, and Hill's work was included in the show.

Later, when Hill was planning upcoming events he invited Kumar to curate the Indian print exhibition.

Kumar has planned several Indian art shows in the United States, particularly in the New York City region. "There are now more than 10 galleries in Manhattan that show primarily contemporary art from India. Many of their clients are of Indian heritage," he says. Recently, long-established galleries like Marlborough in New York City have also begun exhibiting work by Indian artists.

"Whether or not Indian contemporary art will come to the mainstream of American art only time will tell," he says.

Making Effective Oral Presentation Home

An Oral Presentation is explained as a talk given to a group in which an individual presents his/her view on an issue or a topic based on their reading or research. It is a life blood of any business.

Employee needs good communication skills to interact effectively with their superiors / subordinates; to convey their information effectively in business meetings / presentations / seminars; for proper organizational planning, organizing, co-ordination, leadership, motivation and controlling.

Here are few tips which a presenter needs to follow for a powerful oral communication: - 1. Before the Presentation: -

Know your objective, audiences, the total time allotted the message to be conveyed and the resources available to convey the message. Systematically and logically frame the three main parts of the presentation which are introduction, main body and the conclusion.

o Rehearse and practice the entire presentation.

o Anticipate few questions and prepare their answers.

o Prepare a contingency plan.

2. During the Presentation: -

? Check the equipments, room arrangements and the lay-out.

? Use proper visual aids, diagrams, pictures, graphs, facts, figures, over head projector and power point presentation (templates, design and font).

? Take deep breathing.

? Stay confident, relaxed and be enthusiastic.

? Keep it simple, be concise, to the point and avoid repetition.

? Explain the key points with appropriate stories, examples, anecdotes and demonstrations.

? Emphasize on the key points.

? Never read continuously from the script.

? Use appropriate humour.

? Avoid using too many technical details.

? Emphasize on proper body movement, tone, eye contact, posture and gestures.

? Conclude on time.

? Leave time for discussion and for clarification of points.

3. After the Presentation: -

? Allow question and answer session.

? If you don’t know the answer, don’t lie.

? Take proper audience feedback.

? Find out areas of improvement.

Finally, Australian Research has found that the important elements of communication identified by small, medium and large enterprises are:

• listening and understanding;

• speaking clearly and directly;

• writing to the needs of the audience;

• negotiating responsively;

• reading independently;

• empathizing;

• using numeracy effectively;

• understanding the needs of internal and external customers;

• persuading effectively;

• establishing and using networks;

• being assertive; • sharing information; and

• speaking and writing in languages other than English.==========

Body Language

Eye contact is the most obvious way you communicate. When you are looking at the other person, you show interest. When you fail to make eye contact, you give the impression that the other person is of no importance. Maintain eye contact about 50% of the time in order to look interested, but not aggressive.

Facial expression is another form of non-verbal communication. A smile sends a positive message and is appropriate in all but a life and death situation. Smiling adds warmth and an aura of confidence. Others will be more receptive if you remember to check your expression.

Your mouth gives clues, too, and not just when you are speaking. Mouth movements, such as pursing your lips or twisting them to one side, can indicate that you are thinking about what you are hearing or that you are holding something back.

The position of your head speaks to people. Keeping your head straight, which is not the same as keeping your head on straight, will make you appear self-assured and authoritative. People will take you seriously. Tilt your head to one side if you want to come across as friendly and open.

How receptive you are is suggested by where you place your arms. Arms crossed or folded over your chest say that you have shut other people out and have no interest in them or what they are saying. This position can also say, "I don't agree with you." You might just be cold, but unless you shiver at the same time, the person in front of you may get the wrong message.

How you use your arms can help or hurt your image as well. Waving them about may show enthusiasm to some, but others see this gesture as one of uncertainty and immaturity. The best place for your arms is by your side. You will look confident and relaxed. If this is hard for you, do what you always do when you want to get better at something - practice. After a while, it will feel natural.

The angle of your body gives an indication to others about what's going through your head. Leaning in says, "Tell me more." Leaning away signals you've heard enough. Adding a nod of your head is another way to affirm that you are listening.

Posture is just as important as your grandmother always said it was. Sit or stand erect if you want to be seen as alert and enthusiastic. When you slump in your chair or lean on the wall, you look tired. No one wants to do business with someone who has no energy.

Control your hands by paying attention to where they are. In the business world, particularly when you deal with people from other cultures, your hands need to be seen. That would mean you should keep them out of your pockets and you should resist the urge to put them under the table or behind your back. Having your hands anywhere above the neck, fidgeting with your hair or rubbing your face, is unprofessional.

Legs talk, too. A lot of movement indicates nervousness. How and where you cross them tells others how you feel. The preferred positions for the polished professional are feet flat on the floor or legs crossed at the ankles. The least professional and most offensive position is resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee. Some people call this the "Figure Four." It can make you look arrogant.

The distance you keep from others is crucial if you want to establish good rapport. Standing too close or "in someone's face" will mark you as pushy. Positioning yourself too far away will make you seem standoffish. Neither is what you want so find the happy medium. Most importantly, do what makes the other person feel comfortable. If the person with whom you are speaking keeps backing away from you, stop. Either that person needs space or you need a breath mint.