Enough Is Enough

 

Even Mahatma Gandhi would have lost his cool today. 

#rapeculture

Medium- FC Pitt pens on A5 paper

Color Version in FC Polys

Revive

I penned this poem years ago. Revival is not only inevitable but it is necessary as well. Everything stagnant rots. Shedding off emotional baggage is an important step of this process.

Heal

An injured and depressed Mother Nature is healing herself; Water is clearer and grass is greener. Good for her that the dark forces and demons are locked up for some time. This is a conceptual artwork. 

Medium- Soft pastels and FC Pitt Pens on A5 pastel matt paper.

Dream

World has everything for those who dream and keep hope afloat. This conceptual work conveys that no matter how dark it is, even if time has lost its pace and days and nights pass like sand in fist, even if dust on the windowpanes make it difficult to look far ahead, one can still dream. Be it a desire to be in snow capped mountains or in a quiet country cottage, of a river in a pine forest or lying under starry open sky, just remove the dust of hopelessness for the fire of hope gives light and warmth from within.

Medium: Soft Pastels and White gel Pen on Black Card paper

Earth

Medium- Color pencils and soft pastels on black card paper.

Love (Art)

Stars, like ripe fruits, hang low enough to be plucked. All we need is support and true love. Be it roaring rivers or high mountains, love makes every goal possible! 

Medium- Camlin 171 Gold acrylic, white gel pen and FC Metallic color pencils on black card paper.

Jennifer Lopez

My favorite Jlo. I love her personality and fitness. she is so inspiring! 

Jennifer Lynn Lope (July 24, 1969) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and producer of Peurto Rican heritage. (Wiki)

Medium- Polys and Caran D' Ache Luminance color pencils on Strathmore 400 series Color pencil paper.

The Godfather

"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." 

- Don Vito Corleone (The Godfather, 1972)

Medium- FC Pitt Pens and black marker pen on A4 paper

A Little Sin!

How I fancy being Satan’s chick!

I am dead certain we will click

I’ll be a beat in his hollow heart

And the muse of his demonic art 

Lucifer, my darling, count me in!

For what’s life minus a little sin?

An old one, penned a few years back 

Wings

'Far and wide my wings I spread

Cutting the untamed winds I fly 

Calm is my mind, high is my head, 

This whole universe is my sky'

I did this work using masking tape (for this indicative bird)

Done in watercolor and Pitt pens on 5*7" watercolor paper.

Grapes

 

Done with mixed media on 5*7" watercolor paper  

Fish in Net

Traps are always luring and attractive.

I have tried to play with form and style in this piece of abstract work.

I am against fishing as it is animal cruelty and do not endorse it through art in anyway

Be YOU

Be different

 Be Unique

 BE YOU

Dear God, let people flock wherever they wish, please grant me the strength to chart my own course with confidence. 

In Pitt pens 

The India Art festival, Delhi 2018

Few days back, on one wintry morning, I came across a front page article about the India Art Fair at the Thayagraj Stadium, Delhi and decided there and then that I was not going to miss it! The three day festival (23-25 Nov) showcased more than 124 artists and galleries from across the country and yes, it was The India and not The Indian Art Festival, as most people, even participants mistook it for! So, on Sunday, I visited the place as for being an art lover and artist, I had no reason to miss the short and wonderful event. However, what I observed was different from what I had been expecting and given below are my personal observations. These are not meant to hurt or criticize anyone or any work.

Firstly, most works were only paintings that too mere renditions and I was disappointed that not much conceptual art could be spotted. Art is not only something painted on a canvas but the use of other mediums like metals, glasses, mixed media etc to reflect thoughts. Some metal and stone works were available but they were too few to be reviewed. The paintings looked amazingly well done but lacked original thought as well as concept. Beautiful renditions of nature, birds, nature and temples were a treat to the eyes but starved the soul. Only a few artists had focused upon concepts and innovation. I believe these two aspects, skill and thought, make up a good artwork. Sadly, almost all works were overflowing with the former but lacked the latter, although some pieces combined them in different proportions. I believe that a good artwork brings a change in viewer’s mindset. The message that it gives out subtly is always more important, for art can change the world.

Secondly, the dominant theme was that of Hinduism and art can rarely flourish when it is restricted in anyway. Most of the works showed Hindu symbols like temples, ghats, bells, worship, and deities mainly Shiva and Ganesha and too much of Buddha also. The theme of cow was especially noticeable. I think we need to be innovative and open up a bit. Art stems from artist’s subconscious and it shows that religion is occupying unfairly more space in society.

Thirdly, I noticed many works were lacking in basic elements like perspectives, proportions, symmetry and angles.

Lastly, the prices were exorbitant. Ordinary renditions were in lakhs and small canvasses with usual sceneries painted upon were in thousands. Also, the arrangement was shoddy and unplanned, food was overpriced yet unsavory and I feel the stadium itself is in a dire need of a good cleaning.

I did enjoy the festival but I feel religious themes and renditions were abundant and what lacked was what art basically bring out, that is original thoughts, breakthrough ideas and messages. But then, it is also true that in India it is difficult to make a good living out of art so artists have to align their works as per the market where mostly renditions are demanded mainly for beautifying the living spaces. I feel we need to give art some space to grow and bloom, for visual media is indeed the most powerful one.

Here are some pics

 Art depicting good looks but cruel heart.

By the inmates of Tihar jail

 A rendition 

 In pencil, a rendition

 God Shiva

 Small pieces of art

 The M F Hussain prints

 M J in paper rolls

Art says it needs to spread its wings!

Buddha in Sky

बुद्धं शरणं गच्छामि/ Buddham Saranam Gacchami / I go to the Buddha for refuge. 

Buddha's teachings light up the universe. The word 'Buddha' means 'enlightened one'.

This work is done in mixed media- Pitt pens, white gel pen, watercolor and touch ups with color pencil.

Buddha

This is a rendition of 'Head of the Buddha', a sculpture dating back to 4th-5th century AD which belonged to the frontier region of Gandhara. Ref pic from 'The Story of Art' by E H Gombrich.

Medium- pencil

Discobolos

This is a rendition of a famous artwork named ‘Discobolos’ by the ancient Greek sculptor ‘Myron’. The original was a bronze one that was unfortunately lost. However, an exact Roman copy is still preserved. Greek artists were experts in sculpting movements and muscle tones. The winners of the Olympic Games commissioned their statues from famous artists of that time. This young man must have won a prize in the game of discus throw.

I have intentionally used the black paper as I wanted to recreate the look of ‘old marble’ and display muscle tones that ancient artists so deftly sculpted upon the marble stone. Medium is color-pencil.

I love reading about ancient cultures esp Greece and Egypt and nothing fascinates me more than the ancient art! I hope you will like it. 

A Basketful of Lies

I am excited to share this amazing news with you all!

Congratulations to Ms Geetashree Chatterjee as her debut book 'A Basketful of Lies' has hit the stands! In this collection, each short story is a gem presented in a lovely lyrical prose. Everything from concept to language and from flow to the ebb, has been handled very meticulously. I just loved reading her work!

I am so glad to have done the cover illustrations for this title.There are six illustrations in total, done in color pencil. Each one reflects the respective story line. I sincerely thank the author for putting her trust in me.

This book is available on Amazon and Flipkart. 

Get your copy now!

Help Kerala

It seems God is livid with His own country. With extreme floods all around Kerala, over 373 people lost their lives within a fortnight, while at least 280,679 people have been evacuated. The state is on a high alert. It is a time for us to donate as well as pray for the people stuck in such a painful situation.

White gel pen on black card paper

Decline

Hate crimes are on a steady rise. The communal harmony is declining and hatred is slowly darkening the love communities in India had for each other.

Medium- Pitt pens and color pencil