A tiger in the Sundarbans swims from island to island. On canvas a myriad shades of orange, green and brown depict this. A tiger is submerged in water and through patches and blobs of colours, water and land are differentiated. In another painting, which has a pop art feel to it a lioness rests against a green background; its upper body stained in shades of pink and lower half in a merge of orange and yellow.
With the basic philosophy that art should serve a purpose, Deepak Shinde has come up with his latest series titled Tableaus in the Wild . The big cats, namely the lion, tiger and leopard are his subjects. “Art is such a strong medium and through it I want to create awareness about the plight of these animals.”
Using Jackson Pollock's technique of keeping the canvas horizontally and throwing paint on it, allowing it to flow and merge, Deepak allows the art to come from within and take shape. However, his works do have a figurative element to it, and the subject matter be it a lion or a leopard is clearly identifiable on canvas.
Deepak describes his work as abstract expressionism. He says that the kinetic mode of painting served as a perfect method to translate the powerful animals on to canvas. All the works are acrylic on canvas. Prior to putting brush to canvas Deepak spent time in Kenya and the Sundarbans studying the behaviour and form of the big cats. “If my paintings appeal at an aesthetic, intellectual and emotional level then I have created a work of art.”
The exhibition is on till November 7 at Shrishti Art Gallery. For more details contact 23540023.
