At one edge of the canvas is a dark silhouette of a woman standing against a blood red backdrop. The artist Amrish V Malvankar quips, “Very few people actually can guess it right that it's a woman. In fact, I have had people describing the figure as an elephant.” Does it bother him as an artist? And he shrugs and genially adds, “I like it that my art is open to interpretation and not defined.” That is how one can describe his paintings best which are at display at the Alankritha Art Gallery. It's his first solo exhibition in the city.
A graduate from J.J School of Architecture, Mumbai, Amrish started painting at the age of five. However, after dedicating his professional life to architecture for over a decade, he is finally devoting most of his time to painting, concentrating more on art for the past four years. “Architecture is all about pencils and scales and defined contours. But paintings gives me the freedom to express myself,” he says.
His paintings reflect a chaotic mix of brush strokes and colours. “I equate colours with emotions. I don't feel that every painting should narrate a sob story. It is more of a sensory experience. My work reflects my state of mind. After a day's work, I sit in front of the canvas and ponder over my day. I paint whatever I am feeling at the moment, after all every day is a new experience,” he explains.
A sublime background of sober colours and a burst of energy at the one end of the canvas, the artist has a special fondness for shades of yellow and red.
“Furniture makes the room monotonous but one can always brighten up a wall with a painting and keep changing the paintings to change the look and feel. Instead of defining a style or a work a painting can just adorn a wall,” says the artist.
The artist who has shifted base from Mumbai to Bangalore, his view of both the cities is reflected in his works in the city landscapes and the duality of the nature of lifestyle in the two cities. He has also dabbled in the conflicting human emotions that are in tandem with dark and brighter side of a human nature.
“Abstract art works have infinite scope for interpretation. When a painting is defined, its scope is limited. I like the various perspectives and ideas I get from my paintings,” he says.
Amrish Malvankar's paintings will be on display at the gallery till September 24.
