Contemporary artist Jaideep Mehrotra, always wondered what if he could capture molten metal on canvas. He knew that it wouldn’t be possible with a simple method as the hot metal would burn the surface and drip. After a lot of research, experimentation and innovation, he developed a cold process technique wherein he used metal, paints and mixed media on canvas and layered them on top of each other intricately. Six years later, Mehrotra is finally ready to share his works with the world in his new solo exhibition. Aptly titled Reflections in Mercury , this is the first time Mehrotra, who is best known for his figurative works, is showcasing abstracts.
The creations that range from silver, gold to copper seem as if liquid metal has been dripped on canvas. While some of them are interspersed with red, blue and grey, a few of them have binary codes which are reminiscent of his previous works. However, all of them are open to multiple interpretations. Mehrotra concedes that this was precisely the reason that inspired him to create abstracts. He says, “The technique lent itself well to abstracts. Also, inanimate objects speak to you the way you react to them. If you walk in front of these works, they pick up the hues of your clothes and change their colours. So, they have a life of their own.”
It’s easy to presume that these art works might be heavy; but on the contrary, they are light. The artist shares, “A lot of them are like circuit boards which are not visible to the naked eye but give us technology at our fingertips today. Also, the way people react to an abstract is very different from the way they react to a figurative work. The latter says what it has to say and there is only that much you can read from it. Abstracts involve a greater level of reading and are subjective in terms of interpretation.”
Mehrotra, who had his first solo exhibition at the age of 13 went on to work in the the family business while pursuing his artistic inclinations. In 1983, he finally decided to pursue his passion for art full-time. Over the last four decades, he has had 23 solo exhibitions and experimented with oils, acrylics and cast resin sculptures. He is one of the few artists who has explored the myriad possibilities that the digital medium offers and has used Giclée prints, site-specific installations and video art in an innovative way. Alluding to American writer, futurist, and businessman Alvin Toffler’s concept of future shock, he says, “We are living in a world that is advancing rapidly. Four decades ago, Toffler had coined this term that explained how what happened in the last 20 years hadn’t occurred in the last 200 years. As a result, the adaptation to a radical change will make a difference to our lives. As I have always had a sense of engineering, the quest to discover something new has appealed to me. I have combined this aspect and interpreted it through art, which has no definition or limitations.”
Impressed by the myriad possibilities that abstracts and the cold pressed technique offer, Mehrotra is now keen to take it a notch further. “Combining the element of surprise and abstraction makes it appealing. This show, in particular, has been very exciting for me. These are more spontaneous works unlike my previous shows which were well thought out and had a story behind them. They are introspective and speak volumes but in their own silent way. As I look at them, I feel they can be explored and evolved further. And that’s exactly what I want to do,” he concludes.
Reflections in Mercury is ongoing at Tao Art Gallery, Worli, until October 22
