Exhibition reimagines classic 'In the Mood for Love' on canvas

New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) Inspired by Wong Kar-Wai’s 2000 seminal film "In the Mood for Love", a solo exhibition by contemporary artist Varad Bang, starting Wednesday, is an exploration of love, longing, and the quiet ache of unspoken emotions.

Held at Gallery Pristine Contemporary, which has been transformed by renowned designer Sumant Jayakrishnan with an evocative set design that projects a poetic interplay of light, form, and emotion, "The Weight of Love" stands as a testament to the profound dialogue between film and fine art.

Like the movie, Bang’s paintings unfold in layers, revealing glimpses of tenderness, distance, and nostalgia. His canvases capture the weight of longing in shadowed hallways, rain-soaked streets, and the soft glow of neon reflections.

The exhibition, according to the organiser, is not only a tribute to "In the Mood for Love" but also a meditation on how love lingers in memory, much like a scent, a song, or a half-forgotten dream.

"By distilling the essence of fleeting glances, solitude, and unvoiced yearnings, Bang challenges the boundaries between film and fine art, inviting viewers to engage with cinema in an entirely new way. 'The Weight of Love' transcends nostalgia, offering a fresh lens on the eternal beauty of human connection," Arjun Sawhney and Arjun Butani, co-founders of Gallery Pristine Contemporary, said in a statement.

"In the Mood for Love", starring Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, is often considered one of the most beautiful and emotionally resonant films. It's a quiet, aching story of love, longing, and missed opportunities, set in 1960s Hong Kong.

Bang’s engagement with film as a source of artistic inspiration places him within a lineage of celebrated artists who have drawn from cinema’s visual and emotional language.

For instance, Atul Dodiya, whose works in recent times have often referenced Satyajit Ray’s films, uses cinematic storytelling to deepen narrative complexity within his paintings.

Similarly, the legendary collaboration between Salvador Dalí and Walt Disney in animated surrealist short film "Destino" demonstrates how the surreal and the cinematic can intersect, expanding the possibilities of visual expression.

"The Weight of Love" will come to a close on May 11. PTI MG MAH MAH