Thursday 28 April 2016

Painter Dr. Nalini Bhagwat remembers veteran artist late. A. A. Raiba- Pankaja JK.

Artist Dr. Nalini Bhagwat remembers painter A. A. Raiba as a painter of varied expressions...

 While discussing about Raiba after a few days of his demise, she shared her memory of personally meeting him a few years back. She had conducted his interviews which were published in newspapers. She showed one of the published interview in the Marathi newspaper Loksatta. I requested her to let me edit, translate and publish it as our heartfelt tribute to the great artist. Dr. Nalini readily agreed and gave me the briefed article that is substantial to know the life of Raiba which was initially full of struggle for living and self-identity, his unicity and his achievements as an artist.    
Raiba had confessed that before being an artist, he was a proud Indian. He was grateful to his homeland for nurturing him and his art. He never desired to leave India and settle in any other part of the world. Living in poverty, he completed his studies with lot of difficulty but his passion for art and painting was undeterred by these conditions. He wanted to pursue education in Art from the Sir J. J. School of Art, but couldn’t afford the fees. His problem was solved by Fazalbhai Trust Scholarship.
His paintings were so impressive that he was admitted directly in third year painting class. Raiba had the opportunity to work in guidance of Jaggannath Ahivasi and he developed liking for miniature painting. During this time he also got 20 rupees scholarship! This scholarship may seem so less to us, but back then it was a big amount for Raiba because he was so poor that he was not even in position to bring wholesome tiffin to college, so he did not mix up with other students. He would buy Indian gram flour noodles (gathiya), go to nearby Masjid and eat with the dry bread (chapaties) that he carried to the college. He never regretted this kind of lifestyle, and never felt ashamed in his future life to tell the truth because poverty did not hamper his passion for painting. He concentrated only on his paintings and was determined to make his work more and more effective. His passion paid off so well, that he passed with flying colours in 1946 and Principal Gerard offered him the Fellowship.
While in the Sir J.J. School of Art, he never missed the opportunity to visit various places and paint his experiences there. These paintings based on the real life experiences were liked by people. To name a few: ‘Forgotten Gothic Cathedral’ painted after his visit to Calicut and Pondicherry, ‘Ruins of Aundha fort’ were his Goa’s memories, remembering Sikkim- Bhutan and Nepal he painted ‘No man’s land’. In 1948 he received bronze medal from Bombay Art Society for the painting ‘Shringar’. The following year he received silver medal for ‘Glory of India’. In1950 he got an opportunity to visit Kochi and based on his experiences at Kochi he painted ‘Lullaby’, which again fetched him a bronze medal.
From 1940 onwards, with the help of Art Director of newspaper group ‘Times’ Raiba’s paintings were published in ‘Illustrated Weekly’.  Observing his passionate work from 1940 to 1950, the then art critic Rudi Wan Lyndon, proposed to include him in ‘Progressive Group’. Raiba joined the group, but as a matter of fact, his thought process was completely different from the other members of the group. In1956 he participated in ‘Progressive Artists’ Group’ exhibition, but his paintings were totally of Indian style and there was no rebellious and distorted theme in it. Newton D’Souza who was the Founding member of the Group, was his classmate in the Sir J. J. School of Art and was also the member of the Progressive Group. But Raiba did not remain in the group for long and soon he resigned from the group. In 1955 he exhibited his paintings based on Kochi’s experiences, at Delhi. The painting ‘Cochin Fishermen’ is presently in museum at Nagpur. Another painting ‘Green Lagoon’ fetched him Gold medal from the Bombay Art Society and he got lot of recognition.
Raiba’s sketching was very impressive. He also had his own style of painting. Impressed by it, D'Souza invited him for commissioned work of painting Ashoka Hotel in Delhi. The work was completed with the help of three to four more painters. The money was equally distributed among them. After giving some amount to his siblings, Raiba spent the remaining amount to fulfil his wish of visiting Kashmir to experience its vast beauty. He stayed there for three years from 1957-1959, but during this period he saw the pathetic condition of people over there. He could sense the dissatisfaction and sadness of people to such an extent that he did not feel like painting beautiful miniatures. He felt the need to show the pathos of these people in his paintings. Maybe, here his experience of Progressive Group must have helped him. He used charcoal and white colour and without minute detailing painted deformed paintings. Not a single painting of this series was sold, but Lord Harrison’s aged wife appreciated the paintings. While painting landscape at Nagina Garden, in Kashmir painter Bendre happened to come there. He saw the painting and appreciated it a lot. After two year when Raiba sent it to annual exhibition of Lalit Kala Academy, in 1961, he won National Award for it. After this year, he flourished as an artist. In 1963 he participated in exhibitions at Egypt, Rio de Janerio and Paris. ‘Genealogical tree’ and ‘The King and the Queen are dead’ were his most sorted paintings of that period.
After coming back from Kashmir, Raiba developed interest in Occult science. He studied the subject and we find there after he had developed too much realistic style in his paintings. The mysterious aura was projected by mixing colours. 
From the year 1945 till 1965 there were many dramatic changes seen in his paintings. He had realised that the external appearance of the person and the inner self are totally different. He noted this difference. He painted self- portrait in which he showed the mask of his happy face displaced a little and under that was a sad, gloomy face. He presented this painting to Langhammer, which may now be with Keku Gandhi. While going back to Europe Mrs. Langhammer gave the painting to Keku Gandhi, requesting the assurance from him that the said painting would be given in charge of the National Museum that was supposed to be built in Mumbai.
Human figures were prominent in his paintings. ‘Barahmaas’, nine painting series ‘Nav-ratna’ and ‘The other side of moon’ were prominently human figure paintings.
Raiba’s style got a different angle (nature painting) with exhibition based on experiences of Vasai. The exhibition was a big hit. All the paintings were sold. So, this was a major phase of change in style and movement towards nature painting.
After 1983 there was yet another revolutionary change in his style of paintings and that was in the material that he used for painting. During this period he experimented with glass painting and enamel painting and gave layer effect on one of the part of glass. Cry Foundation used this artwork for their greeting cards. In 1985 he set glasses in such a way that enamel on every part of the glass projected as one whole painting the layers of glasses produced single plain effect.  Raiba also worked on canvas. He painted cityscapes with the top view, capturing the houses, roads, sunrise and sunset. He painted these like miniature painting instead of filling colours that gave photographic effect. The plain strokes like calligraphy was the USP of Raiba.    
Raiba’s contribution to Indian Art is praiseworthy. He left this world on April 15, 2016 but will always remain alive in our hearts, because Artist never dies!


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Tuesday 4 September 2012

Latest Interview - United Art Fair - DeUnited Art Fair 27-30 September | Pragati Maidan | New Delhi

Tathi Premchand on his Digital Art. He is chatty, cheerful and always brimming with eagerness to know and tell about anything novel that he comes across. His enthusiasm to probe and explore innovative techniques can be felt through his talks and his communication via social networking sites. His belief in progressive and innovative art can be seen throughout his journey of growing as a painter. Some of his latest works are the perfect examples of his penchant for technological advancement in field of painting art. He now works on Digital Art. His work seems quiet rebellious and society concerned. His sensitivity towards society makes his work more appreciable and considerate. I guess he finds romanticism in simple joys and sorrows of people. To know more about Tathi’s work I asked him a few questions to which he readily answered with firm determination.

Q: What appealed you to plunge into Digital art?
TP: Basically I am always attracted towards innovation. Technology is a perfect area of introducing new methods of working. Computers and software have advantage over manual work. I choose to go Digital as it gives me the desired effect of sorting and placing the images. Very often I click photographs in the local train. Through one of the graphics software, I develop three more images of the same photograph but in three reverse directions – one just 180 degrees upside down, one 90 degree turn to left and the third one is 180 degree reverse of the last one. Most of my artworks are four dimension extensions of a digital photography. Some viewer feel, it look like Mandala, river image, kaleidoscope, and this art form is very old art in India; you can see these  things in Buddhism  and Hindu temples in form of mural art and God's paintings. My Dhobi Ghat series has similar digital artworks with bright colors omnipresent along with pure white color on clothesline, well arranged and left on strings. The gushing water, slogging washer men, heap of dirty and clean clothes together represent a mini image of a society that we live in.This unusual place of muse speaks volumes about society itself, right from ancient times to modern day. Briefly, washer men for dirty linings…anyone to cleanse the soul? This placid place with bustling activities and philosophical values be with us forever.


Q: What is the subject line of your Digital creation?
TP: I do not define boundaries of subject line. All my traditional style of work in paints and pastels on canvas and the latest Digital art are based on my observation of daily life of people around me. I stay in Mumbai which is a perfect place to find street dwellers as well as mansion owners. I try to portray them in my work exposing the critical part of it and the role it plays in forming the society. For example a street child enjoying showers from the cracked water pipeline or a public laundry at Mahalakshmi or perished textile mills and high rises right in front of these mills, the textile mills which were important earning source of commoners in Mumbai, these and such topics are subjects of my Digital Art.


Q: Your work sensitizes the topic and seems to be a thoughtful process and I personally feel that they would represent the history of our times after a century.
TP: It is fine that you feel so. But I create because I am sensitive towards societal issues. I like to paint social issues and make a critical statement through my work. But it is not always a seriousness that I capture but lighter moments too. With times, lifestyle, infrastructure of the society and more over behavior and outlook have changed, I try to showcase that change- either good or bad or say, two sides of the same coin.


Q Sketchbook or Facebook? Do you use one? What type.
TP: Yes, I use both facebook and Sketchbooknow-a- days I sketch a lot, but all digitally. I am learning to draw on paper similar images in rotated angle.

Q: Why do you vote for blog for displaying you work?

TP: Blogs are advanced medium of communication. Social networking sites give me large exposure to art lovers and art buyers all over the world. Analysis done by people in the form of comments and reviews inspire me. I do not have limitation of displaying my work. I can upload any and every kind of work that I want world to see. I have nearly more than twelve blogs and all my life's creations are online. Day or night any one who love art, be him or her  if from Afghanistan or Chile all are welcome to view them. More then twenty thousand viewers have viewed my blog till date. I am at my leisure without adherence to anyone’s terms and conditions to upload or remove images from my blogs. Gallery is good for exhibition to see live work and interact face to face. But for me, blogging is a good exercise before doing the best show in gallery, so are these social networking sites with their pros and cons, at least at present and the world is changing as one global village- it may tum of good or bad.

Q Do you think there is commercial art and serious art.
TP:
No way,if any other then fine artist doing painting in India artist treat like untouchable or criminals, this is stupid art cultural in my country, Tribal Art is pure form art, Tribal painter not inspire by other any artist, but lots Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee you will find India even lots V S Gaitonde in Mumbai,  for me real art is what artist paints, that is art. For me every art is beautiful and meaningful, those artist who think only abstract painting is a serious art, then they should please type name in Google search "Andy Warhol". I want say... In Art there is no development, it always vanishes and new one comes up.

Q Tell me more about up coming show and further plan.
TP: I have my 3 series in limelight for present, they are: Indian Dhobi Ghat, Chip hanger body, India's Koodafication on Moon. These digitals will go to Milan, Cuneo, Dhaka and Aakriti art gallery Kolkata, Future is unpredictable. But surely I will stick to my passion of painting and my visual art. As I like progressive things I might adopt new technology while working on Digital. I like to flow with current to discover new paths and new destinations, I am planning do some work called Public Art near my studio at Bolinj village on Rajawadi sea-side beach.


Q Do you go to watch shows in gallery? Which are your favorite modern and contemporary artists?
TB: N0,mostly I do not go to galleries,,but log them on blog or Facebook online only.
2005 to 2008 mostly my artworks browse and sold  on saffronart gallery online only, so i am very family-er for online mostly and I do not discriminate as modern  and contemporary; For me all are equal. My favorite artists are  Manjit Bawa, Rameshwar Broota, Raghu Roy, Vivek Vilasini and my self.

Q Do you watch movies,which is you favorite movie and why ?
TP:Yes, Gangs of Wasseypur 1-2, way of thinking, its a truth; real life in India. It is the first time in India to give larger view of reality in movie.

Q Delhi or Mumbai?  
TP: I am first an Indian, world is a studio, all cities are like my home.

Q Last Question, which is favorite new upcoming
and promising artist, any message to new upcoming art student.
TP: Hmm upcoming Devan Bane and promising artist R B Holle,
Message to new upcoming art student, Please do not try to find any Guru, look in the mirror you are your own guide. Guru kills you...


Q Thanks for sharing your views, will again visit your blog soon.
TP: Always welcome, I am a blogger...live blog;  every day something new, you can visit even now. Thanks. 

As told to Pankaja JK, Freelance Art writer.14/8/2012

F A C E TO FA C E –Mumbai : artist interview – 1 by Pankaja JK



Istri- Series of painting by Prashant Hirlekar.
Pankaja JK (J.K.) in conversation with Prashant Hirlekar (P.H.)
Following is my tête-à-tête with artist Prashant Hilekar who has the knack to give extra ordinary philosophical and mystical touch to most ordinary things or to put it rightly- Unusual and exceptional use of devices used for household needs, represent creative output of an artist as an individual creative thinker. The subject of his latest series of painting is ‘Istri’ or Iron. The device becomes unique thing as Prashant shapes it according to his creative instincts. Peep into his psyche and read his interesting visual and intellectual indulgence. 

J.K .  1. What inspires you to use household commodities as subjects of your paintings?
P.H: Man made objects that we live with, are representatives of time in which we live. It talks about the lifestyle we live during that period. I am going ahead to use the same man- made appliance to create my art works. Unusual and exceptional use of this device stands for creative output of an artist as an individual creative thinker.
An iron stands for disciplinary, well- presented but compulsion oriented habit of human being. We are unknowingly hooked to such things which can never be important and necessary in its basic forms e.g.: chappals and shoes that we wear are indispensable man made objects for city people. If we go to villages, most of them don’t wear chappals, though roads are smoother here in city .We are more conscious of our social image and status. We are conditioned to rely on other people’s opinion. I live in city where millions of people wear ironed clothes and go to office early in the morning; it’s as if they are fitted on conveyor belt, produced under a wish of collective mind. I use iron unconventionally to create my artworks.
When I burn canvas I get immense pleasure, like that of a magician who performs magic. It is a pleasure of directing nature or seeking nature’s help to support your request and to get this final natural desired effect of burning.  Even though burning has negative connotation, I take up this as a challenge and convert this into positive aesthetical statement of an art by adding colors and forms related to it. The whole combination of negative and positive balances me on the equilibrium of my thought process at the same time. When I think of iron, it delineates the same meaning of human body which emits heat within. Heat in the body has a strong relation with a negative thinking followed by negative energy which is blocked in some part of body. After emitting heat when body comes to normal it continues with free flow of energy. The similitude of iron and human body employed me to produce this series of painting. Iron has a aero-dynamic shape where two points meet at one vertex, where it creates the arch- like shape of iron; similar  shape we see in churches and other holy places and I feel this is a gateway to spiritual space; Spirituality that keeps on haunting and tapping a door of every individual.
An act of ironing itself is a spectacular act for me. The way iron moves while pressing clothes is a composition in itself. A laundryman who comes from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai for his survival finds a small shop or a table. There is a peculiarity in the way he keeps iron on the piece of asbestos sheet and a wire coated with cotton cover for insulation goes towards the electric meter box where there is a red bulb and a God’s photograph; blessing him and energy emitting from his palm makes a picture perfect to get inspired from it. Piles of clothes ironed and crumpled before ironing and after effect of clothes has been amusing for me- It represent human personality which is crumpled and later on well presented with ironed clothes on. I see a veiled man in it. These clothes are generally ironed for office goers which are light in tonal values with stripes or checks on it and a woman, who is his wife lives with him there in that tiny space covering her whole face & body with a bright colourful sari with flowers on it.  This whole contrast shows the importance of this business. It talks several things about human life in a nutshell and his continuous act of ironing is a similar practice of Zen master who keeps on repeating things to witness the energy within; which is again centre of interest for the artist

J.K.  2 .Were you always inclined to be an artist? What inspired you towards it?
P. H.  I am not only inclined to be an artist but I am following a source which is directing me to be an artist, to witness life and influence of art on it. It is an inspiration or may be the way I develop to look at it over the years has been guiding force and inspiration to paint
J.K. 3. Huge installations are trendy; do you plan to venture this genre?
P. H.: Installation is not trend but it is a need of an artist to extend his vision while he lives in this world. His life is full of visual experiences connected to brain which emits certain chemicals to give pleasure and it is an immediate need of an artist today. I have been doing installations but I don’t pre-plan because what happens at the very moment is life, while we are busy making plan.

J.K. 4. Surfing art world on net, we find many artists across the globe creating almost same painting, installation or sculpture. What do you think? Is this copying of art or just a coincidence?
P. H.: Previously it was difficult to get in-depth perspective of art field but now due to internet we can find out if there are any similar creations around in the world; there may even be co-incidences too. But finally it is artist’s own integrity which matters a lot, since this is a journey of self exploration.
J.K. 5 .Looking at the flood of artists from art colleges every year, how would you analyze on art for today’s artist- passion or profession?
P. H.: An artist for whom art is passion need to realize that it is a profession too and for artist for whom art is profession should realize that this is a passion in real sense. But even if it is purely passion, it will certainly bear fruits sooner or later even if he is does not follow professional norms. Finally he has to decide or may be destiny decides this for him.

J.K. 6.Do you think such virtual exhibitions will erase the existence of galleries and curators?
P. H.: Virtual exhibition will be an additional support to artist. Importance of galleries and curators will always be there, as we had books before and we have books even now in spite of having handy electronic media. Finally, it’s whole blooming nature of existence to reach at the peak of perfection.  
J.K. 7.How does city life influence artists? What are the positive and negative aspects of urbanization?

P.H: City life does influence artist. Rapidly changing social political situation tends to influence artist.  Changing social political situation tends to influence on the psyche of urban man. He is bombarded with new change all the time. Rapid change is the only permanent thing in the city. New architectural sites, fashions, interiors, an aesthetical advancement demand artist to fit in the global race; to fit in the new stream. Digital art, Photography, Installation, Video installation ,Site specific works, Gallery performance are the new forms of expressions come forth, some follow as the trend some do it as genuine need. But finally zeroing down to your creative statement attracts more appreciation. Negative side would be being in the rat race of the trend that may deviate from the right direction of inner instinct. Inner journey which witness and creates history sets some milestones in any field. Positive side of urbanization is that works are truly evaluated on global plateau.  It takes you closer to the pinnacle which is indispensable part of any growth.
J.K. 8.Tell me something about your upcoming project and if you have plan to have online exhibition or in a gallery.  
P. H: I have been working on form of iron(istri). Once I focus on one thing, recurrently I find innumerable possibilities within that area. So to streamline patiently following them to execution at the same time witnessing other ideas derived from other forms is a great task. But persistence and consistency has lot of strength and respect. I want to create whole show of installation based on iron. I am hopping to deliver the best from it. I will always like to have online show because there is enough freedom of  selection of works to exhibit, you also have liberty of time, one doesn’t have to follow deadline of the time. Through online show we reach to busiest people in short time, where there is major possibility of appreciation and understanding. In gallery one can see works physically but it is an old form of presentation just as we used to see actual actors on the stage in a play later we accepted their presence on celluloid screen. Advancement of the technology adds convenience to everyone. Art lovers always come to artist’s studio and see the works physically. Gallery would be old form like an opera but still deserves it’s due respect because it invites social gathering and some show must go on there. 
To conclude, I had a conversation with a very unbiased artist who is just engrossed in innovating and developing his creations. After such light talk there was no need for ‘cutting’, a cup tea but in his casual manner he asked me for one and I couldn’t deny it; just thinking of the labour class ‘Istriwala’

light radiating on the sand of shores, on the water, peeping from behind the mountains…assuring life all over this earth- Pankaja JK

Hailing from a small village in Maharashtra, Holle graduated from Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya, Pune. During his Diploma he mastered the skill of portrait painting and did figurative painting but it was strictly due to need of curriculum. He was always inspired by paintings of Gaitonde and abstraction was always a passion and fascination for him.


He is not just a painter but musically inclined too and one can feel his rhythmic sensibilities on reading his statement about his idea of painting. Though he states it in his mother –tongue (Marathi), here is the translated version of it, “There is a melody song in the silence and noise of nature which can be hummed…if it is put in lyrics and particular rhythm and resonance is applied according to its character , it can be made more melodious…same is the attractive natural light….clearly introducing its presence in darkness, indicating presence of life on this earth and universe around by being light of the day…light radiating on the sand of shores, on the water, peeping from behind the mountains…assuring life all over this earth…I have circuitously got associated with it and the subject, theme and emotions in paintings have unknowingly got its character…the association is like mother and child relation which could not be selected voluntarily like wise my naval chord was cut from nature.”  


This promising artist has truly remained faithfully to his passionate spontaneous painting related to elements from nature. In his latest exhibition called ‘Place and Space’ held at Jehangir Art gallery from 04th April to 10th April was a visual treat and meditative experience. This time he spread on his canvas the vast galaxy which is million kilometers away from our planet, a part of nature which is unbounded, indispensable yet remained to be explored at its fullest and yet fascinating to us. Its thoughts and images mystify us. It a womb where millions of stars, known and unknown planets are born and it is a womb that gave birth to our own Earth, which again like its creator has so many mysteries, beauty and mystical secrets hidden in it. Earth changes its makeover with every region, season and natural changes. It is always a visual joy to experience changing makeover of nature. The Galaxy above earth seems to act as a hanging mirror and reflects characteristic of nature in every phase and colour.

Holle has tried to capture this in his paintings. His abstraction is always unwinding different aspects of nature. This may be because he opened his eyes to see the world in a small village with natural setting, a village called Aalandi in the lap of Bhimashankar mountain in Maharashtra.  Nature still dominates his place of birth and it is still away from urbanization. Holle now lives in midst of city hustle bustle where there is no breathing space, it has luxury, but that demands ones rightful leisure time, privacy. It is difficult to find trust, contentment and happiness in true sense. The paintings are perfect getaway from this obvious unavoidable stress in life. They are meditative in nature.


Splash and swirls of colours seems spreading in rhythmic pattern highlights artist’s love for music. Along with the aura of musical compositions , there is a lavish use of colors of nature like blue and grey depicting clear and cloudy sky or blue water and shinning sand, variation in green of trees and plants, red, gold and other bright colors stand for birds, animals, flowers and so on. In some paintings there is a glitter in midst of grave dark background and this is his fascination for observing clear sky during dark nights that he usually observed when he stayed in village and slept in courtyard of his house, this beauty of nature has made permanent impression on artist. Holle confesses of having magnetic attraction towards ‘light’ in nature and its shine either in sky, on water or its ‘oasis’ effect on stretched shores. Idyllic settings are the undetachable from his paintings.

His paintings act as mode to escape from social turmoil for some time and have meditation like effect to make one relax. Person is bound to go in trance and feel light and peaceful. The present chaos in the world caused by natural calamities, advanced technology and energy used to produce dangerous and destructive weapons for mass destruction, unhealthy competitions among countries and people, poverty and likewise reasons seems to have stimulated Holle to present swirls, splashes charged with emotions something that is nice to eyes, mind and soul. Installation is also significant as it represents Nebula from which millions of small and big stars are born, all of them having their own DNA and some of them so powerful that they are said to influence human existence on this planet.


After college, he fully engrossed himself in abstract painting and today he is most coveted young abstract painter from Mumbai and Pundole Art gallery patronize his creation. His work is exhibited in almost all the reputed galleries in India and his paintings have been awarded and have the honor of  being collection at N.C.P.A. Mumbai, Torent House Ahmedabad, Sir J. School of Art Mumbai, Apparao Galleries, Chennai, private collectors and many other collection in India. Holle has a long way to go as he says he doesn’t know what lies in future and which new makeover of nature and earth will be projected in his next creations, but he is confident of coming up with something beautiful and peaceful. 

- Pankaja JK  

Tathi Premchand : Art and deal issue no 45/ Vol no 15/ feb -March ,2012.Like jalebi to Mill worker bones found at McDonald for Boneless dream of hunger steel- 2012


Why and how can we display a painting in our thoughts without buying it? If ever anybody buys this ‘Boneless’ painting then it is crucial for the buyer to know this because it is more than necessary to keep it installed in the mind but also to understand the depth of the painter’s thoughts poured in it. I have never thought so meticulously about any of my other paintings before this.


I am bit confused as to start from which angle about this painting. The thought of this painting   was lurking in mind since 2009. First  I had thought of making it in digital but as the days went on I doubted whether digital creation would really do justice to this painting; so I finally decided to work upon it in oil colors and was sure that this medium would justify the theme of the painting.

 I am more enthusiastic to share my experiences while I was developing this painting thought. Mumbai 1992- During initial stages I and my friend would seldom visit Colaba- Mohammed Ali road in Mumbai where you get delicious non- vegetarian food. We would go there during dinner time and order for boneless- chicken, bheja fry, kaleji fry etc. (I am deliberately using Indian names of dishes). The thought would cross my mind that may be we had ordered same separation of bones and flesh during Ram mandir- Babri mosque issue. The whole threatening issue was cooked up by separating bones and meat. Bones and flesh are bonded to each other right from the time living being starts existing in nucleus. I myself don’t know why I am giving an elaborate explanation of this painting when I am myself of the opinion that a painting does not need words. Now-a-days even ‘abstract art’ which does not need any general interpretation and every observer should have individual perception; has volumes of books explaining it and also ‘speaking talk series’ are held to discuss it. So I think I can write at least one or two pages on this painting.



I am still trying to know the reasoning behind this painting, why did it dawn on me? A thought struck me just like the bong of Mill labourers’ that would fill the air of Mumbai before mills were locked forever.

That was the time when Mumbai was bustling with mill- labourers’ crowd. The character of mill- worker was so influential that even the motion media especially films were based on life of a mill worker and heroes prefer to play the character of hard working, faithful mill-worker. It created a lot of good impression about actor and gained him popularity and fame. There was a competition to portray the best mill- worker. I think my ‘Boneless’ is based on bones of by-gone mill- workers which are separated from the meat and served in McDonald as ‘boneless chicken’ in ‘Phoneix Mills’ which was the only source of earning for mill- workers! Ironically, the delicacy is sold at Rs. 50 with free Coke! Are these the mill-workers who are completely wiped out from Mumbai’s scenario? If you happen to go to Phoneix Mills Compund just look at the chimney of the mill which stands high as the memory of the makers of Mumbai city or the people who gave identity to professional existence of Mumbai. You will have an illusion of it still ringing. And this would happen only if you have not yet tried to separate bone from flesh.

Now that area is residence of upper-class society and that chimney maybe the status symbol for them just like in earlier times the royal families would hand the hay filled dead wild animal’s face on wall as the pride of showing their hunting skills. Whatever it is, surely it is one of the ways to remember past. I thought like this one day there might be ‘a boneless mill’ as well, which would be addressed as Hutatma Mill.
I had not completed the painting in one go. There was a long break of a year when I did not work upon it; nothing instigated me to be drawn towards it. While I started painting it again, I meet Parbhakar Kolte Sir. Sir said something very funny yet critical. He said, “Now-a-days paintings are made like jalebis .The batter is prepared and kept overnight for fermentation and in the morning fresh and hot jalebis are fried. In evening the jalebis which become stale and not sold are thrown away. In this way today’s artists ‘prepare’ paintings and if not sold simply discard them.” And currently jalebis are sold on large scale in Delhi!
I related the above dialogue to my own paintings and thought that I have made en number of paintings in last 15 years but I have not yet thrown them away because for me they are still ‘fresh’ not yet ‘stale’ like leftover jalebis in evening. People have wrong notion,: ‘that which sells is the best.’

I have the word ‘steel’ in the tittle of this painting. I deliberated on it thinking of Subodh Gupta’s creation. It has steel utensils; symbol of kitchen ware’ food and hunger. Yes, his steel has severe hunger; hunger for Art! To rise higher, the highest It reminds of advertisement with tag line, “Have you made it large”. I am excited to see his creations. There is no much relation of my painting with his works; only for me steel represents hunger.Busy with routine life, one day suddenly world got the news of M.F’s death. M.F. passed away from this planet. At that very moment the bones in my painting seemed to be of M.F.; now calm and static! M.F.Hussain lived long innings keeping his bones fit. Maybe bones are resting in body in London. People opposing him might be waiting for his bones. There is no one who must have not thought of separating bones and flesh. This is traditionally followed and prevails even today.

Bones in my painting are surely of M.F., because he was separated from his homeland like meat and bones as soon as ‘boneless’ was ordered with his reference. I feel the paintings which proved controversial were not at all ‘image spoiling’ The opposers of Hussain must have curbed sex drive for many years, so whatever they saw they conceived nudity in it. But our history proves to much modern in outlook than today.

Few months before Akbar Padamsee said,”I am Muslim but did not paint any Hindu God nude.” But Akbar does nude photography even at this age! It is one and the same thing whether you paint Goddess or a woman nude. Thankfully in my painting there is no flesh but just bones.It is not like I do not paint nude paintings; I do. But after painting this painting I realized that nudity lies in our thoughts and not the body of flesh that we see. Briefly, Hussain had to leave his country. I would stop here as the topic might get diverted from my painting and take another route.

The painting is still a mystery for me. Is there really ‘hunger’ in this painting? Once while painting this, it was mid night and mosquitoes were troubling me. While working I killed so many  of them with ‘Chinese bat’ which chaars mosquitoes even at the slightest touch. It reminded me of a film ‘Seven years in Tibet’. I felt the same atrocity of China over Tibet in which en numbers of Buddhist monks were killed. Even I was cruel with mosquitoes. At the very thought I stopped killing them.  At the very moment I saw an ant coming towards dead mosquitoes followed by many other ants racing towards their prey. Then I realized that ‘mosquitoes’ were their dinner party for night.  Did ants desire to have mosquitoes for dinner? But were they helpless because it was not possible for them to catch live mosquitoes. Was it a special treat for their ‘hunger?’ Thinking this I did not feel much bad about my act as I thought that I had become a mediator in providing them their desired food. But ‘Tibetian monks for dinner’ was for whom?  The answer is still unknown. The ants might have thanked me for the dinner and future generation of mosquitoes must have sweared to suck my blood. This is ‘the hunger’ in my steel tiffin box.

Then a final phase came when it was an apex of relating my painting to frightful reality.Once I was traveling in Mumbai local train. It was crowded and I was seating on the third seat. A family entered with wife carrying a child followed by her husband. People were making loud noise, fighting over trivial matters and like every day playing with words, when just my eyes goes on child, that child The face of a child was completely hidden and I wanted to see the face. But the face was fully covered and as it happens that we are more enthusiastic to know about the undisclosed secrets; so even I wanted t see the child’s face. Train started and suddenly there was cry of child.


The man sitting next to that mother had seen the child’s face and instantly closed his eyes. He was quiet frightened. I sensed something wrong. Another man in the compartment told to fed the crying child to which father said, he was not crying because of hunger. That child did not have eyes and ears and his bones had stopped growing. His body was not growing at all. But whenever he cried, he cried aloud. He gives proper signals when he is hungry. Hmm, so the hunger is involuntary even if the bones don’t grow. So this is the drive that everyone has. The painting has and it is the ultimate desire for which everyone lives. I did not dare to see the child after that but I salute the mother who was feeding the handicapped child. How did she dare to grow a child whose growth had stopped? The lifeless life only that breathe and hunger! Her hunger for motherhood!

Everyone has hunger. An ant hungry to have mosquitoes, China for Tibetian land, Hussain’s hunger to return to birth land, hunger of Babri Masjid to go back to Ram Mandir and Mill turning to Mall; all hunger in different ways of subject  and name of nominee.
It is hard to separate bones from flesh; when both  are born together, stick till end, they are inseparable. So also if Ram mandir is erected on ruins of Babri Masjid, then people will say, “This is the same Ram mandir which is stands on land of Babri Masjid.”

All these are the reasons for the creation of ‘Boneless dream of hunger steel.’

Where ever I stumble, let painting lie before me - Prabhakar Kolte


Pankaja JK (J.K.) in conversation with Prabhakar Kolte (P.K.)

'Art news & views' magazine's initiative to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wassily Kandinsky's manifesto 'Concerning Spiritual in Art' is a blissful delight. Taking this opportunity I had the pleasure to meet and interview the contemporary Abstract Art artist and icon, Shri. Prabhakar Kolte. He is lovingly known as 'Kolte Sir' by artists and his students. Though I have read lot of literature written about him as a maestro of Abstract Art, an excellent teacher and a philanthropist, I had lot of apprehension before starting the interview. To my own surprise, his warm gesture, understanding and patience made me so comfortable that interview turned out to be an informal affair and I got to know more about Art of expression and about Kolte Sir in the session. Here is the excerpt of the interview:
J.K.: Good evening Sir. Sir, 'Art News n Views' is celebrating 100th anniversary of Wassily Kandinsky's 'Concerning Spiritual in Art', I would like to know your views about Wassily Kadinsky and what he really meant by 'Concerning Spiritual in Art'. Did he mean to project spiritualism? 
P. K.: It's a welcoming gesture on part of 'Art News n views' to pay respect to this great Abstract Art pioneer by celebrating 100th anniversary of his book. Many people have mistaken the title. It is not about spirituality, but about a dual effect that one has after seeing an abstract painting, one is the physical form and another which is very essence of art and that is the effect of colours that provoke inner resonance or emotional stir and vibrancy of soul. This is the spiritual effect and not the physical state of spirituality. Taking the essence of that which is material and natural and depicting them in subtle way and with the use of colours. His art was a revival in the field of painting. His paintings tap all the sensory organs. It is an amalgamation of light and colours. It is the external light that travels within and multiplies in various colours. His greatness lies in the breaking away from conventional art. He created autonomous status for paintings. Independence from any conventional bonds is Abstract and it is all because of Kandinsky. 
J.K.: What must have prompted Kandinsky to discover this form of Art? 
P. K.: Every age and generation have their own reasons to invent and develop new style in every field be it way of living, technology, food, shelter or art. Kandinsky moved away from 'decorative' creations to 'abstraction'. Landscapes and portraits were projected only in the suggestive style because like his fellow countrymen he too was fed up of the political, social and religious turmoil in the society. It was a break away from conventional art and a conscious move towards abstraction. It was not just physical representation of a thing or a figure. The paintings had a language that spoke more than volumes. It was s self realization. This aspect of self realization is very important in Abstract Art otherwise the creation remains just a splash of colours and figures without any expressions.
J.K.: Do you find difference between Indian Abstract Art and foreign counterparts? 
P.K.: I find a major difference in both. I feel Western Art gives more importance to the process of making a painting. It moves from the surface to the core of a subject. Indian Abstraction shows a totally opposite nature, where in the movement is from core to the surface of the subject, and interestingly, this surface is not the known surface but it is the consciousness. 
J.K.: Sir, abstract art has come a long way from being painted on paper and canvas. It is expressed in installations and with the help of digital techniques. Do you approve this? 
P. K.: I am very happy with this progress. It is the sign of growth and development. Of course development is not new thing or a wonder. Right from the time human being started exploring art he has expressed it with the resources that were available at that particular time. From painting on stones, wall paintings, paper, canvas and so on we have reached a stage where the idea can be put in reality within a few minutes with the use of technology. It saves the time and efforts and gives an opportunity to explore more possibilities of enhancing your art. I welcome this change, this advancement. Progress and understanding goes hand in hand. World changes when man change and adopting change is a sign of progress. The precaution should be taken not to fiddle with the basic motive of painting/ art and that is the sublime joy that it imparts to art lover. 
J.K.: Sir, do you think physical global journey is compulsory to develop our knowledge? 
P. K.: I would rather say that interaction with your surrounding and people of various cultures provide lot of knowledge and understanding. Physical mobility is a good idea. If you think that you are not getting enough of what you are looking for and sure to find it somewhere else, go for it. Yes you can go and get it, but boosting on your stay at a particular place is a mediocre attitude. Whatever knowledge you gain should speak through your work and not just in your bio data. Your attitude should be that of artistic maturation and not career centered. Your global experiences should be felt through art, being exhibitionist, boosting your stay is too bad. Let people have the curiosity to know from where you acquired the knowledge. Reading, any and every type of literature from any part of the world is as good as physically traveling to the places. It is not your global physical presence that matters; it is you yourself being global in mind and soul which is important. 
J.K.: Sir, you have boldly faced hard time and now enjoying good phase of your life. Do you remember any anecdote that you found ironic to your life's experiences? 
J.K.: Yes I do remember this incident which happened after I was established and famous. It was a time when I was not worried about having money to buy canvas or colours; it was a time when I was fully involved in my artistic maturation. A person approached me and offered me a lump sum amount in a brief case. In an ordering tone, of course in lowered tone he commanded me to paint a particular size canvas with something in red. I coldly looked at the person and gently denied the proposal. I had never compromised on my art or never painted according to whims of anybody even when I was badly in need of money for the painting material and this person was trying to 'buy' me and my principles. It was totally against my principles and situation, I would say that it was like….“When in need I had not, now I need not”… I shared this experience with my dear friend Ganesh Haloi and we had a hearty laugh at the irony of the situation.

J.K.: Sir, your paintings are unique, I hope you reveal the secret of your art to your fans. 
P. K.: It is surely my inner voice that guides me to paint. I observe almost everything that comes in front of me. Some things touch my soul but I do not pose them directly in my painting. I do not believe in observing and then painting, I rather like to first paint and then observe and feel its effect. This gives me immense satisfaction of creation and adjoins significance to my painting. My painting is Something out of Nothing but Not of Something. 

J.K.: Sir, Shri. Ganesh Haloi and your friendship is very famous. Can I call you 'birds of same feathers'? 
P. K.: (elated) O Sure! We share same vibes. He (Ganesh) is such a great person. He is a great artist, a philanthropist and one of the best teachers of the world. I have high regards for him. We have been friends since long and still we continue to share our life's experiences and enjoy every moment of it. Even though we are nestled in different and far away states that has not hampered our friendship at all. There are people like Ganesh who have been my well wishers and I owe them a lot. These include my drawing teacher in school Joshi Sir, Gaytonde whose life and paintings have always inspired me, loving Palshikar sir and a few people who are not at all related to art world and yet proved to be my inspiration throughout life. 
J.K.: You are known as poet- painter. I would like to conclude the interview with your poem that reflects 'Kolte'. 
P. K.: We may be here or not be here, we may be remembered or our memories might be wiped out, why should then its proof be collected? Always hold as many hands, look into others' eyes passionately. There is variation in language (of hope?) but hope is intoxicating, wherever I stumble only a painting may lie before me. Live and die living behind deep principle, considering that there will never be a second life to do it.

Feeling the Presence in Absence! Remembering Prabhakar Barwe - by Pankaja JK



“When all the paths in all the directions are closed, the only path left is that of painting and by God's grace it is always open”.- Prabhakar Barwe




The above quotation is from his book 'Kora Canvas', written in Marathi. True to his words, he lived and died as a painter. For him painting was the source of life. Indian Contemporary Art is incomplete without the mention of Prabhakar Barwe. He was an heir of artistic fervor. His granduncle V.P.Karmarkar was a famous sculptor and his father was an artist in Bombay studio. He carried forward the family tradition. To enhance his torrid artistic zeal he joined J.J.School of Art in Mumbai. During his formative years as a student, along with the formal education he got an opportunity to work in Weavers Service Centre where fine artists worked for the development of modern Indian textile design. Here he worked along with fine artists like Ambadas, Gautam Waghela and Subramanyan.

After his graduation in 1959, he experimented on canvas by placing every kind of material that could be held on canvas to vent his feelings. It was a search for individual identity as a painter. This search for self was important to discover that untrodden path which he wanted to explore in visual art.

From 1961 to 1965 he stayed and worked in Varanasi, the city rich with Hindu tradition and culture. Here he came across the tantric symbolism which grabbed his attention and inspired him. He painted skulls, bones, stones, graphs the basic objects associated with it. He thus developed Tantric style of painting. Though a firm believer in present and not worried about past or future, reading horoscope became his hobby. The pieces of writing containing astrologer's calculations and predictions, the shapes of horoscopes, the restricted lines, the scattered numbers in blocks along with sun, moon and planets, the luck and ill luck that they brought along, their transition from one block to another and beliefs of human beings in alteration of their lives depending on positioning of these elements found place on Barwe's canvas.

He belonged to the twentieth century, an era when the world was moving at the speed of light towards modernism and technological developments and where natural was replaced by material. Every vice and virtue was calculated in commercial value. He amalgamated concrete and the abstract and made us realize the co-relation of the two. He tried to give emotional touch to the impassive surrounding and developed a metaphysical dimension in his art. Barwe's experiment with glossy enamel paint diluted in turpentine enhanced the metaphysical dimension of his art. His poetic sensibility vibrated in his works. His work clearly represents ordinary objects having emotional, mystical associations. Their dictionary meaning looses its hold. The conventional definition of mundane thing gets lost. The painting becomes subjective rather than objective. To illustrate, 'the leaf', that he painted in its fresh and dried forms in various paintings, does not have limitation of being a part of plant or a tree, but represents life, the living and the dead. The 'Blue Cloud', which gained him National prize at Lalit Kala Academy's exhibition at Delhi, had a lonely cloud floating across the sky on a cloudy rainy day. This cloud can be symbolically interpreted as a cloud in William Wordsworth's famous poem Daffodis, where poet says '... I wandered lonely as a cloud…' and discovers the crowd of golden daffodils. Similarly, this lonely cloud on a cloudy day seems to be in search of something or maybe it moves around without any goal. The sentiments can be associated to the movements of a lonely person. It can be funny or sad at the same time. The perception of cloud thus is the imagination, the vision of the beholder rather than any fastidious meaning by Barwe. His proficiency in painting was with viewer's vision. He had subtle relation of concrete form with abstraction. It gave the space to the observer to perceive his paintings subjectively. He employed the conceptual devices of Surrealism, placed simple objects and ephemeral shapes presenting an unusual piece of art.

Sure of the development that would take place in art, he was open to new technologies; but always favoured  guarding individuality and freedom as an artist and never falling prey to mechanization. This is evident from the fact that in 1991 the first ever Computer- based Art was to be held in India, and the nine well- known artists M.F.Hussain, Navjot Altaf, Akbar Padamsee, Manjit Bawa, Prabhakar Barwe, Laxman Shreshtha, Manu Parekh and S.H. Raza were invited for thirty days training course on computer to develop their artwork for a show. When the show traveled to Delhi in February 1993 and held at NGMA, there was an informal discussion with critic Kamla Kapoor. The conversation reflected the views and experiences of Barwe on use of computer technology in art. He welcomed the advancement in art which gave larger scope to artists to express themselves. Reckoning its pros and cons, he alerted artists that it should not be used at the cost of their creative freedom. Barwe expressed his apprehension of being dragged and lost in the vast world of colors, texture and image manipulation that computer offered. So talking about himself he said that he was apprehensive of losing his creative freedom so he decided to restrict himself to two dimensional and graphic possibilities. Due to these technological liberties and scope the Pop Art Movement launched the banal objects of our everyday lives into the realm of fine art. Prabakhar Barwe showed his skill in creating intimacy between these objects and life.

Evidently, his interest in astrological calculation and speculations reflected in his last creations. The possibilities are strong as we take into consideration his last exhibition when he was hospitalized. The exhibition was held at Chemould Art Gallery in the year 1995. It was a group show called 'A Broder Spectrum-II', which had Barwe's five water color paintings painted a few months before he was hospitalized. The images were that of garland of dried leaves, a wrist watch, human skull, envelopes, and a scale were suggestive of his nearing death and projected his sentience of death.

As a painter he won an award instituted by the Japanese newspaper Yoshihari Shimbun. In 1976 he won an award at the annual exhibition of the Lalit Kala Akademi. Towards the end of his life he wrote a book in Marathi called 'Kora (Blank) Canvas', which is the documentation of his feelings, expressions, struggles and satisfaction as an artist.

Truly, a great artist who taught us to be sensitive, to perceive beyond physical appearance, put breath in inanimate things and made us think beyond set meanings.