PRIYA GAEKWAR HAS always been fascinated by art, but other interests such as design and architecture took up most of her time. However, with the lockdown, she got a rare chance to work on her paintings uninterrupted. Her latest collection of abstract artworks were created during this time. Now, Gallery G hosts Priya’s first ever solo show, titled An Uncommon Canvas.
“The subjects are varied. All these ideas were pent up in my mind for a long time and I wanted to experiment with so many things,” says the Mumbai-based artist. The canvasses use watercolour, mixed media and acrylic paints, and the bold brush strokes reflect the themes and concepts intuitively.
But it’s Priya’s flair for drawing inspiration from wide-ranging everyday subjects that make the collection stand apart. “The early works are based on the monsoon season, and the blues and greens are inspired by Japanese pottery,” she tells us, adding, “Billboards are a recurring theme in my work as they offer endless inspiration.”
One of our favourite paintings from the series is called Crab Curry on White Linen. Splashes of yellow and red adorn the canvas. Priya tells us that it is based on a dinner she had at her place where they ordered in from a seafood restaurant called Gajalee in Mumbai. By the end of the meal, the white tablecloth was splattered with the masalas. “The memory of that spontaneous dinner with old friends remained in my mind for a long time. And when I had the opportunity, I just had to put that down on canvas,” she signs off.
Until August 7. At Gallery G, online and offline