India Art Fair 2022: Artist Atul Dodiya talks about his exhibits

Atul Dodiya is an Indian artist of significant renown, having carved a well-earned space for himself in the cluttered contemporary art scene. He is best known for his paintings depicting middle-class Indian life and for his watercolour and oil series on Mahatma Gandhi. Currently, he is making waves at the India Art Fair (IAF) 2022 with his solo show at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) titled Walking with the Waves – a subtle departure from his previous works – and artworks displayed at the group show in the Vadehra Art Gallery booth. The solo show is a selection from over 365 intimate works that he painted during the year-long period of frequent lockdowns due to consecutive waves of Covid-19. This mammoth project was his attempt at preserving his own sanity and artistic composure, by dwelling on the concept of solitude. Additionally, he is set to be the first Indian artist to be part of the prestigious BMW Art Talk at the IAF, set to take place on Saturday, April 30, where he will converse with his long-time friend and gallerist, Shireen Gandhy of Chemould Prescott Road gallery on his interesting journey as an artist. He joins Firstpost for a quick chat about the IAF and his work.

Excerpts from an interview:

How do you feel about the India Art Fair finally happening after a long break?

I’m very happy about it, and I’m really enjoying engaging with people and art again. Some people grumble about the heat, but I don’t care, it doesn’t bother me! For me, it’s exciting to see so many people and artists together for a major event after ages.

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What are your expectations from the audience this time?

Ans: I don’t have expectations as such because I know what to expect in terms of audience reaction. What people see and what they don’t see in an artwork varies, and so does their reaction to that work of art. Their reaction is not something that concerns me - only the creation of the artwork does. However, in the last 4-5 years I have noticed that the audience is growing. A lot of new people are coming in, including new collectors, new connoisseurs, a younger generation, and younger collectors are now more visible. Many young people are engaging with visual art, which I think is very important. 

You have a conversation lined up with your friend and gallerist Shireen Gandhi. What can the audience expect from this unique interaction?

It will be hilarious because we are very close friends. We started together back in 1989 when we had our first solo shows together. So, there is a lot of giving and taking between us. My close friends are her close friends too. We have introduced each other to many people and these people have contributed to my way of thinking and my way of working. But also, the talk is sure to be interesting because I will speak about my diverse journey in the field of art over the years.

You have a solo show at the KNMA, and you are also part of a group showing at Vadehra Art Gallery. How does the nature of the artwork’s display affect people’s reactions to your art?

When a special exhibition is on at a museum or gallery space, that show is exclusive and gets all the attention. But when it is an art fair, people go from one booth to another in a rush. That is the way art fairs have always been conceived. The gallerists try to bring harmony through curation, but I have noticed all international art fairs treat it like a business, for the purpose of selling art. As soon as the work is sold, it is removed and another one is put in its place. I was a little awkward about this whole thing initially but then I realised it is what it is. So, I don’t stress about how my work is displayed now. Generally speaking, my galleries do justice to all the works displayed.

Your solo show at KNMA is highly personal. Was it a cathartic process for you to paint your feelings during lockdown?

Yes, actually this project just happened. During the lockdown, I couldn’t go anywhere – I couldn’t even hear the sound of traffic or any other noise from my home. Since I knew I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere, I started working at home, and within a month I had 35 paintings. However, I realised that they were very simple paintings. They merely consisted of contemporary, lonely, solitary figures – just a depiction of human beings doing nothing. It was something as simple as watching a cloud. The simplicity of the artworks made me feel that I’m going backwards in time in my art, but I painted intuitively and intuitively I knew there was something special about this series. During this period of dilemma, I decided not to share these paintings with anyone. I felt it was something very gracious, personal, and pure. I didn’t want to get distracted or disturbed by anyone through a stray negative comment, so I didn’t share them with anyone, and then gradually in two months I had 60 paintings, and in three months I had 90 paintings! I told myself to keep painting because, at the end of the day, I don’t have to justify my work to anyone. Sometimes I felt the works were getting slightly repetitive, so I would try to change the paper or change the method of painting to make them shine individually.

[caption id=“attachment_10615211” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Some paintings by Artist Atul Dodiya[/caption]

Q. What would you like to say to the audience visiting the India Art Fair?

Ans: I feel everyone should be connected to art. It is a medium that gives you a tremendous amount of joy. It is not just entertainment; it is pure joy.

Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com_. She can be reached at nooranand@gmail.com._

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