Monumental, humongous and in great numbers. Paresh Maity has been there and done that. For the talented artist whose delicate brush strokes trace their roots to Government College of Art, Kolkata, it’s time to pause and produce masterpieces. “Pieces which people will look at and feel content. I have had 70 solos till now because I started very early. I have been constantly painting for last 40 years. I have made 100 paintings in a record time. So I have done all that. My idea now is to create masterpieces. This is the stage I am currently in that I make just 10 works but absolutely stunning,” says Paresh Maity, who just exhibited select seven works — five oil paintings, each 7ft-high, and two sculptures — at Art Alive Gallery. The exhibition was titled “Yatra”, inspired by the Jatra, a form of folk theatre in West Bengal.
Journeys have been significant to his artistic life providing the ardent traveller with the necessary fodder for his art. And that’s how his immediate surroundings — lush green fields, flowing water, skies, stars and clouds make their way to his lucid dream-like canvases. “I don’t like to create violence. The purpose of my art is to give joy and happiness,” says Maity, who was awarded Padma Shri last year.
The recently concluded India Art Fair had Maity’s “Procession”, an installation of 50 larger than life ants as part of its art projects section. Besides the installation, Art Alive had also brought his circular works, the shape which is based on his belief that life is a circle.
All for public art, Maity’s monumental “The Indian Odyssey” (80 foot) and “Celebration” (62 foot), adorn the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Two major installations in Kolkata are his latest work in this field. Now working towards his solo next year, about which he refuses to divulge much. Maity’s 30-40 works — paintings, installations and sculptures – will be exhibited at Lalit Kala Akademi. Alongside will be released a book. “It will be special but what my theme is I can’t reveal now.”
