A colourful legacy

All of Mhatreu00e2u0080u0099s works are untitled

Although he grew up alongside two very academic siblings, Manohar Mhatre was always in love with art. And while everyone took to accountancy and engineering, as was the norm eight decades ago, his parents left him to decide his career path. His father even introduced him to VS Adurkar, the first Indian director of Sir JJ School of Art, leading him to flourish as a student. This evening, the 89-year-old will see the opening of his retrospective at Byculla's Nine Fish Art Gallery.

The exhibition in association with Dot Line Space has been curated by Gourmoni Das and is titled Manohar Mhatre: the Progressive and the Personal - An Untitled Legacy. It comprises 60 works that showcase the artist's evolution. In the mid-50s, he began with drawings on the female form. In the following decade, he ventured into figurative, figure distortion and abstract works in oil. Then, he experimented with non-objective paintings and impressionist portraits, too. For the past 15 years, Mhatre practises a style he calls "progressive freestyle" where he introduces fabric into abstract art.
Mhatre carries a legacy of a movement that has been integral to the artistic fabric of the city - one which Husain, Souza, Raza and Ara espoused - The Bombay Progressive Artists' Group. "Our work conveys many subjective thoughts which the younger generation can easily learn. At the same time, the group broke the rules around traditional art forms, without being bothered about their image in society and did not fear that their art stands out from the traditional paintings and drawings," he shares.

A memory that Mhatre particularly cherishes to date is that of when he worked as deputy director at Weaver's Service Centre. He was tasked with creating an "exclusive" saree for India's late Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. But even with such an outstanding oeuvre, Mhatre has one regret. "The availability of space has always constrained the size of my paintings. But I do believe that my feelings and thoughts are always reflected in the depth of the colours, the lines and shapes."

As for his retrospective, the artist has a suggestion for attendees. He wants them to stand in front of each painting and really try to grasp what it wants to say. Mhatre says, "This is partly why I prefer not to title my works. I don't want viewers to be biased."

AT Nine Fish Art Gallery, The New Great Eastern Mills, Byculla East.
ON Today, 7.30 pm onwards to February 26, 10.30 am to 7.30 pm
CALL 8655042300

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