"Nature is a home, and we are all a family."

Asked about his first encounter with art, Surendra Jagtap recalls sitting with his mother, a primary school teacher, and helping her to draw pictures for her classes. Despite opposition from his family, he persevered in studying art formally. At the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, he gained his first exposure to the contemporary movements in painting. Francis Bacon's strong use of bold colours inspired him to move towards a semi-realistic technique.

Casually observing a nude study class, intrigued Jagtap with the possibility of creating the nude form himself, and he began to concentrate on figurative drawing. Natural forms dominate Jagtap's works, and his female nudes are often accompanied by the figure of a cat or, in recent works, a cow. These, he explains, "suggest 'shanti', or peace, which I see in relation to the female." He delineates the nudes with a lyrical quality, and accentuates the female form with the use of bold patches of bright colours, like reds, blues, and ochre. The drama created by his colours and compositions imparts a unique expression to each of his subjects. His economical use of lines displays his innate understanding of the female form. He is at ease with oils and watercolour. The flat areas of colour in his works are set off by deft brushwork, which adds momentum to his paintings.

Surendra Jagtap has had several exhibitions in Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai and Delhi. He lives and works in Mumbai.

"Nature is a home, and we are all a family."

Asked about his first encounter with art, Surendra Jagtap recalls sitting with his mother, a primary school teacher, and helping her to draw pictures for her classes. Despite opposition from his family, he persevered in studying art formally. At the Sir J.J....