This artwork features a striking, abstract composition in earthy tones of brown and black. Prominent angular shapes and gestural brushstrokes create a sense of dynamism and movement, evoking a rugged, primal landscape. A solitary human figure stands amidst the powerful, almost menacing forms, suggesting a symbolic or narrative element. The artist's bold, expressionistic style and use of mixed media techniques contribute to the work's raw, visceral quality. This piece appears to capture a primordial, elemental experience, reflecting the artist's exploration of the human condition within a harsh, primeval environment. ...
Sudhir Patwardhan draws inspiration from the vibrant social fabric of Thane and Mumbai, focusing particularly on the lives of the subaltern and rising middle class. His work demonstrates a deep empathy for his surroundings, capturing the rhythms, struggles, and subtle gestures that define everyday urban existence. Patwardhan’s paintings illuminate the layered realities of city life, from bustling streets and construction sites to unexpected pockets of greenery that punctuate urban development. His compositions often evoke the atmospheres of built environments, revealing the inner lives of the people who inhabit them. Through this lens, he tells nuanced stories of ordinary individuals, reflecting the intensity of their emotional and social connections to the spaces they occupy. Central to his oeuvre is the human figure, depicted in various stages of urban labor and daily routines. Early works feature construction workers, rickshaw drivers, and railway porters, rendered with expressive urgency and attention to detail. His canvases frequently teem with activity, capturing the energy of city life while maintaining a focus on the ordinary working person. For Patwardhan, the human form remains the core of his artistic universe, a vessel through which the dynamics of contemporary urban experience are vividly articulated. ...
Founded in 1987, Vadehra Art Gallery is a pioneer of South Asian art, representing artists across four generations from the Indian Subcontinent and its diaspora, helping to shape it as a celebration of culture, identity and intellect. As a confidante to art history and a champion of contemporary creativity, the gallery nurtures a dynamic and flourishing ecosystem where the artist and their work take centre stage, promoting a legacy of artistic expression that resonates with global audiences.
The gallery is recognized for its early support of modern masters such as M.F. Husain, Ram Kumar, S.H. Raza, and Tyeb Mehta, alongside subsequent generations of post-modernists like Arpita Singh, A. Ramachandran, Nalini Malani, Gulammohammed Sheikh, and Rameshwar Broota. Its expansive contemporary programme emphasizes influential names such as Atul Dodiya, Shilpa Gupta, Anju Dodiya, N.S. Harsha, Gauri Gill and Sunil Gupta, as well as emerging talent like Zaam Arif, Biraaj Dodiya and Ashfika Rahman. ...
