|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The works of Atul Dodiya interweave history and culture. Nonika Singh chats up India’s leading contemporary artist on the influences that have shaped him as well as his art LIKE his art, the man, too, is multi-layered. With Atul Dodiya, one of India’s leading contemporary artists, one gets more than one sees and much more than he himself would care to reveal. If layers within layers define his nuanced works that straddle political and social issues with strong and obvious references to art history, a host of influences have shaped him, both the person and the artist.
From Gandhi to Piet Mondrian, from Indian miniatures to Japanese woodcut to Chinese calligraphy, nothing seems to have missed his keen eye and sharp visual memory. "Visual", he states "is the key word in an artist’s lexicon." Though Gandhi figures in his works time and again and being a Gujarati, he does admit to having grown up on inspiring tales of the Father of the Nation, at the end of the day, he shares, "Art is about visual imagery. If Gandhi looked like say Arun Nehru, I doubt if I would have painted him." "Essentially a painter." is how he, an alumnus of JJ School of Art, Mumbai, and Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris, views himself. In a day and age when most artists resort to quicker yielding mediums, he follows a painstaking technique. A perfectionist to the core, he pays attention to every square inch of his surface that often changes from canvas to shutters to laminates. But the new media has yet not engaged him. On other artists’ preoccupation with it, all he would say is, "To each his own", but on further prodding, he admits that in the name of the new media, lot of trash is being peddled as art. He quips, "History is rather cruel and contemporary artists must realise that contemporary must transcend the time frame and it’s not the medium but the quality that will make their work last." For instance, his paintings that interweave both history and culture could be placed in the 12th century. Not that this avid reader of art history, who has a huge library at home, is caught in a time warp. In fact, often he does a somersault and charts a new course. So till now, he might have painted largely on social and historical issues, right now he inspired by the erotic art of Japanese woodcuts and is contemplating working on similar themes. "India", he agrees, "has still not learnt to accept nudity." But the response to his paintings that are often peopled with flesh and blood persons from politicians like Sonia Gandhi to Bollywood actors to members of his own family has been effusive. Since often his works are autobiographical narratives, does he face the dilemma — what to reveal and what to conceal? He laughs and quotes Picasso, "Art is a lie that makes you see the truth." On a serious note, he shares that imagery doesn’t flash overnight but is a long process of evolution and takes years to firm up. For instance, the next series on Gandhi (again, but this time sans Gandhi’s image) based on Gujarati poetry, has been gnawing him since last four years. Presently, he has no less than 27 series on his mind. And though Dodiya’s works sell like hot cakes, one of his work sold at Christie’s for a whopping two crore and 50 lakh, he is adamant that he never creates for the market.
Often before going ahead with a series, he is aware of the pitfalls of the works not finding buyers. For instance, when he created the Mahalakshmi series alluding to society’s apathy towards the fair sex whose image it worships, on larger than life roller shutters, he was prepared to scrap the material. It’s another matter that the exhibition was a complete sell out. Since some of his works have been bought by international buyers, including Charles Saatchi, does he feel India needs collectors like Saatchi? He says, "No, we need collectors, who can put Indian art in a proper perspective. Imagine putting Jogen Chowdhury’s works along with Damien Hirst’s or Anish Kapoor’s. Unless someone presents Chowdhry in the context of Bengal school, it will have little meaning." He observes that fortunately today private museums are coming up and collectors are conscious of what they are buying. "Buyers", however, he adds, "remain mercurial, who might like one thing today and something else tomorrow. And today they want entertainment." Dodiya, however, is not
willing to compromise with the profound solemnity of his expression
that has been described by critics as both learned and passionate,
enigmatic and allegorical. But then, the artist who is booked till
2013 with back to back shows in Hong Kong, Paris and India, has
already exhibited in prestigious museums like Tate Modern, London, the
Helsinki City Art Museum and many others has no reason to make
concessions. Especially, with his art that is a vibrant reflection of
the world we live in as well as the one we have inherited.
|
||||
|
|
||||
