Impressions

Lex, USA; Gilles, Belgium; Devjyot, India; Cristiano, Italy; D Doherty, Canada; Sofi, Luxembourg; Cath, UK; Jordis, Spain; Ruya, UK; Bao, Vietnam; Lyn, Denmark; Lee, USA; Eleni, Greece; Ryan, USA; Ari, Australia; Donald, USA, Ray, The Netherlands; Rosa, USA; Vanessa; Italy; Julie, USA; Ulven, Sweden; Sina, Germany; Vara, Russia; Mandy, USA; Lara A, Slovenia; Steph, Belgium; Lucy, USA; Peter Welch, New Zealand; Bev, location withheld; Roberto, Lithuania; Nin, location withheld; Simon H, USA; W Morgan, USA; Bor, Bulgaria; MK, Japan; Eben, Canada; Rob, Kenya; AC Behnke, USA; Lulu, USA; Hannah C, USA; Ceresta, Germany; R Oglesbee, USA; Anita, Italy; Ieva, UK; Wyvern, USA; Vincent, UK; Alice, USA

One thing (among others) I find fascinating about your work is the relationship between the paintings and their titles, which I see as witty commentaries on contemporary mores. Your images speak for themselves (that is, in purely formal terms like composition, color etc.), but the titles add to the perception. Instead of narrowing the meaning of what we see (which would reduce the pictures to an illustration of sociological concepts), they create a new space of significance that is up to the viewer to fill. Hope this makes sense to you. Valerio M, Italy

I like your painting, and many of your paintings make me feel a kind of tradition. I like this expression very much. Your painting is excellent. Thank you for your work. It gave me a lot of enlightenment. I used the translator, my English is not good, if there are grammatical mistakes, please forgive me.

O D Gong, Peoples Republic of China

Your work is incredible.

I admire and I'm very inspired by Frieda Kahlo. Some of your work reminds me of her style.

It's hard for me to explain why your work reminds me of Frieda's. When I look at many of your paintings it just screams Frieda to me. I think it has to do with the subjects that you choose to paint and the reality in them, but also how you combine it with the abstract.

I don't say to just anyone that their work reminds me of Frieda Kahlo. When I say something like that I mean it. I watched a documentary on her and tried to do a self-portrait afterwards. It was terrible!

Your gallery is very impressive.

I'm jealous of your talent. I really am jealous of your skill!

...We have always been appreciating your clarity on issues, promptness, contentful writings and countering comments sent for 'Andolan'.

Your paintings/ drawings/ pictures too are of a very high quality, as recognized by all.

Thank you so much for being with us, with all support.

With best regards,

It's always difficult for me to respond on your works because they are so intense and I need time and quiet to think and ponder on them. I'm not always in the right state of mind to do it, so I prefer to wait until I feel ready, instead of writing unmeaningful comments. Your art does not deserve them!

I think your art is quite difficult, at least for the average viewers...It is not possible to just look at it and understand it at a first glance.But I see that if I just follow my intuition, the meaning is there, somehow....I'm glad that my feelings and ponderings get close to the intended meaning, going by your feedback to my responses.

You know, I am one of those lucky persons who don't know poverty and misery - the constant themes in your work - but I get really sad and even shocked in front of these realities...that is another reason for my difficulty in commenting on your work! They show me a reality I would rather prefer not to see...or better, I would prefer that it won't exist in the first place.

I don't know if people like me can really understand those who really know what poverty is. This is a complex subject on many levels ...not just political or economical...it goes far into people's heart, culture, experiences, values, fears.

So, again, I just try to listen to my feelings when I look at your paintings. They are rarely wrong, it seems!!

...[People tend to treat]..art as an escape from the pain of life. Although this would be a wonderful world if everything was happy and peaceful all the time. But unfortunately it's not. We need artists like you to keep us in tune to the darker situations in life. Pain and suffering is [sic] a large part of life. I'm glad you have found a way to communicate to the world about the more depressing things in life. Your art is beautiful. You have a style that's all your own.

Sarah Ruest, Canada

I was struck by your style…very personal, but I could detect influences of surrealism, art nouveau and also a kind of expressionism...well, I love this mix of styles all in one!...everybody knows that the greatest artists have never been understood by their contemporaries ...it's strange, cause I saw a lot of similarities with Dalì, Klimt and Chagall...in other words, my favourite artists!...[Esp.] Chagall and his kind of dreamy coloured atmosphere!... good choices of inspiration!... and using medias like newspapers is a brilliant idea...good old style, modern context of reportage...

Sara, Italy

I just thought I might hop in for a short visit. You do interesting things, and your art usually carries an interesting idea behind it. You are not one of the people who would draw what is beautiful and conventional. And I appreciate it in your art, and also the way you choose to set a discussion. It is very important and very few people know to do it in an appropriate and civilized form…
Your style reminds me of artists who were drawing in the first half of 20-th century; Like Ben Shan, Felix Nusbaum [for example, your painting – Now we can afford Depression] and others [like] very famous artist - Hundetvasser, especially his works related to "heads" [your painting ‘Chelm’].

It's somewhat "simplified" style of drawing with incorrect perspective and proportions that carry an idea by all those means -which make it stronger, leaving a deep impression. know that each and each of us as a person can not solve all those problems in the world, you've mentioned.
But I doubt that mankind would ever solve all of those, and meanwhile if some can have a better life - why not? Suffering just for the sake of it, just because others do - inevitably or not, is illogical - if you can make yourself a better life - you should do it (as long as it's harmless for you and others).
Well, this is how I think about the subject.

Genny Raskin, Israel

What [do] they like??...Pretty paintings of flowers and portraits?... People need to see political art more often! Everyone is focused on getting away from reality and hiding behind cute and happy imagery when I think people need art to show them the truth of the world!... people want art that matches their sofa and uplifts the spirit, to distract them from the problems of the world, but I say, make art and other media bring the problems back, because in reality, the people suffering can not escape! ....

Political art in itself needs to stand up and shout out over the crowd of senseless, self absorbed art and artists!...oy! you have so much work! I have commented on a few already, but in general, you have very great political works that cover almost every aspect of our society.
You do a lot of research and are generally knowledgeable on issues covered. I see a lot of impressionism and lush brushwork.

The only bad thing I could possibly say is the technical drawing and perspectives of the work are not exact, but I don't think it matters when you are painting every idea that comes across your head.
You really just want to get the idea across to the public before your next idea pops up.

You are very knowledgable in your subject matter, I'm very impressed by that! Not only are you a painter, but a good writer, I believe!

Great work!

Serafima Sokolov, a Russia born american artist, USA

http://art-fire.deviantart.com/

I would just like to say that I'm glad to have discovered an artist such as yourself.

I haven't seen such brutal, honest narrative in someone's work in a long time. Quite disheartening, isn't it?

What saddens me a great deal is to see the young generations - my generation - lost to apathy and self-absorbedness, oblivious to real issues of poverty, injustice, pain and repression that affect god knows how much of the world's population. Any attempt at critical thinking has become a huge problem, with all the media sensationalism, lies, trivialities and other distractions we are constantly being fed by those whose interest it serves.It is very, very depressing.

I read what you write and view your artwork not just because I think you're talented, but because I feel it is my burden to hear the voices of the ignored and silenced. I feel it makes just a little bit of a difference to support people who relay their cries because the more people who support you.. the more they're heard and the more that can be done...

[About some of the anti-americanism in your work]...The shame I have of my country is personal for me. I don't see anything wrong with the idea of patriotism and considering I've been outside the country a few times and intend to move out of it, you know it might be nice to have some patriotism to bring along with me! I was led to believe all my life (and people still try now) that where I live is one of the supposed-greatest countries in the world because of its ideals of freedom. It can be frustrating and yeah, maybe even hurtful, when you learn how two-faced and dishonest all that "yay America" crap was and see the ugly truth. Isn't it bad enough when we experience this from our religion or friends or family and lovers?

It is very personal for me because I do not support what my country does, but I cannot do anything about it other than verbal protest. Even then, the massacres and pain my country causes is, by default, attached to me. I strongly believe that the ones who will make the most impact on the eradication of sexism to be the ones who cause it- men.. which means the same philosophy applies to the Middle East and that the US being the ones who cause this suffering are the ones responsible for ending it... which means I have to do what I can to stop it and convince my fellow Americans around me to care and stop it, as well. It's personal whether or not I want it to be because if it's personal for someone else and their suffering family at our hands, then I am involved as a person who's part of a family and a member of the group (even if unwilling or unknowing) causing it...

[And again],

I really respect what you do. I am very grateful for all the enlightenment you inadvertently offer me. I won't give up if you don't give up.

introspective art…

It was interesting to see some of your work in person!

What struck me first about many of your paintings is, firstly, the fact that they look like shots from an ongoing narrative, like frames that have been frozen in the middle of a scene, and then of course the themes that your work deals with, and the fact that the paintings are so firmly entwined with ideology.

Your visual ‘style’ of painting was not what originally drew my interest, but it gradually grew on me. Of course, how a viewer reacts to the ‘style’ or ‘technical finesse’ (if there is such thing at all!) of your work is inconsequential to you as your art does not endeavor to merely decorate walls.

In paintings like off to work, the carers or the applicant, I like the ways in which glimpses into somebody’s ‘present’ or ‘reality’ are set in the frame, sometimes making me feel voyeuristic, I suspect this is exactly what you want, as surely, critiquing society requires one to be able to observe it without any falsification, sort of catch it unawares (before it has time to put on any makeup!).

Some of the more thematic paintings have a clear structure and a concept or idea that leaps out at me, but some are just mundane images, they may have nothing to say at all, and they may have volumes to say. As ever, it depends on where I'm standing, how much time I have before I bury my head back into the sand, and how much I really want to admit to seeing. It is perhaps like walking down a street.

Of your work, my recommendation would be to definitely see the first section Art People.

It is said that Socrates thought the objective of art in any human society is to portray the ideal, to help society aspire to what is an ‘ideal’ form. I feel that the objective of your art is to express not what is ideal, but what is, and to say to us that, how far we may be from an ideal, is up to us to think about...

Sneha Uplekar, Visual Artist and Film Maker, India/UK

Oh thank you so much for the link to your website. Your artworks are brilliant. I could identify with many issues you tried to bring up in your paintings especially because I have seen so many of those familiar situations in India. I used to live in New Delhi for 4 years and go back yearly.I felt at home in India and always thought of it as my 2nd home though I don't live there anymore.
I was amazed though, on my first trip to a slum. I expected terrible filth and dirty poor people but what I saw was the opposite. Poor of course but they all had dignity. One girl was washing herself with a mug of water and a bar of soap and some houses(I wouldn't say all coz I didn't visit all the houses) were extremely small but clean. I was very impressed. Your paintings also reminded me of all the wonderful experiences I had with everyday Indians and those of the underprivileged.

I wonder why conventional artists don't like your work. Is it because they are insecure or ashamed that you managed and have the guts to portray issues that they couldn't?
My photographer friend was traveling with me in a sleeper class train(that's where you get to see so much of India) and a beggar child was sweeping the floor with his hands. My friend took a photo of him but he got taunted by a passenger who yelled at him "Why are you taking this? You've got no beggars in your country?" It was a total misinterpretation. My friend shot it to show that aspect of life in India but not to degrade or humiliate the boy but the passenger was offended by it. He was probably subconsciously ashamed by it, that's why he was very defensive. I didn't think he was protective of the beggar boy at all.

Your work in some ways reveals your anger and frustration at the indifference of the society at large towards the revolutionary ideas of social reforms suggested by your paintings. This has made me think a little and emboldened me to offer a few uninvited comments, which I am sure, will be given due considerations by you, having a rational outlook on life combined with a sense of concern for social problems.
Your work in some ways reveals your anger and frustration at the indifference of the society at large towards the revolutionary ideas of social reforms suggested by your paintings. This has made me think a little and emboldened me to offer a few uninvited comments, which I am sure, will be given due considerations by you, having a rational outlook on life combined with a sense of concern for social problems.

But a few persons like you, because of the habit of reading or interaction with other social movements, have developed a capacity for rational thinking and a desire to find solution for the evils existing in the society These social evils may comprise of illiteracy, poverty , uneven distribution of wealth and opportunites , corruption in all fields, failure of legal system to punish the criminals. etc. However, our middle class culture enables us to express our concerns only through the medium of literature, drama music, lectures or paintings. We are under the false impression that the man on the street who comes across our above modes of expression of our ideas is immediately influenced and accepts our solution. What is needed is an active leader who can influence the common man and carry them with him. This ,we the thinkers from the middle class cannot do., because we are not able to communicate our ideas in a way that the masses can understand.

For a few, rational thinking may be the basis of their actions. But for the majority, only furthering self interest is the motive for all their actions. Solutions suggested by you but going against their interests will not be accepted. If you support reservation for a particular class , you will get support only from that class whereas you will be condemned by other classes. People do not believe that there is a solution for every problem arrived at on the basis of rational thinking. and that solution has to be accepted by all.. This fact, though very unpleasant and unpalatable one is not fully realised by those belonging to middle class..
Mahatma Gandhi could get maximum response only from the middle class , who supported him due to acceptance of his ideas and not on account of any self interest.

His present day political heirs glorify him only to encash his goodwill and not out of any respect for his teachings. Dr, Ambedkar, a truly rationalist thinker, had proposed reservation only for a period of 10 years. But his political heirs do not feel ashamed for demanding reservation for eternity.
In a democratic set up, power gained through elections is supreme and the cunning politicians have been pampering to the interests of the dominant vote banks, and after coming in power secretly conniving with the capitalist class for stacking unimaginable fortunes for themselves and their future genarations. The politicians of the present era are not interested in social justice or any other social reform which may adversly affect their electoral prospects. Nehru, Patel etc were statesmen and could lead the masses whereas the present-day leaders are politicians pushed by the masses in the direction they want.
Unfortunately it is only the few people like you who feel uneasy about this reality and become sulky and disappointed. I think this is the price one has to pay for having the misfortune of having a capacity for rational thinking in a social milieu where only self-interest overrides all other mental faculties. The only practical remedy for your mental unease that I can suggest, is to advise you to stop thinking, a solution I have come to consider as the most appropriate after reaching 75 years of age! If you want to test the truth of my advice, you come to India and stand for election against a hardcore criminal rival. Success of your rival is a certainty. Mahatma Gandhi, who devoted his life for the abolition of untouchability is being abused as a cunning old man by the Dalits, who are the main beneficiaries of his lifelong struggle.
Happy is the man who does no harm to others. But happier is he who refrains from doing good to others!

M. D. , Pune ( India )

...I get the feeling that your inner self is on fire to portray the principles that the world needs to activate and provide equal opportunity for a decent living style...

Technically speaking, I think you may have trouble with perspective because (I think) you paint with your feeling and not what you see. It is difficult to separate the two and yet portray the two because they are both needed...still, of the two, I feel feeling is more important, more powerful otherwise you are producing eye candy. Much art out there [is] like that, and it is pleasant, enjoyable and of course great for decoration.

What I like about you is your honesty.

When I am in front of your work, the first thing that strikes me is I feel something. There might be a rational analysis after this. But among the many things a viewer will find hidden in your painting - a lot were put by you.....you leave the rest for others discover...

Also there is something about the colours you use... so raw and shining at the same time. Just like the brushes...

Watching one of your pieces is a full experience. But we have to let ourselves go. To get involved by those colours, surrounded by the strange landscapes and captivated by the look in the eyes of your characters... it might be hard at first, even it might be shocking to stare at one of your paintings. One has to feel and one has to think. One has to dig into oneself and fill the blank spaces. Your art is among those which does not say everything. You write half the phrase....we complete it.

...and that's what I like about it. When everything is said, there is nothing left for us but watching. There is no active participation. There is no creation left for us. You not only leave that space but are asking us to fill it...

You art is certainly more than political, it is surreal.

Your messages come straight from your soul to ours. I can almost hear you say - 'look what I say and tell me what you see.'

I can't talk about technique. I don't know much about it. I myself just paint, I don't know how. You are self-taught, and I admire that.
I too am self-taught.That's why I know that the best way to get across to others is by being completely honest with art and with yourself.
Looking for your very own techniques, fighting to connect your soul with your brush, trying the hardest to find yourself on canvas...

Art of Angst

C K Purandare tells Huned Contractor that he paints because he wants to stir public conscience

An old woman casts her vote in a ballot box. A soldier hugs his child before setting out to fight for war. A pair of hands reach out for the moon. Hounds are seen chasing a hare. These are all the subjects of various paintings created by Britain –based C K Purandare and even if they may, on first observation , not have anything in common, the fact is that they do. And in plenty.
They, collectively and individually, make a statement – that of the apathy that has crept into society and people. The old woman casting a vote is Purandare’s way of saying how voting in democracy has become nothing more than a ritual because governments are finally sculpted out of power equations, influences and strengths of vote bank politics without actually having anything to do with the common man’s say in the matter. Similarly, a soldier embracing his child is an emotional appeal of sorts. Off he goes to kill someone else’s father – that’s what it says , bringing to the fore the futility of war. As such, Purandare’s paintings are bound by a common genre that applies to them all – they are political in nature.

In his own words ‘’ paintings will have served their purpose if they make you pause and think’’. Yes, most of Purandare’s work do that and more. They hold a mirror to society and our own attitude that is becoming increasingly materialistic each passing day. They also possess a streak of black humour, as in the one that has been titled ‘ Now we can afford depression’ which shows a woman whose material needs have been satisfied but she still suffers from stress so that she has to take recourse to healing methods such as reiki, yoga, etc.

As interesting as the paintings is Purandare’s background. Originally from Pune, he graduated with an engineering degree in metallurgy and an MA in sociology from the University of Pune. He has done research on the insurgency against the State in North-eastern India. The exploration took him through Assam Manipur and Tripura in 1988. But prior to this he had undertaken a study of the ultra-leftist Naxalite movement and human rights violation in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. He then migrated to Britain and decided to take up painting….’after realising the limitations of verbal or written communication ‘ when it comes to saying something about socio-political situations. Paintings is what Purandare now does as a full time occupation with engineering having been left far behind. His aim is to stir people into action. ‘we all seem to have slipped into a cocoon state and it troubles me to see all of us so apathetic or even tolerant to what is on around us’ he says.

…although he shies away from exhibitions now…it does not mean that he has stopped reaching out to those who may be interested in his expression of human suffering and visual story-telling. Purandare has produced a CD-ROM titled ‘Outsider Art’ that not only has the images of his many paintings but also narration for each of them.

…to borrow a phrase from the critical appreciation of Purandare’s work by Victoria Champion, an artist from the United States, ‘’the paintings sing with life.’’

Very True.

Anyone can tell from looking at your work, that you have the talent to really get at the heart of what you feel, and also the motivation to do it... I can tell it's more than a passion you know, it's more of a must. I like to see that, people being true to themselves in a way, not afraid to show themselves to the world, leave their trace to who they are, beyond the meat, so-to-speak. Even if there is a painting I am not particularly keen on, I can see it's been done with a lot of heart and work... That's art for me... The art of tapping inside oneself.

About the work itself - fantastic, it is, but a bit of a cop-out just to say that! I must say I prefer your "semi-abstract" work, for me it's more human... No, more spiritual, it comes from a deeper place I think. I think the rest of your work reminds me of mathematics... Very well done, structured and superbly designed ideas, but with a sense of mystery gone. I'm not saying it's in-your-face, but you can get the general gist of it I think. I'm sorry, I can't put it into words that well... But like I said, the "semi-abstract" work can trigger people's own emotions very well, let's other people's imaginations run wild. For example, "Asking for the Moon", "Bereavement" and "Waiting" - all of these have very strong feelings, they generate a lot in me, but they are unknown feelings, and that makes them more interesting - but searching through the "semi-abstract" paintings, we search into ourselves to think... It's more exciting and fulfilling.

I love your style - it's great. It is very innocent, childish I think. I find that fascinating because your work seems to have such complex, and grown-up ideas I think, especially in the "political" ones. It's a very nice contrast. To me, that kind of says "common sense". Use your common sense and these are the thoughts/theories you will have. Unfortunately common sense is not a strong force in politics. Also reminds me of Picasso - he was always trying to paint with "innocent, pure eyes". It's a great gift to have. And your style also reminds me of David Hockney. Like it's all a bit disjointed. In "We, the British", a lot of people were mentioning about how it is "out of proportion". I like that. I mean, what does proportion matter? It's the same with Hockney, a lot of his paintings are all-over-the-place, but it adds to that childish theme I think, makes it more personal and characteristic. Otherwise you might as well take a photo.

The website is nice, your work deserves to be in a good-looking site, but one thing I want to ask is why do you seperate your work into catagories? Is that for the audiences ease-of-use, or your way of saying, "this is personal, and these are protest pieces...". Nothing wrong with that, I was just wondering...

So yeah, great great great work, keep it up, I really enjoyed looking at all your work. Like I said earlier, a lot of blood sweat and tears have gone into them - I can see. Very passionate, warm paintings.

Thank you for sharing them all! I don't need to tell you to keep up the good work!

The two things that touch me in art, are when I can feel emotion and when I can see emotion.

Your piece "Depression" is a prefect example of that. "Land vs Earth" is on the other end.
I think your most effective art is with people in them [which a good majority of your art is.] From that, people can connect themselves with another human being in pain. It is harder to connect with the idea of land or newspaper clippings.
If you are trying to make a stand and speak to people and say here is a problem, they need more then just gruesome pictures. They can see that in any war movie. What they need is to see these people's eyes, see a piece of their soul, that connects the hurting world to them.

What penetrates the heart is seeing the emotional damages human [does] to human, and seeing the affects of these problems in people's eyes and in every day life.

Also, maybe put a piece of you into the paintings, write in that neat language you know that not many do.

Another thing. Remember the power of color. It really can draw people in. While depicting such sad things, bright colors are not always fitting for the emotion of the piece. But again I am reminded of how you handled the painting “Depression”. Wonderful vibrant colors, but still you manage to keep a silent mood of sadness.

All your art is wonderful, I have been looking at the pieces more closely. And they really are powerful. But personally the ones that touch me the most are ones like IRAQ when you see the sadness in their eyes. Also I think 'Judas' is right up there with 'Depression' on quality. Those really are amazing pieces.

And it is not that I am saying your other styles are bad or not effective. I just think you have this ability and power presented in certain pieces. That I wish you would use more often. I tried to find a commonality among the pieces that touched me. And they seem to have a feeling of completeness instead of floating random images brought together.

And maybe [you should] even present a solution with the problem. That says - "hey viewer, you can do something about this sadness". When you show the people's expressions I think that has a remarkable power.

People are constantly presented with problems. Just watch the nightly news. It may dilute the intensity [of your work] but maybe help solve the problem in a couple lives in the long run. Sure people see problems and solutions different. But you are the artist. You are presenting the problem through your eyes. And so, you can do the solution.

And of course you don't have the mighty answers to create world peace. But you have ideas. May be even present a solution as a choice. Such as a woman in the middle a fancy car to her right, and to her left a starving child. She is holding a coin. That right there presents a problem. A choice and a solution. It says VIEWER you can make a difference. Here I am presenting a problem in the world. And with small sacrifices on your part, you can change lives and feed mouths. Anyhow just my thoughts. I am not attempting to change your way of art. I really like it. But I wish you would incorporate the hope that there is. Along with the problem. Your deal though.

Everyone does their art for their own reasons. I just see a power like I have said.

And I don't see gruesome pictures as a problem solver or a life changer. It does not connect the rich American viewer to it. They think "that is sad, I am so grateful I do not live in a nation like that". Instead of "Wow my choices can affect what goes on in the world." Without the viewer making a connection from that world to theirs, they won't personalize it. It will touch them for a moment. But they will walk away with just another gruesome image in the back of their mind….

… .you don't know the answers....but you have ideas.

In my opinion, this awesome artist knows how to tell the truth. With brutally honest strokes and hard-hitting ideas behind the paintings, this artist is one to be treasured. His art should be a help to even higher standards, above treasured - to be adored and waited upon.
For an artist who has never had formal art education, Purandare takes talent to a whole new level.
If you have never seen any true-to-life paintings before, come and look through this website. I assure you, you will be in awe. Absolute awe. You may find yourself confused at first as to the meaning behind the paint, but when you do find it, there is a true meaning that will stay with you for a long time. Look for yourself and find out.

Identity Withheld, USA

You are one of the finest artists I have encountered. The art you create brings your audience through many worlds, and each piece is connected to the other. But at the same time you are not merely taking us out of this known world - you are taking you through other worlds so as to better understand this one.
You are an artistic version of Rudi, whose ideas can be seen in the book "Spiritual Cannibalism."
There is a constant sense of an illusionary reality to this world, even in your most serious paintings. You are adept at viewing situations from above the areas in which they take place, an outsider while on the inside. The Gun series [misc gallery] is a good example of this.
Your work is a fine example of altering one's perceptions to the state of the world in which we live. You are at a perfect medium with your ideas, capable of seeing the illusionary nature of this reality while at the same time being able to explain why that is so in artistic terms.
While capable of being deathly serious when it comes to certain issues, you can still raise the tone up to a more child-like [pure way of seeing, not tainted] that isn't encumbered by those boundaries.

But, I have one criticism of your work: why do you not offer more solutions to the dilemma of the world? You clearly show that you can annihilate the preconceptions established in this world, but you rarely take a step beyond them. You rarely give the audience what they are looking for: the tools to change. Don't leave us hanging with what is wrong with us, show us how we can really begin to change!

Perhaps you should mediate on what it is you really wish to say, rather than what your opinions on current events are and what your perspective on social situations are. You often convey your impressions of external issues in your art, dissecting even psychological behaviours as if you are looking at them from outside, like a scientist. By what YOU really want to say, I mean, what causes your soul/higher self/primal self (or whatever you want to call it) to feel AWARE. How can you pass this information on to the rest of us? So that we might share this moment of awareness with you, and thereby gnosis may occur? Therein would lie what you may call pleasure but what is nearer to bliss. Once again, is this not the function of ART, to facilitate gnosis and bliss? How can you achieve this level of communication?

Victoria Lindsay, USA

C.K ,
It was my pleasure [viewing your art]… where you're coming from simply as a human who is also blessed with the ability to express artistically. Your pictures need very little explanation, that's why I like them. I understand them sadly all too well. After 27 years searching for answers...they can still be triggering. Perhaps as a fellow artist I can hope that 1 day as an artist yourself you will find cause to permit hope within a piece, not for the audience, but for yourself, for darkness lies at every turn except where light shines. Art can be that light. Art from the bottom of the abyss, brought me to this plateau. Art makes me want to induce "Please Stop" not "Look at What You Do". I will stop now, because this thread is really for comment on the art itself, but as you can see it has invoked strong emotions in me. Moving stuff .
I like to think that the bulk of my art is as brutal in the depiction of reality as your own. My own experiences guide me however to seeking forms of expression that are subtle yet still grow in the mind of the observer to the point where they might induce change, or at least reason to allow change of our perceptions of what we all hold to be solid and invaluable to us to make sense of life.
I am of the mind that 99.9% of humans have a limited capacity to withstand emotional onslaught via graphical depiction, since emotion by nature is fleeting in response to trauma. Those who shy away from graphic imagery of torture, abuse, societal degradation etc. perhaps have good reason for doing so, since by evocation of emotion it also triggers very real reminiscences of real self pain and tragedies… I know you are not naive, but, you seem to make great weight of your intentions with your art, yet in the truest sense Art never needs explanation. Why? Because the viewer chooses within seconds whether to be offended and leave or look and be awe struck.
I try not to target my art, because those who need telling that which you claim, tend not to be interested or care about art, that's why they carelessly impose those living conditions upon life forms that are defenceless, they just don't care, full stop. Artists however, tend to be reaching out for solutions or comfort or both or many, and are more likely to be open to suggestive works of art. I reach out from life in general and promote caring, emphasizing the hope still left in life. For every candle that life brutality extinguishes, I will light 2 more, just for spite, until such time as life fails me. I promote solution not observation.
Perhaps the question I will leave you with is this - People are fully aware of the atrocities around them, I would say almost to overload, yet they look for guidance to what can we peacefully do about it. In my eyes one of the greatest humans of ALL time has to be Mahatma Ghandi, for he ultimately beat the world to death with Peace, he did what he did, not for reason but because he knew no other way to react to the situation. This is all just food for …

Anthony Mottram Liverpool , UK

You have a clear and honest use of colors along with an excellent command of lines, forms, and shapes. Your work is exciting and sometimes unsettling, for you make one have to think. Oh my...the 'me' generation is actually going to think about something other than " self". I liked ' Asking for the Moon ' best. With the ' I me mine' proceeding it …the title you gave ' Asking for the Moon ' , applies to the self absorption. I think an interesting observation [is] made here.
You are from this 'me' generation and I am from the generation that gave birth to you. If the painting ...'Asking for the moon was seen 30 years ago, it would have been 'Reach for the Moon'...giving an entirely different message. Funny how things change. I guess that is why I gravitated toward the Moon picture, it had a lot of different feelings for me. Any way, I think your work is great and I see art in your future.

Cile Bailey Los Angeles , USA

Visual storytelling and cultural narrative in your work are fascinating. Your presentation is utilitarian , there is no ambiguity and the issues you tackle make uncomfortable viewing.

The themes of disparity and contradiction that run through your work as in Phobia or Different Worlds, Bound to Clash , to cite only two , are disturbing. You tell it as it is. The depiction of extremes in human condition reaches out to us for answers.

I now [have] before me the full panorama of your painting tour the force.Not being an art buff,my appreciation is like that of a philistine or a pagan...
The first impression your paintings left on me is one of versatality which is surprising in view of your taking to painting only recently.The second vibration is the ruminating mind that drives your brush. There are philosophical moorings that underpin the images that flow from your brush,though they often get comingled with your ideological urges. I liked - Autumn 2001, Faith reflecting your agnosticism,Prophets betoking your cynicism and Unstuck ,a caustic comment on social sciences.
The others are also appealing but I pointed to the ones that stirred my inner psyche.
With regards and wishing you success.

Deena Khatkhate
Economist

Like the modern beauties, who need to combine beauty with brains, your paintings are as artistic as they are eloquent. I have taken the liberty to circulate [them] to my faculty colleagues.

V. Ranganathan
Reserve Bank of India Chair Professor
Professor of Economics and Energy
Chairman of Economics and Social Sciences Area
Indian Institute of Management,
Bangalore , India.

I saw your art gallery closely. It indeed made me pause and think about the uneven effects of developmental processes where so many humans are constrained to struggle for absolutely basic necessities. The fact that I felt disturbed offers ample testimony of the success of your effort.
At the same time I feel realities are never so black and white and one has to look at the grey shades too! Every stage in human history has brought new difficulties in its wake and offered abundant opportunities to develop. It depends on how you use them.

Rajen Harshe
Professor of International Relations , Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad, India