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Reviews |
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| Some of the people who appreciate the work: |
| 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 |
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0ne 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 |
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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 |
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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!
Emily W, USA |
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...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,
Medha Patkar, India
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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!!
Eleanora Forlani, Italy
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...[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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Tanja, Croatia
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| 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.
Kay Ciesielczyk; USA
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| 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
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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.
Erin Lee, Malyasia
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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.
I ,like you, have been brought up in middle class culture,
where accent has been not on aspiring for great riches,
fame or power. It has been stressed that desires have
no end and it is our duty to keep our needs to the
minimum. The only ambition that was encouraged was
to earn enough money to meet you basic needs in a lawful
way and not to be dependent on anybody till you exit
from this world. Most of the people of this class adhered
to this path. They kept themselves busy with their
own little domestic problems and closed their eyes
to the social conditions surround them.
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 )
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...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.
Dot,
Canada
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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...
Lucia
Benito Zambrana , Argentina
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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.
Huned Contractor, Pune, India
[excerpt of a Review in Maharashtra Herald, a newspaper
in India – October 5,2006]
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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!
Andrew
Foord, London
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Sarah Blue , USA
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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
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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!
Amy Arsupial,
Fiji
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Jayne Taylor, Glasgow, Uk
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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
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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.
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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
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