Painting Exhibition on Goan artist Deenanath Dalal
Around the city, Art — By The Desk on June 2, 2011 at 2:15 PMIndian Express: One of Michelangelo’s most famous quotes is, “A man paints with his brains and not with his hands.” This statement holds true for the great Goan artist, the late Deenanath Dalal, who made a mark in the publishing world by designing the covers of the books and magazines. Throughout his career, which spanned over three decades, Dalal experimented with various media, colour palates and style. “A legendary artist, Dalal ji was the most sought after artist for magazine and book covers. He used his artistic talent to depict various aspects of literature including mythology, history, social issues, human feelings and politics,” says Anil Upaleker, a painter who has organised an exhibition of Dalal’s paintings in the city.
For the late Deenanth Dalal, colours were always his muse, often experimenting with colours for his paintings. “He used oil paints, water colours, pen, ink and various other mediums to paint,” says Upalekar. Dalal also painted the portraits of many famous personalities, with the portraits of Mahatama Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vinoba Bhave being the most renowned. “Another coveted painting of Dalal is the 12×4 feet work called ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Darbar’, in which he has used oil paints,” adds Upalekar. A classical painter by nature, Deenanath Dalal’s paintings depict his realisation of the contemporary values of art and his expertise over the medium. Also on display will be his ‘Abhyang Snan’, which depicts the ritual bathing before Diwali. The painting won him the first prize at the ‘All India Painting Exhibition’, which was held in Amritsar in 1955.
Dalal passed away at the comparatively young age of 54 in 1971, but he has left his impression in the literary and the art fields. For example, in his paintings, the brush goes beyond being just a medium to carry colours – it becomes a tool of objective composition. A natural master of the line work, he has inspired many to join the art form. “Deenanath Dalal was my childhood inspiration,” says city-based painter, poet and composer Sudhir Moghe,. “Through this exhibition, we want to show the world the exclusive works of the master who changed the look of the publishing world through his classical view.”
Dalal’s paintings will be on display at Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Art Gallery, Sahakar Nagar, from 11am to 8pm till June 8.
