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The metaphoric dialogue
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Parag Natekar brings experiences of various design fields, flexing his expressions into a broad spectrum
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SYNERGY OF CONCEPTS The crafty integration of painterly techniques has been dexterously handled
Existence precedes and commands essence.
-Jean Paul Sartre
In these times of rapidly changing concepts and the emergence of new media, it mandates that the artist emphasise and place valence on his experiences as well as his creative flexibility. The artistic arena within the discourse on globalisation and r
ampant consumerism is investigated with vigour and polemic by different tribes of artists who adopt different approaches that are as diverse as conceptual, philosophical or metaphorically visual. The versatile and adventurous artist travels across different media from being a sculptor, animator, painter, printmaker, photographer, multi media installation artist etc.
An artist who successfully manages different media is Parag Natekar from Mumbai, an artist who wears different hats namely that of an animator, illustrator, advertising designer as well as an artist.
Varied expressions
In his works, he brings experiences of various design fields, flexing his expressions into a broad spectrum, thus providing a conflation of a variety of gestures, postures, forms, philosophy and concepts. His philosophy is premised on the concept of ‘being’ and ‘essence’ gesturing towards an existentialist philosophy of Sartre. Existence is ‘given’ and one has to exist in order to choose. In other words the artist defines himself and the world around him, understood by its freedom of personal choice and individualism within a post modern context of no absolute truth.
A glance at his works clarifies this philosophy and concepts as expressed through visual metaphors and symbols. A ubiquitous metaphor is that of the bull ordained with energy, strength, vitality and stature. In interfacing with the bull as a metaphor, Natekar makes a head on confrontation with that hidden power of the subconscious in defining the essence of being. It is a power, the potential of which is known to the individual alone. In his canvases the animated bull is a portrait of power; in other words the potential within every individual that needs to be explored and exploited and hence through linear and painterly means Natekar establishes his visual language, where the form with contained energy is symbolic of the limitation which he says “we do or do not understand”. The human form serves as a dominant trope for expressing the struggles, angst, tensions and stresses both physical and mental encountered in life, which Natekar articulates with easy facility of his brush and paint. And through the newspaper the artist highlights the various issues that riddle humanity. Thus visually and verbally Natekar foregrounds various issues that affect him personally, laying stress on his experiences, which are contoured by his sensitive responses.
Natekar’s journey of experiences therefore conflates in his paintings, articulated through two strong metaphors; that of man and the bull. The newspaper appearing in his works relate to issues that are literally read and hence the juxtaposition of the latter either with the bull or the man.
Articulation through metaphors
As an illustrator and animator, his facility in drawing the bull is remarkably noteworthy. The evocative rhythmic strokes flow with ease and grace and the animal form emerges in all its vigour and vitality.
The human form is solid and not delineated with physical features but as a generic symbol of humanity and its struggles for existence.
Thus the typical Mumbai life as travelled in train everyday, or the man constructing with cards gesturing towards Nandigram, or the struggles of life from birth to death, and the aspirations of reaching higher successfully.
The crafty integration of linear and painterly techniques has been dexterously handled by Natekar, with spontaneous brick like or calligraphic strokes, expressive and vocal line resulting in forms that are natural and dynamic. His palette is judiciously limited to blacks, white, red, yellow and green.
The synergy of concepts and painterly techniques marks Natekar’s works as intensely felt and deeply nurtured within his subconscious.
Every stroke of brush and every line tells it own story. The works have an inherent dynamism that is neither calculated nor structured rather it has emerged with every thought, sentiment, feeling and emotion of the artists negotiated through his intense experiences.
The exhibition is on until January 15 at Ashvita Art Gallery.
ASHRAFI S. BHAGAT
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