Wading in colours

A painter's brush-strokes on canvas record not only his feelings and observations, but also the technological and sociological changes th...

A painter8217;s brush-strokes on canvas record not only his feelings and observations, but also the technological and sociological changes that he has witnessed down the ages. As has happened in the case of well-known Pune artist Bal Wad. Wad is holding a retrospective exhibition of his important works of 52 years at the Bal Gandharva Kala Dalan from August 11 to 17. It will be inaugurated by Arun Nigvekar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Pune and Dr Vijay Bhatkar, former director, C-DAC, organised by Home Pride Multimedia.

The exhibition traces Wad8217;s years of experience, starting from a self-portrait on plain brown paper in 1947 to computer-imaged, digital paintings in 1999. It8217;s been a long trek through different media, transformation of ideas and varied styles of paintings.

8220;In these times, I can not afford to be computer-illiterate. Initially I was rather reluctant and knew nothing about computer graphics, but I find it provides limitless avenues,8221; says Wad about the latest media of expression. 8220;Anand Pillai, managing director of Home Pride Multimedia invited me to judge an Inter-School Digital Painting Competition in 1997. And then one fine day he put the computer apparatus in my bedroom, so I had to learn,8221; laughs Wad, who mastered the technique in 10 to 15 days.

And 50 paintings on various subjects executed on computers form the nucleus of the exhibition. Since the medium is relatively new to Wad, each digital painting of his can be termed as a new, fresh discovery. And with the colours at one8217;s command on a PC, the paintings display a wide range of expressions. The contents of the exhibition reflect the artist8217;s experiments. In the portrait section, besides his self-portrait, his daughter Sujata8217;s portrait, made in 1966 and his grandchild8217;s portrait made in 1988 are pointers of shifts in technique and media. From the 70s, the artist8217;s repertoire produced canvasses inspired by the war with Pakistan in 1971 8211; INS Vikrant, INS Delhi and Missile Boats in Action. And another record of events is Kargil Vijay, a recent four-feet-by-four-feet canvas.

Wad experiments with different styles. 8220;I don8217;t believe in one particular style, my paintings reflect many elements, decorative, semi-realistic, still-life, and so forth. Just like one enjoys coffee, tea, milk, each work of mine has its own taste,8221; he says.

One section shows influences of Kangra paintings. Three huge canvasses made in 1982 portray Wad8217;s sentiments on the situation after an atomic war. Titled We Cannot Live Without The Sun/Son, it8217;s a tongue-in-cheek looking at survival itself. In the next painting belonging to the same series, The Fish Swallowed the Sun, the wit is more than obvious, as it portrays the atomic aftermath with the fish as sole survivor, who has swallowed the sun.

Wad8217;s retrospective includes a very interesting still-life section, on flower bouquets which he received at various functions, made in 1998. 8220;I have immortalised them into paintings,8221; he says with a smile. He also presents three paintings on Reiki, the science of touch, made in 1994, another unusual concept put into abstract form.

Story continues below this ad

Besides his preoccupation with painting, Wad8217;s art school Creative Club follows the pattern of open experimentation. 8220;And I have a dream 8211; I want to develop an institution in or near Pune, where all the fine arts will be taught under one roof. Another Shantiniketan in this part of the world.8221;

Along with Home Pride Multimedia, Wad8217;s Creative Club has also started Kimaya, Miracle, for teaching computer aesthetics and computer designing, situated at Senapati Bapat Road, opposite Chatuhshrungi. Wad will teach computer creativity through the five principles of art 8230; the form, line, colour, composition and texture.