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...............................................................................................Artist
The Eyes
of Thar
Satish Gupta, celebrated artist, poet and sculptor, leaves his
footprint on the sands of time.
 Every
painting and drawing of Satish Gupta's series 'The Eyes of
Thar' draws the viewer's attention to the eyes of the artist's subjects.
All the eyes, male and female, literally match 'eye to eye,' both
in style and form. To quote artist Satish Gupta, "To be
able to look in the eye and converse with the figures on canvas,
that is what I am trying to do with my works. And when I achieve
that, it is exhilarating - for each figure has a story of its own,
a song of its own."
 Gupta,
whose passion lies in the print-making series, breaking from all
the rules of the trade, has a fair number of solo and group exhibitions
to his credit in Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Paris, New York
and Spain. His most recent exhibition 'The Eyes Of Thar' was held
at the NCPA, Mumbai. The artist has also created many graphic murals
for public spaces including a 260 foot long mural at the Indira
Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi. Also to his credit is
the design of a stage at the Siri Fort, New Delhi, for a concert
by Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Gupta speaks every language of art - calligraphy, pottery, painting,
drawing, sculpting and even poetry. Mumbaibest speaks to
the the talented artist on his latest love - The Thar desert.
 Most
of your drawings look understated, not portraying harsh realities
of the Thar. Also your bright hued paintings are a sharp contrast.
Comment.
In this series, I was trying to get into the life of the people
of Thar, focusing on the inner self, on the human being, rather
than the exterior. That could be the reason why the drawings look
understated. There is a contrast between my drawings and my paintings;
while my drawing are soft and sober, my paintings are bright and
bold. The black and white drawings do not have the intensity of
the colour, but they do have a meditative quality. I look at them
in totality.
 Are
your paintings always based on themes?
I like to work on particular subjects and get involved in the
depths they offer. I work on particular themes for years until I
feel saturated. I do most of the studies on the spot, except for
the very large ones, which I do at the studio. If I cannot paint
on site, I do it at the place where I am staying so that I can have
easy access to my models. I do take photographs of my subjects,
basically to note the gesture and add spontaneity.
Has your work always bordered on realism?
Surprisingly, for the last 10 years, I have been working on
the Thar. That is a major part of my life. My main motivation for
the book was to have it as a retrospective. Before the series, my
work was almost minimalistic, white on white. I never painted figures,
only seascapes and cloud scapes. Till I came to a point when it
was totally white on white, and no images. Then came the turning
point, Thar.
What drew you to Thar?
When I was 12 or 13 years old I first went to Jaisalmer. There
was no electricity, we went in the metre gauge train. It was all
very romantic with the old world charm. Now, some of the houses
and buildings that I have drawn or painted, have been destroyed,
and replaced by concrete structures. In a way I have captured a
part of time, because my work is kind of documented. I have taken
off-beat tracks for my journey, not just tourist places. Over 10
years I must have made nearly 150 visits to the Thar.
How is your technique different from that of oil on canvas?
I first sketch my subject, etch it on a metal plate, then paint
the plate and finally take an impression on canvas. I never take
a second impression, because I want to use the technique like sculpture
and not lose out on texture and quality. There is no impasto or
thick paint used - only transparent layers one on top of the other.
Once I have inked the plate, the impression has to be taken immediately.
I get my inks done in Japan to my specification. They are colour
fast and of high quality. Using natural colours would not work with
this technique, maybe it will work on fabric, but not on canvas.
Some of my works are 20 feet and 30 feet high and they just will
not work that way.
How would you compare young contemporary artists with that of
the previous generation?
I would not downgrade contemporary art, because a lot of talent,
skill and imagination goes into it. I would like to think of it
as a different approach to art. But, today what is lacking is the
basic foundation - drawing and sketching. You cannot build a structure
without a sound foundation, even though it might be decorative.
Drawing is the backbone of any art. Few young artists take the trouble
to draw or sketch their subject. Once you have your basic sketch
in place, you can distort or destroy it or create an end result
without form. I have found that the younger generation of artists
do not have the patience to work hard.
There are artists who paint for themselves and others who are
more commercially oriented.Would you like to comment on these differing
trends.
There is so much pressure on the artist to make it big. I had
my first show when I was 18 but, thereafter, I struggled to have
a meaningful show in a gallery. I have travelled all over Europe
and other countries with my portfolio hoping that somebody would
discover my talent. Today artists get discouraged very soon and
want to make it big fast.
I have faced criticism from critics who have stood at the doorway
of my gallery and written nasty things about my work without even
viewing it. In many shows, I have not been able to sell a single
work. With the television and media creating such a competitive
atmosphere, there is so much pressure to succeed. I think about
90 to 95 per cent of the artists barely manage to make ends meet.
It is a constant struggle for most. In ideal conditions, I would
not paint commercially, but if I am short of money, I would have
to do some commercial work to keep going.
Gupta provides a poetic conclusion
The story of my life
Written in the sands of time
Buried in the warm dunes
- How many more
Caravans will move on
Without noticing
The faint shadow
This ripple creates.
Interview: Anupama Vinayak
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