PRESS RELEASE 2 - Exhibition : Contemporary Paintings of Avinash Godbole

Agony and Ecstasy...

Agony and Ecstasy penned by Irving Stone the American novelist in 1961 encapsulates the life of Michelangelo the famous Renaissance artist perfectly I also choose this as a point of entry to talk about Avinash Godbole’s life and work, for nothing could be far from truth. Avinash Godbole knows the pain of being landlocked when your heart dreams of flight. He had a long and fulfilling career in the world of advertising, where he donned many hats; creative director, illustrator and mentor. Over the years he won many accolades and gained respect as an illustrator whose lines spoke volumes about, sometimes more than the words. Looking back it is difficult to tell whether he would continued in the same mien, but life had something else in store for him. He had a stroke which turned his life around, but Godbole was one who never gave up, supported by his wife he did not pick up from where he left but forged a new path. he chose the metaphor of line and colour to express his life after a stroke in his paintings.

(Kokilaben Hospital. Avinash Godbole had come for his regular checkup:2010)

Godbole picked up his pencil again, this time with his left hand. It was a slow start. It was like learning to paint all over again. He realised that his brain was still intact: it had ideas, creativity, a vision for beauty. It took three years to train his left arm to bring that vision to reality. 

(Untitled : Acrylic on paper 30x20 inches Recent work by Avinash Godbole)

He started painting full time after he retired as an executive creative director. Three years ago, he came up with a series of 25 paintings describing his tryst with the stroke. His doctor encouraged him to use his works to spread awareness and give hope to stroke patients on life after the stroke, then began a series of exhibitions in Mumbai and Delhi. He was also invited to exhibit his paintings at the World Stroke Association's conference in Brazil in 2012. Hope is the message he wishes to convey to stroke patients and their families. In this solo exhibition he is showcasing a body of 30 works, these unlike his earlier works speak of pain and desire to come to terms with what life has dealt him. The subjects are pared down to the very core = what does it all mean? How does one tackle the flesh? The desires, the unsaid wishes.They are of diverse subjects but what binds them together is the presence of emotions; be it the musician singing a soulful song or a head, each convey a passion. The choice of colours is bold and the strokes strong and unwavering, together they create a painting that not only moves the viewer but stuns with its intensity.

(Face of Fear Dry : Pastel on Hand made paper 24x22 inches
Recent work by Avinash Godbole)

Godbole’s work is expressive and he deals with deep philosophical questions that besiege man throughout life especially if faced with a life altering calamity as he did. His work is introspective. Another recurrent subject is that of sexuality and how we human beings deal with or rather shun it, but he faces it head on and puts before us a rather unabashed depiction. In fact in his career as an illustrator he received acclaim for his work done for Debonair magazine through the 80’s. 

(Untitled : Acrylic on Hand made Paper 41x28 inches
Recent work by Avinash Godbole)

Avinash Godbole graduated from the Sir J.J.School of Art, Mumbai, in 1966. He taught in the same institute before working as a creative director in some of the top agencies across the country. All along his forte was and continues to be his illustrations. His works have been part of magazines and newspapers for over 30 years. He was inducted to the Commercial Artists Guild (CAG) Hall of fame in the year 1999. Godbole, though actively involved in advertising, always had painting as his first love. He continued to paint all along, though his hectic schedule didn’t leave him enough time to devote towards creating a large body of works for exhibitions. However, he has been showing his works regularly in galleries in Mumbai since 1997. His works deal with a wide range of subjects, his main concern being ‘life’. One can also see that the artist draws heavily from different Indian genres, like Tantra, the Kamasutra, and various folk traditions.

The artist lives and works in Mumbai.                              

- By Yamini Telekar

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Details : A show of recent paintings by Avinash Godbole on 14to 20 April 2014.

11AM to 7PM (Open on Sunday 11AM to.3PM)

At  Art Gate Gallery 1st floor, Chheda Sadan, J Tata Road,above Satyam collection, next to Eros Cinema, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020.