Oil on canvas paintings of boats lining the Ganges, in bright hues of red, yellow and blue, give us a glimpse of artist Paresh Maity’s childhood, when he would paint these scenes sitting on the banks of the river. His art, which captures nature in all its glory, along with life-sized paintings of abstract figures is on display as part of his 80th solo exhibition, Vision Into Infinity . Spanning over a period of 40 years, it follows Maity’s artistic evolution and showcases a diverse body of work, including paintings, drawings, sculptures and installations. Some of the works on display have been exhibited at the British Museum in London, the Rubin Museum of Art in New York, and the Commonwealth Institute in London.
Dressed in his trademark beret and colourful scarf, the 51-year-old artist says, “This is one of my biggest and most comprehensive exhibitions, in which my works right from 1976 to 2017 are on display. Most of these paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in Australia, Singapore and London, but are being showcased in Mumbai for the first time.” Maity, a recipient of the Padma Shri, is well-known for his rendition of nature and capturing the sights and sounds of the places he has visited. Born in 1965 in Tamluk, a small town in West Bengal, the artist was surrounded by green fields and open skies while growing up.
Later, when he travelled to Rajasthan and other parts of the country, where he was hugely inspired by the vivid hues, he started dabbling with figurative art. “The most important inspiration in my work is nature,” Maity says. “Aristotle had famously said art is what but an imitation of nature. My journeys through the sand dunes of Rajasthan, the backwaters of Kerala, the canals of Venice, Egypt, Turkey, Japan and Alaska have all been captured in my works. As an artist, I observe, perceive and imagine forms, which I then express in my art.”
An adventurous and experimental personality has prodded Maity to explore diverse mediums, like drawings, watercolours, oil, mixed media, installation and sculptures, photography, and even filmmaking. His repertoire envelopes the miniature with the monumental and strikes the right balance between tradition and modernity. Recent sculptural works in bronze bring back essences of folkloric forms that surrounded him in his childhood and youth. For instance, a mammoth installation titled ‘Sounds of Silence’ is made with 4,000 brass bells, but does not emit any sound, thereby celebrating the power of silence. “My earlier works were steeped in tradition and have gradually evolved over a period of time embracing modernity. The challenge lies in experimenting with different mediums. Each and every artwork at this exhibition is different. It will give you immense joy and happiness and will uplift your mood.”
The New Delhi-based painter says he has consistently strived to evolve as an artist over the last four decades. He admits that what has helped him in this journey is his eagerness to know how the common man perceives his works. “I’m always keen to know people’s views and opinions about my artworks. This motivates me to communicate my thoughts and emotions to them effectively through my works.”
Vision Into Infinity is ongoing at Art Musings, Colaba till March 31.
