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.....what
I perceive of Art
Over the years I have painted, evolved. What I painted thirty years
ago looks obsolete now. What I conceive now, is so distant from say,
just the last decade. Non-representational forms do not satisfy my
artistic sensitivity any more. My travels and experiences have changed
my attitude and concepts.
My stay in Singapore not only brought me close to the rhythm of sea
waves, but taught me to be `better than the best'. Japan showed me
that true beauty lay in Nature alone. Their closeness to nature was
evident in creations of bonsai, miniature paintings and gardens, where
the smallest space could contain a suggestion of so much and yet be
so aesthetic. My creativity was further enriched by the study of rural
life in India.
Amidst such serenity lay calm and solace. My creativity took a turn
to portraying realistic art forms which speak for themselves. Vivacious
rural folks in colorful attire. Folks that are contented and relaxed
despite adversities and blissfully ignorant of the urban tensions.
Through folk expressions I convey my emotions and love for life and
embark on a sentimental journey --far from the maddening hustle bustle
of urban life.
In my studio when I face a blank canvas, some ideas from the subconscious
float and I get transported into another state of consciousness. My
thoughts bring gentle delicate forms, moments captured in the natural
world, compassionate faces of camels, colorful peacocks and exotic
flowers. A complete frame sets in and I am overtaken with a desire
to create that happy mood. Sometimes I am unable to recreate the exact
mood but when I am able to, it is like a spiritual experience... which
helps commune with God.
Life is also full of misery and I personally feel that harsh topics
are not for the pleasure of painting. Topics of violence, disasters,
disorder and shock, do not satisfy my aesthetic sensibility. When
I am agonised at times, with the seriousness and complexities of life,
in deep hurt and turmoil, I recollect myself in the calm of music,
and try to understand the meaning of life. For me, music is a balm
which brings inner joy and cheer and takes me away from those agonising
moments.
At times I am ill at ease, with so little time on hand. I would like
to give more care to my bonsai, arrange Ikebana, play with clay, sit
in my garden, play with my pet or simply cook something new. Every
minute is so precious that one must keep moving all the time.
While painting I do not understand what creative processes I am undergoing
or which influences are working on me. Only when I exhibit with a
desire to communicate with the outside world, looking at my works
in totality, I realise where I have arrived and what I perceive of
life. ....Perhaps I love to live with natural beauty and harmony from
which I derive greatest pleasure.
- Madhu
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