Details carefully depicted

ACCORDING TO recent reports pretty pictures of colourful, Rajasthani, Gujarathi folk are much in demand, understandably so since most people prefer to have something pleasant, something they can understand and identify, in their homes. Yogesh Shirwadkar from Mumbai has attempted to create the world of Rajasthani/ Gujarathi men and women, in their ethnic costumes and jewellery, as seen in their day-to-day life.

One sees two women or two men chatting together, woman selling vegetables, a couple with a baby, women doing their chores and so on.

Unfortunately, the paintings appear so dull and flat; there is no atmosphere, in spite of Shirwadkar trying to depict the details carefully, as the colours are lifeless. In fact, in some pictures where he has omitted the details and has painted an abstract surrounding, it is more interesting.

Art lovers of Chennai are used to seeing Yogesh's father's painting for several years now, in which he depicts the ghats of the Ganges and Lonavla, the hill station in Maharashtra, bathed in the typical sunlight of the two places, in a somewhat impasto technique. It is sad that the son does not seem to have inherited any of the artistic qualities of the older Shirwadkar, or perhaps in his efforts to be different he is losing direction. The paintings are on show at the Vinyasa Art Gallery till October 25, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

LAKSHMI VENKATRAMAN

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