Potpourri
Potpourri as the name suggests is an assorted bag of different observations of life. Each observation caries a distinct flavor and has been incorporated into the veins of the paintings, however, these works may also be thought of as convergent creations for the simple fact that all these observations find their source in the mind of man and the evolution of his life.
A tryst with myth
The Girl - One World, Many Hues
“Every girl has a story to tell” . Behind each illuminating smile that adorns her face and every dark tear that casts a shadow, rests a soul that is powerful and vulnerable equally. From infancy into later life, she is faced with trials of different kinds and her world metamorphoses under the transforming power of the agents of time and circumstance. A sea of change engulfs her life but she faces them all with grit and adapts herself to this transient world. She moves along with the flow of life, picking up on her way challenges and responsibilities that are part of destiny and converts her life into a celebration. She is soft and beautiful like a flower in our garden that dances to the song of the wind. Her spirit is free-willed like a bird that flies carefree over verdant mountains. She sparkles like droplets of dew that shine like pearls on leaves in the dawn. She is one with nature and like nature she has many shades, many expressions, and many emotions. But she has worries and apprehensions too; she has aspirations, dreams and hopes and so much to say. She is a rebel at times and then there are other moments too when her existence is shaken by life’s drama and by manipulative adults who care less for the dictates of conscience. To a world that often chooses not to hear her voice, this series of paintings is like a little window into the inner quarters and quests of the mind of the girl child. These paintings celebrate the chatter of her world and make it audible to the outer world that flows beside her like a purposeless river.
Seekers in Red
"Colours of East and West" - April 2014, International Exhibition at Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) KuwaitIn the series titled Seekers, human figures are seen climbing onto a flight of steps leading towards nowhere in particular. The background is a deep shade of red with dashes of blue. The deep notes, especially red, denotes the upsurge of dynamism and enthusiasm in man, both of which are perceived as pre-requisites to success. In the world of abstraction, steps have always been associated with progress and the future. However, the absence of a destination to the flight of steps is the irony in the life of man who is caught in a mad rush towards goals that are sometimes imaginary and utopian. The series paints a poignant image of the ambitious man of today who regards the fulfillment of his dreams as paramount to his happiness. That this is a myth is a truth that is conveniently forgotten in the haze that surrounds life!
The Mask
The mind of man incredibly complex The mind of man incredibly complex and simple at once, is a study in itself in the art, science and philosophy of camouflage. His mult-layered, many-hued mind mimics the finesse, perfection and complexity of a psychedelic artistic installation. The gimmicks of this realm of man smothered by layers of alter-ego are dangerous, inspiring and intriguing. Each layer that peels off exposes a newer face, a different person. Understandably Man's perceptions of himself can often be deceptive and misguiding for there is no one face to him. His mind is a crowded market place, where constant dialogue takes place, altercations occur and alliances are forged between his many masks to lend the necessary equilibrium to life and to manouever its course. Like a snake that sheds its skin on its path, man dons and shreds his masks with practiced grace and ease that makes him the titan of masks, the master of falsification, the greatest exponent of the art of masks and sadly a prisoner of his masks.
But pause a while, and introspect...does man really need a mask? As the world strides forward on a reckless note, life can be overwhelmingly challenging and at times warrant and sanction the use of a mask. Societal complexities, moral conditioning, political scenarios, his fears, desires, anticipations and vulnerabilies all have the ability to impose upon him the need to hide behind a veil. At times this veil is a protective sheath, at other times it is a weapon of treachery.
The Mask series is a series of paintings that aim to explore the many dimensions of the subject. Poignant observations, stark experiences of life all find themselves coming to the forte to express the abstraction. In a few words, the experience of creating the series has been akin to soul searching itself.
