By Siddhi Jain
Titled ‘Beyond Borders’, a major posthumous retrospective of late artist Bharat Dalal will be showcased at the Indian Consulate in New York in August 2021. Organized by Arth Art International, it will feature a series of six humongous paintings inspired by the works of the Leonardo da Vinci.
Dalal (1955-2018) is the creator of this series called ‘The Fossilized Passions of Da Vinci’ which took him over five years to complete. An exemplary painter who possessed a scientific bent of mind, coupled with a philosophical outlook, Dalal felt an unexplained, yet strong connection with the universal genius of da Vinci. For this series, Dalal took a selection of da Vinci’s paintings and introduced them to an added layer of expressionism. One of the most intriguing features of his art was the technique. He hung the huge canvases from the ceiling with the help of pulleys. With sheer skill he would cover the negative spaces around the required portion and drop the desired color on it. He let the force of gravity define the flow of the paint, allowing the hues to naturally adopt the pattern.
The series, accompanied by handwritten poems and in-depth manuscripts by the artist, provide the viewer an opening to partake in the universal metamorphosis so integral to da Vinci.
‘Ginevra De Benci’ and ‘The Last Supper’ by Bharat Dalal.
Said Dr Bernadette Escalona-Cooper, curator, “Bharat Dalal was an international artist of Indian origin, did his magnificent paintings in the USA (LA to be precise), and examined the works of the Italian great Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. He could have been a phenomenal or forgotten artist. But in retrospect, the geniuses behind this ambitious art exhibit call him phenomenal because of his ingenuity and introspective mind.”
“Beyond Borders shall prove to be a visual delight for viewers. Though inspired by da Vinci’s works, they possess a unique non-replicable technique used by the artist and the philosophical quest for the universal equivalence,” Vikash Nand Kumar, co-curator of the exhibition, added.
Bharat Dalal did his magnificent paintings in the USA, so it is fitting that the Indian Consulate in New York is hosting his retrospective in August.
