T he richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration - Claude Monet
The quote pertinently describes the underlying force of nature in the wake of the paintings of the young artist Abdul Salam Khan currently on display at the AIFACS gallery in New Delhi. {+t}{+h}-24{+t}{+h} January 2010 Inaugurating the exhibition, Ram V. Sutar, Padma Shri awardee and President ,AIFACS, commented on the sculptural effects as well as the realism imbibed in the paintings.
The current show of this 27-year-old artist takes you on a journey into nature's lap. The natural beauty of Kerala during his national integration camp led him to explore the ocean. His ability to capture his subjects in detail and his realistic creations are a tribute to the nature.
Khan says, “In my paintings, one can find distinct elements of surrealism without losing its realistic appeal. I portray the formation of mountainscape in an individualistic style. My work has evolved from form to formlessness, it is all about raw nature.”
He also says, “The textural type of paintings which imply only fragrances of colours, are my only colours. Chemistry will work after blending in the spectator's eyes”. The 45 canvases mirror his impressions of nature. Explaining the nuances of his paintings, the artist explains the use of myriad colours and hues from nature in various degrees, specially the colour black which he feels, captures the depth of water and the hovering clouds. Out of 45 paintings, only two are figurative and stand out for skilful use of various shades of colours used.
Hailing from Cuttack, the artist says he took up painting as a hobby.
Now, his plans include “creating the largest painting of the world by surpassing the existing one in Gwalior at present”. To do this, he is contemplating shifting his base to Kerala, where he will work on his creativity “to bring out the essence of nature.”
(The exhibition is on till January 24 at AIFACS, 1 Rafi Marg, New Delhi.)
