A
graduate of commerce, Mohan Naik was drawn to the beauty of art, which after
deciding that it was where his true interest lay, he opted to pursue as his
calling. Mohan who has since had 15 solo shows and more than 100 group shows,
and who has also travelled to the UK and Scotland with his paintings, is coming up with his new
collection of paintings, “Through The Eyes Of A Goat’ at Carpe Diem,
Majorda.
In
1989, Mohan completed his degree in Fine arts, before teaching in a school, as
an art teacher. He shares his journey as a faculty member, saying “When I
graduated in commerce and started working, I realised that it was not my true
calling. Art always lived in me, but I only gave it a serious thought later. I
wanted to learn the nuances of fine art and techniques, which is why I joined
the college of fine arts.”
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Mohan’s
exhibition, ‘Through The Eyes of a Goat’ will depict his style of painting with
warm, mellow shades in oils or pastels and portray very stylistic imagery of
village life and personal interactions between people on canvas. From his
distinct style of capturing the female form, to his much-loved goats with
extremely expressive human eyes, his fans and collectors admire the soft subtle
yet warm tones in his work.
“My
upcoming collection is based on my rustic and beautiful village of Gadke,
Quepem. Its beauty attracts artists as it is serene and untouched. I have spent
my childhood over there. Even if you travel to the place, it feels as though it
consists of only 100 houses. I always draw inspiration from my surroundings,
and my village has played a pivotal role in bringing my ideas into reality,”
explains Mohan.
Shedding
more light on his life in the village, Mohan says “Earlier, our area had many
shepherds dwelling. Unfortunately, we see most people disappearing from here.
Sadly, the younger generation does not continue this occupation. The scene here
is changing with the time which is really disheartening to see.”
This
senior artist has seen times when there was no material available for painting
and times when he had everything required at his doorstep. Recollecting his
past, Mohan says “In those days, we didn’t have many galleries to promote our
art. It was difficult to sustain oneself only on art. Today, things have
changed and artists can make a living on art by itself. Another hassle we faced
was sourcing the material required for painting.”
What
really saddens Mohan is when he sees the new generation of artists. “Though the
young artists have got all the facilities they are not trying to make better
use of them. For example, as per suggestions received by foreigners when I had
a show in UK, they asked why youngsters were trying to copy western style. Why
can’t they try to capture rich Indian art and culture? There is lot hidden
there. In my opinion I believe that new generation should learn techniques from
masters, it is a good way of learning, but they should not try to copy. In the
bargain of imitating someone they lose their own identity. I believe that they
should not follow anyone,” comments Mohan, whose paintings vary in sizes, though
at its core, the subject remains the same.
