CHENNAI: Any work of art is a matter of approach. At the art exhibition, titled ‘Pop People: Forest Fantasy,’ PG Dinesh and Pravin Sawarkar have created kaleidoscopic views of fantasies composed in delicate pastel shades and fluid lines.
There are coloured lotuses and human faces. The lotuses are painted on the blue-green of the sea and the human shapes with animal faces have sunglasses and a cap! When you first look at them, you tend to mistake the subjects of these art pieces for children. Then, you understand that the artists have tried to make interpretations on the world around the psyche of the human beings.
You may wonder why Dinesh has to personify animals and do a whole series on them. But, it’s easy to observe that human selfishness is one of the main subjects taken up. His works are situated in contemporary society, especially in terms of subject matter and imagery. Pictures of Hindu gods, weapons of mass destruction, mythological characters and political figures come together in the frames on the wall. He translates these images on to canvas, collaging glossy paper, holograms and gold paint. And the details in the brush strokes often reflect consumerism and power.
Sawarkar’s work immerses itself entirely in a surreal, fairytale-like world. His soft palette and drowsy cats make one think of lullabies — maybe a child’s nursery — those doodles and drawings of animals and forests, ponds and oceans that recreate a child’s inner artistic world. His art works depict an escapist world which is slow, gentle and sleepy, perhaps even a little naïve.
(The art exhibition is on at Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory, Nungambakkam, till December 9. Contact 42144000)