Astitva: The Essence of Prabhakar Barve is a visual treat for art aficionados.
Barve (1936-1995) was considered a pioneer in India with a body of thought-provoking artworks which combined the real and abstract forms. A product of the Bombay’s Sir J.J. School of Arts, Barve was introduced to the world of fine arts by Vinayak Pandurang Karmarkar, a distinct sculptor himself.
Speaking about the importance of Karmarkar in Barve’s life, Prahlad Singh Patel, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism recently said, “I respect the artist and I have greater respect for his teachers. The creativity of the artist is important but more important is when a teacher sows the seed of purity within the artist. Therefore, respect for the teacher is of utmost importance.”
This show presents Barve’s artistic oeuvre in four distinct phases such as Roop Tantra, Roop Artha, Roop Tattva and Roop Vichaar. There is a timeline as well on display here which chronicles the artist’s life. A small reading corner with collated archives also forms part of the exhibit.
The decade of the 1970s marked a crucial point in the artist’s life. Noted art critic Dnynaeshwar Nadkarni had once described this moment as a “turning point in his career, for the first time, as it were, Barve realised the essence of ‘space’, from the merely physical, the concept had now instinctively assumed a metaphysical character... he was progressing towards an unusually purer and more poetic approach to that same distilled psychic experience of his which had launched him on his quest.”.
At: National Gallery of Modern Art On: Till 28 July