When an artist shuns the easel and canvas for materials found in a dustbin, he is written off. But not Indrapramit Roy. When he gave up t...
Written by Anu Kumar
2 min read
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When an artist shuns the easel and canvas for materials found in a dustbin, he is written off. But not Indrapramit Roy. When he gave up the canvas for cardboard, he found himself written about. Back in Mumbai, after a year and a half, he is still deprecative about his success. In fact, this quality of self-mockery is the reason behind Roy8217;s title for his exhibition, In Pursuit of the Trivial. A sentiment which makes his medium more apt because of its trashy association.
quot;I didn8217;t like the spring in a canvas and the neat edges,quot; says Roy. Instead, after a long search for the perfect medium, Roy chanced upon cardboard. With its many rents and channels, this thick paper lent itself perfectly to the subject of his paintings 8212; impermanence and transience, because cardboard8217;s final resting place is usually a dust bin. Today, the material is immediately associated with Roy and his work attracts the eye for both the subject and the material they are painted on.
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Compared to last year, Roy8217;s work has moreempty spaces. But some metaphors, like feet with wheels, find their way in to the current paintings as well. This time though, a rolling ball 8212; what better symbol for movement and change 8212; takes centre stage from last year8217;s house-on-wheels. While bigger works are at Gallery Seven, Prithvi is housing some 22 smaller format paintings which are gouache on paper. However, this exhibition doesn8217;t quite meet the powerful and innovative imagery that Roy created last year. His present collection, mostly, seems a watered-down version of what he has done before. But the exhibition is worth a dekko if only for the way Royhandles cardboard.
At Gallery Seven, Cuffe Parade. Till Dec 30. Time: 11.00 am to 7.00 pm.At Prithvi, Juhu. Till Jan 8. Time: 12.00 pm to 8.00 pm.
