Once one of the most celebrated writers, Richard Bach was questioned as to why he writes. He replied, ‘I do not enjoy writing at all, if I can turn my back on an idea, out there in the dark, if I can avoid opening the door to it, I won’t even reach for a pencil.
But once in a while there is a great dynamite burst of flying glass and brick and splinters through the front wall and somebody stalks over the rubble, seizes me by the throat and gently says, “I will not let you go until you set me in words, on paper.” So this is what happens to artists and writers, expression is a natural instinct for them, which needs to be given vent to. It is an intrinsic part of their being, which cannot be ignored or overlooked.
Toshiaki Ruike of Japan is one such artist for whom expression is a way of life. He is a sewage engineer and has been in India for assignments for quite some time. For work he has to travel a lot, visit many countries and meet new people. And so he came up with a very unique and radical method of expression, New painting in bathroom.
The artist paints on the walls of the bathroom, takes its image in his camera and then wipes it clean. So the image becomes his final art work, which is convenient to be carried around during his frequent travels.
The concept of the artist’s work is Fragile art. The process of painting is such that there are no traces left on the wall on which the artist paints, as he cleans it completely, so it is fragile art. Similarly, concept and idea of the paintings is also “Fragile art’ as the artist unveils the myriad fragile aspects of life in his work.
He has worked on series with titles such as, fragile love, fragile human life, fragile natural environment and many others.
The present show of his works at Iconart gallery titled, ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ exemplifies the artists fascination by the white tiles of the Indian toilets. He has explored on the inviting monotony of tiles, a geometrically designed art space on which he has explored myriad works of art.
In the present series of works, the artist also ponders deep into the vicinities of toilet cleaning. He insists that cleaning of a toilet keeps the mind and spirit pure. A few works titled, ‘things unseen’, ‘angel’ and others are based on this idea.
A flower being one of the most fragile things appears frequently in the works. The artist sensitively transforms the lucidity of a flower into his works.
The glossy and smooth surface of the tiles provide for the best space for the artist on which he aptly works with rapid and free strokes, which enliven the surface.
The sensitivity of the works reach out to the viewer, the very avant garde style and manner of the works have a lot to convey.
They absorb into themselves a dialogue and connotation which is very strong, personal and yet universal in many ways.
The present show is going on at Iconart gallery till 27th November, 2009.
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