The small details of Viraj Naik’s ‘Ambrosia de Fabulae’ capture the attention of those who walk into The Art Walkway at Park Hyatt. All 75 works currently on display vividly portray different aspects of life in a split-second portrayal.
While reading favourite books such as Where The Wild Things Are , the intricate illustrations by Maurice Sendak added to to quirky and primordial ambience of the story. In a similar realm of this artistry, Viraj Naik is using ink on paper and mixed mediums to elevate his insight through folklore. “I’ve been into the artistry for 20 years, and having done my Masters here in Hyderabad, I wanted to showcase some collections here,” explains Viraj who has displayed works in Delhi and Mumbai.
Instinctual psyches
The well-versed artist explains that through his research on mythologies around the world — be it Roman, Oriental or otherwise — the hybridised figures featured in the collection are representative of the instincts. This is something Viraj often does in his works, a previous collection ‘Seize On’ accomplishes through his strong roots in Goan culture. He adds that the collection currently on display is not the full collection, but it does encompass a lot of his views as he goes through life.
“These are portraits of the people around me,” Viraj points out, “These interactions you see are the narrations of this storybook. See, there are animal instincts in every human but this collection also shows the human instinct in animals, and this can be hard to digest; and through the intricacy of details, you’ll see my personal language.”
This is indeed accomplished through varied contour lines and fine-tuning which make each piece radiate out towards the beholder. The use of colour sparingly provides a stark contrast against the consistent use of blacks and greys upon the paper.
Viraj indicates each work alludes to the controversial yet satirical side of society whether it’s a deity or a spirit. The modernisation of war and conflict has stimulated the thought processes in completing some of these works for sure and it takes a minute of appreciation to formulate your own interpretation which Viraj hopes for people to do.
The works are currently for sale, many of which have been secured for their distinct psychological undertones and revisitable aesthetic.
‘Ambrosia de Fabulae’ by Viraj Naik will be on display until October 28 from 11am until 6pm at The Art Walkway in Park Hyatt. Call 9849492350 or 9963111211 for more information.
