A legend in silk
RANA SIDDIQUI
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With seriagraph making inroads into art lovers' homes, veteran artist Jehangir Sabavala joins the bandwagon.
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PHOTO: ANU PUSHKARNA
THE MAN AND THE WORKS Jehangir Sabavala explains his painting `The Casuarina Line' in New Delhi.
To possess a Jehangir Sabavala painting in 1982, people in Kolkata found Rs.15000 too high a price to pay. Today his creations sell for several lakhs - well beyond the reach of a man with average disposable income. Some of his works adorn the walls of art lovers abroad.
To make his works accessible to one and all, the veteran, a pioneer of travel art shows in India, has joined hands with The Seriagraph Studio, Mumbai. has given the studio permission to make seriagraphs (silk prints) of 18 of his works in sizes of 22X30 and 44X30 inches and sell them for Rs.45, 000 to 75,000. The serigraphs that span his most prolific period from 1959 to 2004 are mounted at the Palette Art Gallery in Golf Links, New Delhi.
The original paintings of all these seriagraphs have been sold across India and abroad. Each seriagraph carries a certificate of authentic reproduction along with Sabavala's signature. The limited editions of the serigraphs include Sabavala's famous "Under Sail" (1959), "The Predator" (1987), "In the World's Afterlight" (1966), "The Casuarina Line (2002), "The Disciples" (1991) and so on. Sabavala has fond memories attached to each.
The `blend' man
Sabavala is known for the amalgam of academic, impressionist and cubist forms in his creations, a blend that raised eyebrows among his peers in the 1960s. He is also known for symbolism that appears repeatedly in each of his creations. Reasons the humble veteran, also characterised by his spic and span style and his whiskers that always turn upwards, "I never changed my style wholly. I believe in growing step by step, rather than jumping from one style to another. There are many artists who do that. You see their works made after a gap of 10 years and you won't be able to make out if they are made by the same artist. My symbols are my identification. It also happens because I show my works with a gap of at least three years. If I want I can flock myself with works but that's not the way I like to work."
The veteran believes that there are real art lovers who save money for years to buy his works. And he sells his works to them with great fondness rather than giving in to "market pressures".
He has several memories of people who came to him to buy his works but couldn't afford them. "I used to keep my works for several yearsfor them. I still do that. I am not driven by market forces. Even if the market hikes my price, I try to find out through my sources if it is done honestly."
Isn't that we call old world chivalry?
The exhibition of seriagraphs is on till April 17.
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