Search for Integrity :It might be loss of zest and helplessness to achieve dreams

Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die,

Life is like a broken-winged bird that can not fly.

                                               - Langston Huges.

This quote aptly applies to artist latest creation. The artist has created and displayed his work after the years of self confinement from artistic expression.
 

His classic style of expressing the theme by using matchsticks is a treat to eyes and mind piercing as well. Here too, he has shown a male form by using matchsticks in mirror box. The unfulfilled desire to break free or being voluntarily or involuntarily pulled in duties of crass society are the unseen inner conflicts that are symbolically represents by showing a broken winged bird. There is a hope for an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting.  A single wing is made and reflected in mirrored box, which gives the impression of broken wings. It might be loss of zest and helplessness to achieve dreams. 

But Santosh does not aim only to show the disquiet and depression; instead he comes up with more mature and serene thought of attaining inner peace and moral soundness in the chaotic surrounding of the world that he lives in. The recuperating soul is represented by the use of blue color that suggests peace and calmness.

He has deliberately used pointillist coloring style so that the sorrow and peace seems to be integral in its completeness. His work also seems to be influenced by Warli painting art that has series of dots and monochromatic hues.

Artist is ready with his work before take ride to Art Gate Gallery

Abstract art has come far ahead from use of conventional materials of canvas, paper and colors. It is now expressed in installations, digital medium and so on. One of such out of the way is the work of  Santosh, an artist from Mumbai. An art graduate from Sir J. J. School of Arts has a unique medium of expressing his thoughts and that is through using matchsticks on ply.

The basic elements of his paintings are male and female. He uses matchsticks and the geometric forms made by them represent male and female. The horizontal or vertical placement of matchsticks represent male and triangle represents female. These paintings illustrate male and female relationship. He started working using matchsticks right from the days in Art college and the first creation was 'Khajuraho Night' based on the famous Khajuraho temple. He then worked on 'Krishna' his next painting where he showed one male amongst thousands of female. Here he used approximately five thousand five hundred and fifty matchsticks for female form and at the centre was an abstract image of Krishna in ceramics. This was a mixed medium. Even now his paintings are based on mixed medium and he says that from the very beginning he loved to experiment in using various mediums.

His work stands out because, unlike the basic of Abstract art where expression is formless and expressed through colors, he uses very less colors and highlight more on forms, though most of them are geometric figures. This may be because of Prabhakar Barve, the great painter whom he admires for the forms and their placement in his paintings. He also has high regards for Prabhakar Kolte.

One can also find the traces of Warli paintings in his works. He reasons that there is a repetitive form in his paintings because for him repeating the same thing again and again means a total involvement with it which is like a meditation, concentration and ultimate nirvana of the soul. To put in his own words, “Like a Warli painter who depicts his life by drawing it on one background, even I try to portray my life's experiences, influences and curiosities using repetition on a single colored background.”

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Lizard Installation of Drawings by Tathi Premchand.

Tathi Premchand : 

चित्र, साहित्य असो वा शिल्प कलाकाराने आपले सामाजिक भान जपले पाहिजे. समाजात प्रबोधन घडण्यासाठी याच माध्यमाचा अवलंब करणे सोपे ठरते. त्यामुळे तथी प्रेमचंद आणि अशोक हिंगे यांनी आपल्या कलाकृतींच्या माध्यमातून 'कलाभान' जपले आहे. सामान्य माणसाच्या रोजच्या जगण्यातील व्यथा आर्ट इन्स्टॉलेशनमधून मांडल्याने काही क्षण आपल्याला प्रतिबिंब पाहिल्याचा भास होतो, आणि तिथूनच विचारांचे चक्र सुरू होते हेच त्या कलाकाराचे यश आणि प्रबोधनाची नांदी मानली जाते.

काळानुसार माणसाची जडणघडण, वागणूक आणि बाह्यअवतार सर्वच बदलले आहे. याच बदलाच्या दोन्ही बाजू प्रेमचंद यांच्या कलाकृतीतून दिसून येतात. त्यांच्या चित्रांमध्ये मानवी चेहर्‍यामधून जगण्यासाठी धडपडणार्‍या असाहाय्य माणसांचे रेखाटन केले आहे. यामध्ये चिंतनशील आणि निश्‍चल मूड कोठेही दिसत नाही. या चित्रांमधून केवळ दरारा, तणाव, विस्मय, प्रश्न आणि सल दिसत आहे. आपण आपले आयुष्य तीक्ष्ण चाकूच्या टोकावर जगत आहोत. त्यातूनही आपण समाजातील अनेक व्यत्ययांशी संघर्ष करून आपल्या जगण्याचा मार्ग शोधून काढतो. हीच हळवी मूल्ये कागदावर पेन आणि पेन्सिल यांचा समन्वय साधून उतरवण्याचा प्रयत्न केला आहे. प्रेमचंद यांनी विजेच्या बिलावर मानवी कवटीचे चित्र काढले आहे. वीज ही मानवाची गरज असूनही विजेचे दर पुरवल्या गेलेल्या विजेच्या तुलनेत खूप जास्त आहेत, जे मानवाचे शोषण करून त्याचे आयुष्य कमी करत आहेत. सामान्य माणसाच्या जगण्यातील ही व्यथा प्रेमचंद यांनी मांडली आहे.

Lokamt: Marathi 29th July 2014

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Ashok Hinge ‘Guru-Shishya’ installation work on review by Pankaja JK

‘Guru-Shishya’ installation as name suggests, is an installation that has well-known reality imbibed in it. It’s about Guru-Shishya (Master-Disciple) relationship which every individual experiences in his life. I have tried to present an ancient tradition of imparting and gaining knowledge where a master would secure higher position and a disciple would sit down and bow on his feet. These postures are symbolic suggesting that the knowledge would transcend from Guru to his devout disciple. This position also develops the relationship between guru and disciple. The vibrant energy of guru is transmitted in shishya and it ignites wisdom of knowledge in him It is the ‘Responsibility (of guru)- Dependency (of disciple)’ relationship. 

Installation Artist Ashok Hinge

This is a subtle relationship in which guru and shishya become one as a family. But this family is not based on blood-relationship, instead it is based on the particular knowledge that a guru imparts and shishya gains. So it is a family of Knowledge. It is not involuntary involvement but voluntary acceptance of relationship. 

The faith plays an important role in it. Guru is supposed to have highest knowledge and shishya should have wisdom to acquire that knowledge and utilize on individual level. 

Installation view at Art Gate Gallery

To present the Guru-Shishya tradition I have used the most effective tool of English language i.e. Comma. Comma is used in English language to have pause between sentence or to separate elements in series. It is the only punctuation mark which has upside down and vice versa position.

 I have used both positions in my installation as it makes my symbolic representation perfect. The ‘right to left’ facing comma is Guru in sitting posture and ‘left to right’ facing comma is Shishya bowing in reverence and touching his feet, which ultimately helps divine energy of guru to transcend in Shishya. 

I choose the white color for installation and it is deliberate. In Guru- Shishya parampara(tradition), both of them generally  wore white as a symbol of purity and devoid of any blemish. It’s with purity of heart and mind that knowledge is transmitted by guru to shishya.  

  Pankaja JK
 Art critic & writer:- Art blogazine 2014



26th July 4th August : SAVE DATE: ART TALK at 6 pm Art gate gallery, churchgate Mumbai
Art Gate Gallery can be contacted at:022 4213 8855
or emailed at artgate.sc@gmail.com
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Lizard Installation of Drawings by Tathi Premchand.

Art is the visual history of a given period. Nature is evident and apparently beautiful. Man progressed and steadily brought change in its appearance; bringing in more man-made materialistic things. Artists of every age with realistic outlook always capture these changes. Some are figurative and some abstract. My interaction with nature as well as reality of urban people has led me to create these drawings, portraying the truth of contemporary scenario. Every work has different appeal and presentation method, setting different moods with use of topic relevant colors, forms and style. 

 

Recent Drawing by Tathi Premchand at Art Gate Gallery

I create these drawings because I am more sensitive towards societal issues. I like to paint social issues and causes and make a critical statement through my work. 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. I like to be binocular and scan society at the farthest.

In these webbed drawings are hidden faces of people with many shades of struggle for survival. No where is meditative and tranquil mood. There is awe, stress, astonishment, question remorse and so on.

 The knife edge is what that we advance on. We are ripped with the sharp tip everyday. Still we find our path through it. These struggles and enwrapping due to social disruption have their own attractive token; a sentimental value. I have worked with pencil and pen on paper.

In Drawing I deliberately painted skeleton on Electricity bill. Having basic needed  things include electricity, but the charges are too high; the power is less as compared to powerful bills and that is killing people, reducing them to skeletons.

William Kentridge : David Hockney

The two most influential artists whom I admire are William Kentridge. David Hockney  is always a third party observer putting the reality on paper using pen drawing. William Kentridge uses scribbled papers for his expression of reality. I feel this is an effective medium as it makes drawings more worth and iconic.

This series has various lines combines with styled circles, a white or black spots, hiding the emotional facial gesture of the person. I have captured the complexity using basic tools and in completely freehand manner.  

Titles also play prominent role in my creations. A word or two speaks all. I have pasted my drawings on cardboard boxes and let them be on wall. I call this series ‘Lizard’, as I am awed by its most unique feature to stick to the wall. Just like it pathos and poignancy that never leave us.

And as I adamantly state, “My paintings are not just show pieces to decorate walls, but are the thoughts to be pondered upon.”

- Tathi Premchand

Translation by Pankaja JK 

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