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New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Believing that multiple art forms, especially music and cinema, constantly affect his work, painter Paresh Maity, who from an early age has been inspired by folk, tribal and miniature art, says that ever since he can remember, classical music has always made a deep impact on him.
"This is despite the fact that I did not grow up in surroundings seeped with music. Cinema, through its very shades and thematic layers, also continues to inspire me," says Maity.
Padma Shri awardee Maity is one of the best known names in contemporary Indian art, whose works will be displayed in two exhibitions -- 'Noise of Many Waters' (November 12-December 11) at CIMA Gallery, Kolkata, and 'CAST' that opens on November 13 at Birla Academy of Art & Culture (presented by Gallery Art Exposure along with Birla Academy).
The artist says that the former chronicles his long journey into the world with water colours.
"My water colour collection of nearly 45 to 50 years would be on view at CIMA Gallery besides two major films and one installation with water. The next day at Birla Academy, there will be an installation exhibition. Most people know me as a painter, but I started my journey with sculpting, doing clay modelling at the age of seven. By the age of nine, I was also doing water colours," he says.
Talk to him about his journey of moving from landscapes to representation of human form, and the artist, who lived in Kolkata till 1989, recalls that his work was dominant with landscapes till he was there.
In 1990, he came to Delhi to hold an exhibition, and ended up enrolling for graduation at the Delhi College of Art. "But when I travelled to Rajasthan, I was struck not just by a very different landscape as compared to Bengal, but also by the features of the people there -- the colours, their attire etc.
"This had a profound effect on my work and slowly figures started appearing in my landscapes. However, in a very short time, from 1990 to 1991, my paintings slowly moved into the figurative. Also, Europe was a huge inspiration, when I travelled to London and Paris. When I went to the Picasso Museum and saw his works, his straight strong line compositions had a deep effect on me," the artist says.
Maity, who does not come from a family of artists, says that despite no exposure to arts at home, the moment he saw artisans making idols, everything changed for him.
"I was very young, but that very instant I knew that creating art was my true calling," he says.
The artist, who works in different mediums, says that art decides the medium, not him. "The same holds true for the subject. I do not look for it -- it finds me," he says.
Stressing that he enjoys working in every medium and does not really have a favourite one, Maity adds, "Whenever I am trying to do something multidimensional, sculpture or films work well. Watercolour is for landscape. For figurative work, I pick up the canvas and employ strong colours."
Any conversation with Maity cannot be complete without 'A Portrait of the Artist in the World' -- in which acclaimed photographer Nemai Ghosh documents the artist's present-day life and of Maity revisiting places from his past. All the pictures are in black and white and shot on film.
"I am also into photography in a big way and love the tonal gradation and artistic expressions that emerge in black and white. Ghosh is a well-known photographer and we made pictures across the country and the globe. Even Photoshop has not been used. I shun all kinds of artificiality," he concludes.
--IANS
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