While a layman may find it nothing more than abstract geometrical figures, the lines on the paper are more like lifelines for Pradeep Nerurkar. An abstract painter out with his first exhibition, Nerurkar employs the use of lines and blocks to fathom space. Painting for this 41-year-old artist, is a journey through space and time."When I delve into an image, I find myself looking at a multitude of inner forms which, I then try to capture in my paintings," says Nerurkar. And these find expression through water colours and oil pastels in the abstract form. Predominant among which is a series of parallel lines or some singular fine lines, that find place in almost all of his paintings. "The beginning of any kind of form is a line. And for me these lines weave the small inner forms together to form the whole," says Nerurkar.Not surprising coming from a man who otherwise runs an architectural design firm with his wife, Naina Nerurkar, in Malad. Their work involves sketching intricate details of oldarchitectural designs, specially Greek and Roman structures, for architects. This, he says, can turn quite hectic, as adding pillars and spatial windows to residential complexes, seems to have caught the imagination of builders in the suburbs.But his architectural hand comes down on his paintings only in the form of blocks or vaguely outlined windows. There is no room for delicate designs on his canvas. Rather, his work is modelled more on the lines of Paul Klee's works. In fact, Klee is nothing short of a god figure for him. "Naina could never understand my adoration for Klee. She found his paintings very childish," he laughs.Family and friends couldn't comprehend his love for the abstract and coaxed him to go in for landscapes and portraits. But Nerurkar's thoughts could not limit themselves to a concrete form. His paintings begin with a line, followed by more lines, layers of colours which take on different forms, which he again breaks up into smaller forms. And his tools remain handmade paper, watercolours and oil pastels. His preference for bright colours and blues, which signify space for him, can be seen in all his paintings.Most of this creativity takes shape during the night. "Sometimes I see the complete painting in my dreams. So I get up and immediately start working," says Nerurkar. Then sleep eludes him till he has put it all down on the paper. While some paintings take less than four hours, others can take weeks and sometimes months. Sometimes he finds new dimensions to a painting even after its completion. And at other times, he discovers that an incomplete one has really no need for more changes.After giving so much individual attention to each painting, it is not surprising that he took so long to come out with an exhibition. Nerurkar, who studied fine arts from the J J School of Arts in 1982, has been painting for the last 18 years. "I followed the advice of painter Shankar Palasikar who said that an artist should not display his work till he himself is satisfied with the work he hasdone," he says. So when Nerurkar felt ready to face the world, he booked the Jehangir Art Gallery and came with 41 of his paintings. He sold three of his paintings in two days. Encouraged by the response, one can already find Nerurkar planning his next exhibition. "This time I will be back soon," he says.
