Latest Interview of Tathi Premchand -United Art Fair, Digital works with recent art movement- JK

Art has come a long way from being just a matter of passion and entered a commercial avenue with global exposure. United Art Fair includes established and upcoming talents who paint, sculpt and create installations. There are nearly more than 550 artists selected from all over the world to showcase their work.

Annurag Sharma, Director of UAF is successful in providing opportunity to discover the value and diversity of art. Annurag Sharma promotes a wonderful interaction between artists and patrons providing superb experience to both, the art-lover and creator.

Tathi Premchand  compete painter, digital artist still on high note in Mumbai art, who work in different mediums other than in typical traditional style of using colors on canvas. It always interests me to watch work in group show rather than individual shows, so even this Fair is going to be a fascinating one. I had the opportunity to visit Tathi Premchand  artist in their studios and see the process of their creation and how the final outcome takes place through their creative process. Following paragraphs are addressed to their works with illumination on them in their own words.

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 Sketchbook, now-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.

New 3digital series by Tathi Premchand

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, Freelancer art writer, Critic some time, mostly she write on blog only, I want save tree.....14/8/2012