An inward journey

Art talk

Apart from theatre, writing novels, teaching and translations, D S Chougale loves expressing himself through his paintings, so much so, that he calls each painting an inner journey in itself. 

At the launch of his latest abstract paintings at the Prathima Art Gallery,
everyone present couldn’t help but appreciate his work that, he says, took him about five to six months to put together. “When I first saw the paintings I found them to be as good as his books, some of the paintings are really beautiful,” said MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao. 

Former Additional Chief Secretary Chiranjeevi Singh, who is an old colleague of Chougale, said, “I have always seen him draw aspiration from various forms of arts and now to see him moving towards the abstract form of painting from a figurative
one is really commendable. Many say this transition is that of a reverse one or a
forward movement but I see them as an inner journey of an artist and I hope we get to see more of such paintings.”

The transition towards the abstract was not as easy and simple as it seems, explains Chougale, “In all the art forms I have always tried to express my inner feelings and this is just another one of my experiments.” Through each of the paintings, Chougale has tried to describe his journey from a village to a cosmopolitan environment, hence he has aptly titled his exhibition as Urban Abstractions.

“Abstract paintings are not to be described to a viewer, I would like the viewers to give their interpretation of the painting, else they too will become restricted to the four corners of the canvas,” adds Chougale. 

With fine strokes and new techniques, many at the gallery felt that Chougale’s abstract paintings were those that leaves one with a pleasant feeling.

The exhibition is on till June 11 at Prathima Art Gallery.