RURAL LIFE

 

NAGUESH  RAO  SARDESSAI

“...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” thus had said Vincent Van Gogh, the celebrated post impressionist painter.

Mohan Naik, the reticent yet easily the most popular and commercially successful artist, follows the aforementioned life. Content with the idea of residing in Cuncolim, a village deep in the south of Goa, Mohan lives a life in the midst of lush nature and raw culture.

 He remains preoccupied with portraying rural life and ethnic culture on his canvas and in a way documenting this fast dwindling wealth of our tiny state – due to various factors.

Carpe Diem Art and Learning Centre – Majorda, which celebrates and salutes such ideas of preserving artistic and cultural heritage, has put up a show of Mohan’s recent creations titled "Rural Harmony".

Never losing focus, Mohan has displayed the intense and passionate draw towards nature as stated by Vincent Van Gogh. The symbiotic relationship of nature and human beings develops into a spiritual fusion that triggers a creative spark. Mohan is an apt example of that.

He remolds the seen reality to suit his agenda and reconstructs the tableaux with the typical Mohan touch - very sober, quiet and pristine. The simple tribal people, their attire, livestock they are dependent on, serene atmosphere and virgin – unadulterated – air comes alive through his works. The human-animal camaraderie is depicted beautifully. This captivates the onlookers and extends an unspoken invitation to walk in their world.

Deeply anguished by the desperate degradation of our environment and unbridled industrial development, Mohan hopes to enlighten people to the unconditional peace and happiness that nature showers on us mere mortals.

He is a philosopher-painter with no obvious trappings. His paintings are an example in revival of long standing Indian miniature art. Significant aspects from traditional, conventional and ethnic genre get restructured and find a place in his painting. Mohan’s paintings are an example in a healthy balance of the old and the modern.

He smartly has attempted to draw our attention to not forcefully patronize old school of art and very casually protected nature. Mohan contemporaries the classical and conserves the traditional in his own way.

With numerous solo and group shows, several workshops and invitations and art connoisseur, from all over the globe, holding his works in their collection, Mohan is a celebrity artist of Goa.

Mohan has put up 46 of his alluring works that stamp his identity for the show. The exhibition will remain open till February 24, 2014.