Regarding his palette, Yashwant Deshmukh says, “I don't go for ‘fresh’ colours since I often want to depict the lack of movement, or the deadness, the stillness of space. I mostly use grey colours”. In his painting, colours help define the tones and intensity of space. The artist mostly works in acrylic on canvas, and relishes the transparency through which the surface of the canvas is seen, and the permanency of each layer applied. At...
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Regarding his palette, Yashwant Deshmukh says, “I don't go for ‘fresh’ colours since I often want to depict the lack of movement, or the deadness, the stillness of space. I mostly use grey colours”. In his painting, colours help define the tones and intensity of space. The artist mostly works in acrylic on canvas, and relishes the transparency through which the surface of the canvas is seen, and the permanency of each layer applied. At times, the colour itself serves as a negative area in the painting when its basic function is to describe and state the nature of the form.
“The forms I draw create invisible planes and it is the interaction of these planes with the negative space surrounding them that is the inspiration for my creative drive”, he adds. The artist is known to insert objects of daily use such as a bucket or a funnel on his surfaces. The former, as the artist puts it, are all individual protagonists to be viewed strictly in relation with the space in which they levitate. By employing these objects he investigates the metaphysics of space and form.
Born in the Akola district of Maharashtra in 1963, Yashwant Deshmukh completed his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, in 1988. In a career spanning close to two decades, the talented artist has crossed many milestones. In 1993, he won the Bendre- Husain Scholarship, Mumbai; and in 2001, he was invited to participate in the third Biennial organized by Bose Pacia Modern, New York.
Among his major solo shows are 'Regarding the Cone' at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, and ‘Circling the Mountain of Light’ at Bombay Art Gallery, Mumbai, both in 2008; ‘Maverick of Inert’ organized by Bombay Art Gallery at Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi, in 2007; and ‘Space Within’ at Bombay Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2006.
Deshmukh’s work has been a part of several group shows including 'Vicissitudes of the Constructed Image' at Tangerine Art Space, Bangalore, in 2009; 'Homage to Matter' at Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2009; 'Keep Drawing' at Gallery Espace, New Delhi, and 'Point and Line to Plane VI' at Gallery Beyond, Mumbai, both in 2008; ‘Does Size Matter’ at Art Konsult, New Delhi; ‘Reading Paint-Spring 2007’ at Gallery Soul flower, Bangkok; ‘Imprints’ at the Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo; and Understanding Oneness in Diversity’ at Kitab Mahal, Mumbai, all in 2007. In 2007, the artist also had a joint show with Yogesh Rawal, at Viart, New Delhi.
The artist lives and works in Mumbai.
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Born
1963
Maharashtra
Education
1983-88 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), Sir J.J School of Arts, Mumbai
Exhibitions
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2012 'Monologue', Tao Art Gallery,...
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2012 'Monologue', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 'Regarding the Cone', Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 ‘Circling the Mountain of Light’, Bombay Art Gallery, Mumbai
2007 ‘Maverick of Inert’, organized by Bombay Art Gallery, Shridharani Gallery, New Delhi
2006 ‘Space Within’, Bombay Art Gallery, Mumbai
2005 Viart Gallery, New Delhi
2005 Bombay Art Gallery, Mumbai
2003,1997 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
1996 Gallery Jean Cocteau, Alliance Francaise de Bombay, in association with Cymroza Gallery, Mumbai
Selected Group Exhibitions
2013 'Still Life', Gallery Art Motif, New Delhi
2011 'Abstract Articulations', Gallery Espace, New Delhi
2011 'The Lost Sparrow', presented by Gallery Threshold at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
2011 'Black and White in the Horizon', Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2010 '10 x 10', Gallery Threshold, New Delhi
2010 'A. SYCO', The Viewing Room, Mumbai
2010 'Black is Beautiful', India Fine Art, Mumbai
2010 'Legacy: A-vanguard', Gallery Threshold, New Delhi
2009 'Vicissitudes of the Constructed Image', Tangerine Art Space, Bangalore
2009 'Hommage to Matter', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
2008 'Keep Drawing', Gallery Espace, New Delhi
2008 'Point and Line to Plane VI', Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2007 ‘Does Size Matter’, Art Konsult, New Delhi
2007 ‘Reading Paint-Spring 2007’, Gallery Soul flower, Bangkok
2007 ‘Imprints’, The Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo
2007 ‘Understanding Oneness in Diversity’, Kitab Mahal, Mumbai
2006 ‘The Indian Art Show 2006’, Chapel Gallery, Singapore
2005 ‘Present Future’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
2005 ‘Abstraction is Alive and Kicking’, Gallery Beyond, Mumbai
2005 ‘NOW’, Arushi Arts, New Delhi
2004 ‘Ideas and Images’, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
2004 ‘Canvases of Gurushishya’, Habitat Gallery, Habitat Centre, New Delhi
2004 Ruia House, Mumbai
2004 ‘Bombay x 17’, Kashi Art Gallery, Cochin
2003 ‘Save The Children’, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2003 ‘IIFA Art Show’, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai along with International Institute of Fine Arts on CNBC Channel
2001 ‘Affordable Art Fair London’, UK
2001 ‘Never Too Young’, Jamaat Art Gallery, Mumbai
2000 ‘Monsoon in the Millennium’, Sans Tache Art Gallery, Mumbai
1998 ‘The Miniature Format Show’, Sans Tache, Mumbai
1997 ’50 Years of Art in Mumbai’, organized by National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai
1994 ‘Seven for Seven’, Organized by Gallery 7, Hong Kong
Joint Exhibitions
2007 With Yogesh Rawal, Viart, New Delhi
Participations
2012 'Art for Humanity', Coomaraswamy Hall, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai
2012 'Synergy 2012', 12th Anniversary Show, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
2010 'Master’s Corner', organized by Indian Contemporary Art Journal at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; India International Art Fair, New Delhi
2010 'Evolve: 10th Anniversary Show', Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai
2009 'ARCOmadrid', Spain presented by curator Bose Krishnamachari for 'Panoroma: India'
2007-08 ‘Kashi 10 Light Years – Anniversary Show’, Kashi Art Gallery, Kochi
2007 ‘12th Harmony Show’, Nehru Centre, Mumbai
2001’3rd Biennale Bose Pacia Modern Prize’, Bose Pacia Modern, New York
2001 43rd National Exhibition, Lalit Kala Academy, Bangalore
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You are known to explore space in your paintings. How does you relate to the space – seen and unseen?
For me painting is to give shape to the space within us; the unseen space, one feels through intuition only. My paintings are iconic representations of a self-contained universe. The common element in all of my work is space. It is this space that provokes me to paint, to fill the void created by an empty...
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You are known to explore space in your paintings. How does you relate to the space – seen and unseen?
For me painting is to give shape to the space within us; the unseen space, one feels through intuition only. My paintings are iconic representations of a self-contained universe. The common element in all of my work is space. It is this space that provokes me to paint, to fill the void created by an empty canvas.
So, your exploration of space is not merely in the physical sense.
Absolutely. It is the ‘space’, which can't be seen by the eyes, but only appeal through our perception. It is a mystic space of our unconscious. A fear, which we experience within us! It is the deep silence of nothingness. Where we are there physically, but we can’t touch body of our self, body becomes a space.
How do you define the space on the canvas?
My painting starts from the mere surface of the canvas, and again ends to its surface only. My painting is form oriented. The basic element of my painting is to search the relation between form and the space around, which takes us to the new visual experience. This takes to the origin of nature. This relativity realizes me to the different streams of the innovative experiences of the nature.
How do you expect a viewer relate to the spaces that you create on canvas?
Each line, curve, angle and surface is to be viewed in its entirety. As a critic has put it, very little is left to the imagination, and yet, there is a strange sense of structural build-up of these very same lines, curves and angles, so that each time a new perspective is seen and each painting is posited as an emblem of that perspective.
The forms apart from the object are critical to you. How do you solidify them on the canvas to create the space?
In pictorial space the treatment of form changes because of the importance of the space. The elements like volume, movement, shade and light are mostly minimal in my work. A viewer won’t experience any play of shade and light or a sense of movement. Mostly, the form is vertical or horizontal - very static. Depth and distance are not shown on the canvas.
The forms I draw create invisible planes and it is the interaction of these planes with the negative space surrounding them that is the inspiration for my creative drive."
You often make use of day-to-day objects to create that sense of sense in your works?
I insert objects of daily use such as a bucket or a funnel in my canvas. These objects are all individual protagonists to be viewed strictly in relation with the space in which they levitate.
Do you have a preference for any colors that according to you co-relate to the infinite space?
In my painting, colors help to define the tones and intensity of space. Usually I use acrylic colors. I like the transparency through which the surface of the canvas is seen, and the permanency of each layer applied. In certain images, the color itself serves almost a negative area in the painting whereas its basic function is to describe an outline and state the nature of the form.
What is the thought process that defines your artistic journey till this point?
For me painting is a process; it is a process to understand true relationship of nature through our perception and our attitude. I believe in the power of intuition, which is always flowing.
Tell us more about your new series of work that you are about to unveil.
My latest solo show to be hosted in the last of week of this month (April 2006) in Mumbai has 14 new works, mostly acrylic on canvas. When I did a solo show last year, I had exhibited paper works. So, it is a change of medium, but the theme remains the same. I continue to explore space.
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