What's there in the figures?
RANA SIDDIQUI
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Jeram Patel comes with revolutionary works to New Delhi.
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Photo: Anu Pushkarna
STALWART Jeram Patel at the Palette Art Gallery.
When veteran painter Jeram Patel took to abstract forms in all black and grey in his creations some 50 years ago, it was regarded as revolutionary. But it came with some room for criticism. He did find some like-minded admirers but they were not buyers. But it never worried him. "All that would make me happy was their appreciation of the forms they hardly saw anyone exploring at that time. I never showed it to them to sell," recalls the artist. And now, with some growing awareness it has started selling too. Patel is still unaffected. He adds, "My outlook still hasn't changed. Except that it feels nice to see even this generation admiring them. They come to me with curious questions and a longing to learn. My 50 long years of patience and wait is now bearing fruit," he smiles.
Sitting pretty at Palette Art Gallery which has brought this reclusive painter from the laid-back Fateh Gunj in Vadodara, and mounted a series of his water colour drawings, Patel looks both amused and amazed.
The Resonance
His 53 black and grey drawings titled The Art of of Resonances are a result of Patel's six months of labour and 55 years of experience. Hence, they have his trademark lyrical quality. His forms entwined into each other like folded limbs have a unique composition value. "Such works contain no skill but compositions. They have their own texture to boast of. This time I have side-tracked a bit. A few of these forms are indicative of the limbs of human beings that we see strewn when a bomb blast occurs stealthily. Rest are complicated drawings as people name them," he laughs.
Unlike many of his contemporaries Patel never liked painting figures. If he did initially, he got bored very soon. "I was never against others making figures but I couldn't bring myself to continue with it for long. When I went to Japan, I saw a different form of art other than figures. It changed my mind too. I used to think everybody is making figures, same woman, same man while there is so much of other things to paint. So, I took to compositions," he reasons. Not only that he also formed a group of his own with the stalwarts like Ambadas, J. Swaminathan, Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh and Himmat Shah, etc., with a bang. "We formed it with a view to giving back to the nation what we could, as artists because those days (1955) both economics and thinking styles were changing. Nation hadn't actually come out of the trauma of the Partition yet. Our first and the only group exhibition was opened by Nehru himself. It was a great feeling. But we fell apart slowly. Some succumbed to economic pressures and some crossed the border for greener pastures. I didn't go abroad to earn my living but to learn art only."
He went to as many places as he could, on scholarships or otherwise, Japan, Russia and London. He learnt graphic arts in London for several years. "As soon as I finished my training in London, I packed my bag to come back home." Now, this 77-year-old veteran is busy painting at his studio. Barely can anyone see him complaining about anything. He laughs off his students' inclinations for more money than art. "Market strong hai. Kuch to asar padega hi. Let them... ," he smiles. He takes it easy when his own family members don't take any interest in art.
"They don't even hang any painting on the wall," he grins mischievously. "I am no one to complain, comment or command. But I would say that only those people take to art who have determination and can work hard. Otherwise they would fade out in 10 years."
Pearls of wisdom?
The exhibition is on view till October 23.
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