Bawa`s images do not adhere to the rules of temporal reality. Constructing a magical dreamscape, his canvases depict fantastically colored animals, mythical characters and curiously flexible acrobats subverting the strictures of gravity. The purple-hued goat of this work is suffused with a mystical radiance. It appears to rise weightlessly towards the viewer, providing us a glimpse into an alternative mode of existence. "It is...
Bawa`s images do not adhere to the rules of temporal reality. Constructing a magical dreamscape, his canvases depict fantastically colored animals, mythical characters and curiously flexible acrobats subverting the strictures of gravity. The purple-hued goat of this work is suffused with a mystical radiance. It appears to rise weightlessly towards the viewer, providing us a glimpse into an alternative mode of existence. "It is like entering an unknown place... the experience is akin to losing your way in the depth of a deeply wooded forest and seeking a path leading somewhere." (p. 8, Manjit Bawa, "My Tryst with the Flautist", Manjit Bawa, Sakshi Gallery, Exhibition Catalogue 2002)
Characterized by their ostensible naiveté, Bawa`s fluid, rounded forms exude a rhythmic quality. The figure of the goat in this painting seems to vibrate against the deep red of its surroundings, creating a visual tension deliberately analogous to the effect rendered by certain strains of music. "When I paint, often listening to Sufi music or to Indian classical compositions, my soul beats in strange rhythm with my canvas. To me, artistic structure is akin to musical composition, in the gradually increasing tempo of beats." (Ibid.)