KANU PATEL-From Mask to Unmask

KANU PATEL-From Mask to Unmask HIS QUEST FOR A METAMORPH0SIS OF SUBLIME Modern Indian art has traveled a long journey in recent past but the forces of promotional aspect of contemporary art practices has been overriding for the artists.. Kanu Patel, born at Visnagar in Gujarat, a painter of substance is trying to lash out with his multifaceted personality who is consciously releasing his energy with his creative potentials. With his diversified interest in visual and performing arts, he was in position to imbibe the intricacies or the subtleties of these complimentary mediums, one is temporal, and another is crystallized form of expression. This dichotomy of mediums was always proven as a propelling factor and synthesis his persona with a wider sense of freedom. .His works destabilize the existing discourses on aesthetics by raising questions about the ambivalence between nature and man through a grotesque element of “MASK” and the context which constitute these discourses. Kanu Patel embraces the aesthetics of Imitation but in more candid manner to project himself as a source to release his inner ecstasy with a sense of pride . His long association with TV soap operas where he get himself transformed in to a persona of wild imagery from different allegorical, mythological and historical world and the play of various kind of grotesque elements derived from the sets of these colourful world . His disengagements from the mundane , earthy flavors of pastoral life, series of rainscapes and a wide variety of subjects with more passionate handling of pigments and a kind of super realism stretch of meticulous brush strokes was a thriving force for this “MASK” series of canvases in present exposition. Kanu said, “…. Yes, unmasked, partially masked……and with series moving ahead, new dimensions of mask with the reference to self-portrayal surface. Let me make it clear. People talked about my role as Shankaracharya. Now the self portrayal is overwhelmed by these characters I played: Sadhu, Suryadev, Hakim-e-Jinnat which I played recently in ‘Tilsmi-E-Hoshrooba’. The face is not at all masked in these paintings but the self is masked with the impersonation of characters I played…..” During his recent trip to Ajanta and Ellora, he confronted the Buddhist tradition of image making with all its grandeur which left a deep mark on his imagination .Finally Kanu Patel synthesis the iconic transmutation in his group of paintings In finale, Kanu Patel expresses, “Buddha, Shankara and carnival masks, ascetic way of Indian life and lustful way of the west. I tried to balance these two extremes to understand subtle layers of reality: Kanu Patel is also a momentous painter who creates his own personal myths by delving into his own stirring. Thus he reflects the modern Indian psyche and belongs to the main stream art practice of twenty first century.His concern to unmask the masked faces, shrouded in repugnance, grief, apathy and the ignorance which can be proven bliss in disguise therefore ….tryst for the royal gateway to heaven… waiting for all animated world around…. End of journey and the return of the prodigal son….. H.S.COMMUNICATION