<p>One of the most prominent figures of contemporary Indian art, Atul Dodiya (born 1959) has been described as, among others, an insightful purveyor of history, assembler of memories and experimenter of material and medium.<br /><br />“Atul has the uncanny ability to bring together references from art history, politics, popular culture, literature, films and media in a single painting — all coalescing to form complex narratives,” says gallerist Arun Vadehra of Dodiya, who has received Sotheby’s Award (1999), Civitella Ranieri Foundation Fellowship, Italy (1999) and Raza Award (2008). <br /><br />In a career spanning nearly 35 years, the prolific artist from Mumbai has produced a large body of work and exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums across the world. Besides expansive oils and watercolours, he is known for paintings on metal-roller shutters and cabinet installations where objects and texts come together in astonishing ways.<br /><br />Over the years, Dodiya’s art has shown an abiding interest in and reference to Gandhi. The artist reveals the how, when and why of his involvement with Bapu...<br /><br />On his introduction to Gandhi<br />Gandhi has remained a central point for me since childhood. I was born and raised in Mumbai, but my family originally came from Kathiawar in Saurashtra, like Gandhi did, and so the connection exists to this day. When I was still in my teens, one of my uncles gave me a copy of Gandhi’s My Experiments with Truth in original Gujarati, which I read. So from an early age, I was inspired by his philosophical tenets such as empathy for fellow human beings; concern with truth and justice; and the unwavering commitment to non-violence and harmony. That has never left me. As I grew up, I was constantly seeking his photographs, records, writings and other references in order to improve my understanding of the man he was.<br /><br />On his first series on Gandhi<br />While Gandhi remained an inspiring figure for long, it was in 1997 that I really woke up to a new realisation. That year marked the 50th year of India’s independence and artists were being invited to create paintings around the theme. The whole country was in a mood of great celebration. At that point I began to think, ‘what are we celebrating’? What does independence mean when we have so much poverty, suffering, violence, corruption, and lack of visionary leadership? I began researching on Gandhi, revisiting his ideas and reworking on documentary images featuring him and his colleagues at key moments during the freedom struggle. My ruminations about Gandhi and his beliefs in a new and affected socio-cultural milieu resulted in my first major series of work on him. It was exhibited in 1999 at Mumbai’s Gallery Chemould, and in many ways, became a turning point in my artistic career.<br /><br />On how confident he was about dealing with the Mahatma<br />I must confess that when I started working on Gandhi, there were serious doubts because he was such an iconic figure, and possessed larger-than-life attributes. I wondered how could I, as an artist, approach such a colossal subject! But then I came across a statement by Gandhi, in which he said he was not a rishi or a philosopher, but an artist of non-violence. I immediately became comfortable because both of us were artists and hence compatible with each other! I also realised that Gandhi had a fine artistic way of doing things. His espousal of ‘khadi spirit’ as a powerful and liberating tool of non-cooperation, his humble but aesthetically compelling ashram, his minimal approach to most things — they all appeared to me as evocative gestures of a brilliant conceptual artist.<br /><br />On many contradictory readings of Gandhi<br />While Gandhi has been universally accepted, I’m aware that his life has also been subjected to critical scrutiny by historians and scholars. Some of his actions and thoughts have been questioned both by the Right and Left academics, and thinkers. I’m not an expert in these matters. Nor am I interested in picking holes in things he said or did. For me, the values he upheld — like love, compassion, tolerance and universal brotherhood — are important. That is enough for me to bring him in my art. At the same time, if you observe, I do not inanely idolise, glorify or put him on a pedestal. In my work, I present him as a simple man with high morals and lofty ideals; that, according to me, is the best way to deal with his legacy.<br /><br />On the relevance of Gandhi today<br />In our country, Gandhi is everywhere — on currency notes, stamps, government offices, street names — but what about his message? Have we allowed him to enter our hearts? On the contrary, we have grown into a very intolerant society. People are lynched in the name of religion; poor farmers in debt are committing suicide; physical and moral terrorism is rampant. Not just India, but the international scene too is not different. So I think Gandhi is relevant today; and will be for all times to come. Having said this, I ask myself ‘what can I do’? I’m an artist, not an activist. The only weapon I have is my paintbrush. So, I explore ways to use my art to highlight issues, comment on problems, and promote peace. I might do it through metaphors and allegory, lacing them with humour and satire, or juxtaposing objects, events and personalities drawn from history. But whatever I do, I’m also clear about one thing: that the work must have an artistic presence and meet certain aesthetic standards.<br /><br />Besides Gandhi, who?<br />I have always admired Rabindranath Tagore. When I look back and study his achievements, I am really inspired. He was a true polymath. His interests were not restricted to literature and music. He was a great thinker. And a wonderful artist.<br /></p>
<p>One of the most prominent figures of contemporary Indian art, Atul Dodiya (born 1959) has been described as, among others, an insightful purveyor of history, assembler of memories and experimenter of material and medium.<br /><br />“Atul has the uncanny ability to bring together references from art history, politics, popular culture, literature, films and media in a single painting — all coalescing to form complex narratives,” says gallerist Arun Vadehra of Dodiya, who has received Sotheby’s Award (1999), Civitella Ranieri Foundation Fellowship, Italy (1999) and Raza Award (2008). <br /><br />In a career spanning nearly 35 years, the prolific artist from Mumbai has produced a large body of work and exhibited in prestigious galleries and museums across the world. Besides expansive oils and watercolours, he is known for paintings on metal-roller shutters and cabinet installations where objects and texts come together in astonishing ways.<br /><br />Over the years, Dodiya’s art has shown an abiding interest in and reference to Gandhi. The artist reveals the how, when and why of his involvement with Bapu...<br /><br />On his introduction to Gandhi<br />Gandhi has remained a central point for me since childhood. I was born and raised in Mumbai, but my family originally came from Kathiawar in Saurashtra, like Gandhi did, and so the connection exists to this day. When I was still in my teens, one of my uncles gave me a copy of Gandhi’s My Experiments with Truth in original Gujarati, which I read. So from an early age, I was inspired by his philosophical tenets such as empathy for fellow human beings; concern with truth and justice; and the unwavering commitment to non-violence and harmony. That has never left me. As I grew up, I was constantly seeking his photographs, records, writings and other references in order to improve my understanding of the man he was.<br /><br />On his first series on Gandhi<br />While Gandhi remained an inspiring figure for long, it was in 1997 that I really woke up to a new realisation. That year marked the 50th year of India’s independence and artists were being invited to create paintings around the theme. The whole country was in a mood of great celebration. At that point I began to think, ‘what are we celebrating’? What does independence mean when we have so much poverty, suffering, violence, corruption, and lack of visionary leadership? I began researching on Gandhi, revisiting his ideas and reworking on documentary images featuring him and his colleagues at key moments during the freedom struggle. My ruminations about Gandhi and his beliefs in a new and affected socio-cultural milieu resulted in my first major series of work on him. It was exhibited in 1999 at Mumbai’s Gallery Chemould, and in many ways, became a turning point in my artistic career.<br /><br />On how confident he was about dealing with the Mahatma<br />I must confess that when I started working on Gandhi, there were serious doubts because he was such an iconic figure, and possessed larger-than-life attributes. I wondered how could I, as an artist, approach such a colossal subject! But then I came across a statement by Gandhi, in which he said he was not a rishi or a philosopher, but an artist of non-violence. I immediately became comfortable because both of us were artists and hence compatible with each other! I also realised that Gandhi had a fine artistic way of doing things. His espousal of ‘khadi spirit’ as a powerful and liberating tool of non-cooperation, his humble but aesthetically compelling ashram, his minimal approach to most things — they all appeared to me as evocative gestures of a brilliant conceptual artist.<br /><br />On many contradictory readings of Gandhi<br />While Gandhi has been universally accepted, I’m aware that his life has also been subjected to critical scrutiny by historians and scholars. Some of his actions and thoughts have been questioned both by the Right and Left academics, and thinkers. I’m not an expert in these matters. Nor am I interested in picking holes in things he said or did. For me, the values he upheld — like love, compassion, tolerance and universal brotherhood — are important. That is enough for me to bring him in my art. At the same time, if you observe, I do not inanely idolise, glorify or put him on a pedestal. In my work, I present him as a simple man with high morals and lofty ideals; that, according to me, is the best way to deal with his legacy.<br /><br />On the relevance of Gandhi today<br />In our country, Gandhi is everywhere — on currency notes, stamps, government offices, street names — but what about his message? Have we allowed him to enter our hearts? On the contrary, we have grown into a very intolerant society. People are lynched in the name of religion; poor farmers in debt are committing suicide; physical and moral terrorism is rampant. Not just India, but the international scene too is not different. So I think Gandhi is relevant today; and will be for all times to come. Having said this, I ask myself ‘what can I do’? I’m an artist, not an activist. The only weapon I have is my paintbrush. So, I explore ways to use my art to highlight issues, comment on problems, and promote peace. I might do it through metaphors and allegory, lacing them with humour and satire, or juxtaposing objects, events and personalities drawn from history. But whatever I do, I’m also clear about one thing: that the work must have an artistic presence and meet certain aesthetic standards.<br /><br />Besides Gandhi, who?<br />I have always admired Rabindranath Tagore. When I look back and study his achievements, I am really inspired. He was a true polymath. His interests were not restricted to literature and music. He was a great thinker. And a wonderful artist.<br /></p>
