REFRESHING REALISM

NAGUESH  RAO  SARDESSAI

 

Manojkumar Sakale, Vijay Jadhav, Azharuuddin Inamdar and Mangesh Patil  recently showed their art works at the Goa Kala Academy’s Art Gallery. These names might not ring a bell but their enchanting works will surely pull one out of a stupor.

In this modern age of abstracts, installations and so-called creative art works, which many a times is wrongly equated with non-realism, these realistic pieces come about as a refreshing change. The viewer is led back in time when every individual saw works with images that connected with him or her and spoke their language.

Every genre has a reason to manifest and every generation has the choice. All four have displayed a commendable skill that is rarely on display. Smart concoction of realism with a dash of academic touch, that gives weight age to techniques and preciseness, adds appeal to their works.

Each of these artists has their strong points and they have worked on and exploited the same very judiciously. Azharuuddin’s fetish for classical genre made him explore the typical hues with apt tints and shades. Following the academic approach, he has painted boats, canoes, landscape, still-life etc. What stands out is the skillful application of chiaroscuro that adds a dramatic touch to the works. Interior of churches gets a surreal and spiritual vibrancy bathe with Rembrandt inspired colours.

Manojkumar’s sense of composition elevates the look of his paintings. Childhood fascinates him and their innocence draws him to paint their life. He skillfully manages the large canvas space by, many a times, allowing the negative space to overwhelm. This deliberate mismatch adds voice to his canvas.

‘Ballon Sellers’ has innocent kids juxtaposed against the fragile balloons to highlight the need for extending our caring hand to them. ‘Soap Ballons’ do the same. In fact, he held an exhibition of paintings at the Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai in various states of distress and delight that got a very good response.

Fishes fascinate Mangesh. However, a young girl reoccurs unfailingly in all his works that add a dash of human touch and innocence. He seems to correlate the fickleness of the human mind with the sudden and unpredictable movements of these aquatic beings. The seemingly incomplete figures and hazy, misty visual appeal accentuated by the texture of the soft pastels, that Mangesh applies, transports the viewers into an altogether mystic realm.

Vijay’s mendicants, folk musicians, horses, still-life call for attention. Shunning the delicate approach, he confronts his subjects with bold strokes and selective detailing. Vijay’s watercolour paintings of horses border on the study yet the structured compositions add special appeal. ‘Aditi’ is a fine example of Vijay in oils even though he has out up some fascinating watercolour art pieces.

All four, except Mangesh, have shown their works in oils and gouache. They have several group shows to their credit besides participation in noted art camps. Azharuuddin and Manojkumar has been the proud recipient of the prestigious Camlin India Ltd. Scholarship. Azharuuddin, Manojkumar and Mangesh have been the have received awards from the Bombay Art Society, Art Society of India and Maharashtra State Award. In addition to this, Manojkumar is awarded the Husain-Bendre Scholarship.

They put up quality art at its best and deserves patronage.

The show was on view from December 26 to 30, 2012