India Abroad (24/Sep/1993) - Film Directors' Drawings
Details
- article: Film Directors' Drawings
- author(s): Mira Advani
- newspaper: India Abroad (24/Sep/1993)
- keywords: Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, New York City, New York
Article
Film Directors' Drawings
Drawings of Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurasawa, Alfred Hitchcock, Federico Fellini and Martin Scorsese along with 10 other renowned film directors are featured in an exhibition at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences here.
Titled "Drawing Into Film," the show, which runs till Oct. 12, juxtaposes the directors' original concepts on paper with the actual scenes as they were later created on film.
The display includes Ray's drawings for the 1974 film "Sonar Kela," a book of drawings on sitarist Ravi Shankar that remained as one of the late film maker's unfinished projects. From 1977 Work
From the 1977 acclaimed film, "Shatranj ke Khilari," there is a drawing of the movie's poster in watercolor and graphite ink, complete with the names of the entire cast in the director's handwriting. Also from the same work are two pencil drawings of the study room set, detailing every object and piece of furniture in the room.
The exhibit was featured earlier this year at the Pace Gallery in New York, and the concept was originated by the gallery's owner, Arnold Glimchar (producer of "Gorillas in the Mist" and director of "Mambo Kings").
Curated by his son Mark Glimchar, the multimedia exhibit includes preproduction drawings, production stills of the same images and film clips on videotape that show the completed scene. At Calcutta Gallery
In an interview with India Abroad, Glimchar said that Ray's inclusion in the show came about as a result of his association with a Calcutta gallery owner, Rakhi Sarkar.
Glimchar said, "Sarkar was starting a new gallery and we were working with her. I mentioned the director's show to her in passing and found out that they were best friends with the whole Ray family."
Glimchar planned the trip to India and visited Ray's home in Calcutta, "and went through all the rooms, looked through everything," he said. The collection of drawings had to go through legal channels instead of accompanying him on the plane, he recalled.
Of the complete collection, he said, "There are 25 drawings — costume drawings, set drawings — and there are drawings for posters".
The exhibition is on display along with 40 works by notable art directors and production designers at the academy building. Both displays are open free to the public.
