HYDERABAD: Urbanisation, globalisation, connect with nature, city landscape and personal journeys. These are aspects that the joint works of Fawad Tamkanat and Nipun Kumar display at Gallery Space. Titled Cointcurrents, the 'two man show' is on till August 7. The two artists are showcasing their works together for the first time in the city. Friends from their MFA days in Central University, the two never got a chance to display their works together after Nipun shifted to America. “The only places we met or meet are the international art shows. I have met Nipun almost in every country where I have displayed my works,” says Fawad.
For this show Fawad has displayed a journey; his journey with his works and his techniques. He says as he adds years to his agem he is beginning to prefer simpler works. “Most of my works on display are flat and I prefer it that way now. Am I changing my technique? Cannot say that, but or now this is what I prefer to do. I cannot compartmentalise my work and name my technique. It is not mixed media for sure, but it is closer to photo-realism. Earlier I used to click photos of busy market places, street, roads and recreate them on canvas. Now I am an observer. I like my frames infused with shadows of what I see; maybe the shadow of a busy road on the display window of a shop . I love to collect those scenes in my mind. I am also chronicling the sights and changes that are fast vanishing in the city. Sometimes I am painting a picture of a new city with old connections. Celebration of life in its closeness to nature is my other muse. But here again though I have used a figurine, it isn’t 3D,” explains Fawad.
In some of his works he enjoyed depicting the city view, the connect with towns and buildings abroad. Amongst his works is a canvas which is a portrait, part of a private collection. Only when it is touched can one say it is a painting.
Nipun on the other hand says the subject of his work is whimsical, playful and it is all about being everywhere. He describes it simply, “My work is a contemporary statement through the perception on inner and outer space, juxtaposing with time. Here ‘inner’ refers to the mind, thoughts and ‘outer’ is the environment that affects and influences those thoughts. You look at one angle but your attention will get drawn to the entire canvas. It is a celebration of life, changing lifestyles and evolving lives. Some parts of it will describe the present that make us miss the past. In some way I love the fact that I keep my works abstract but easily understandable with just a little thought. I don't want the subject to get lost or dissolved while doing abstracts.”
Nipun loves nature but changing ecology against the cityscape is also an important part of his works. When displaying his works abroad, Nipun deals with subjects like infinity, binary codes, and geometric patterns. What about the nudes which feature in his abstracts? “That explains purity. When can one be nude, only when he is pure. A child roams around freely without clothes, that’s purity,” he explains. Nipun says his dream of showing his works in Hyderabad has been fulfilled; it was something he wanted from his heart. “Fawad and I talk and discuss work and we decided that it is high time we met in the city we grew and began our work and also show a continuity of the journey from our MFA days.”
