On the rocks: Bengaluru artist Jaikishan Tada’s latest collection captures the landscape of Hampi

Also Read: Medai — Chennai’s performing arts space is now in Bengaluru

In an interview with South First, the artist opens up about his career, style, and inspiration.

Artist Jaikishan Tada primarily uses a palette knife and a weave technique. (Supplied)

Q. How did you go from working a full-time IT job to becoming an artist?

A. I’m 53 years old and I’ve worked in the IT sector for more than 20 years, in both Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

In 2008, I started dabbling in art seriously. It was so serious that I left my job and I took a break for two years from working. At that time I had only one goal — to have an exhibition of my own work.

I thought, “Let me do one exhibition and then I’ll return to my job.”

I ended up doing four exhibitions in a span of two years. Eventually, because of finances I had to return to my job. It was difficult to manage because my son was in the first standard and I had a family to support.

However, last year, I took early retirement and went back to my passion.

Also Read: This Kochi artist heals wounds using poetry and a typewriter!

Q. Do you have any formal training in art?

A. My interest in art goes back to my childhood. RK Laxman was my first inspiration. As a kid, I was so inspired by his cartoons that I wanted to become a cartoonist too. But that didn’t happen.

I did not have any formal training. I am a self-taught artist.

When I started seriously getting into art, I did a complete study of artists for the first six months.

The first artist to captivate me was Rembrandt. His effects of lights and shadow inspired me a lot.

Another similar artist was Yusuf Arakkal. Other names include SH Raza, Akbar Padamsee, and Ram Kumar.

I downloaded their stories and every art work they had done. I stored their art in chronological order, starting from their first painting to their latest works. Then I studied how their art evolved over time. So that was my education in art.

Artist RK Laxman was Tada’s first inspiration. (Supplied)

Q. Describe your style and techniques. 

A. I did a lot of experiments as I thought I should have my own way of representing what I want. I have a unique style of rendering and primarily use a palette knife and a weave technique, which is made by cross hatching using the knife. This brings out colours from layers below.

I experimented with other styles and techniques but this style suits my work. I use acrylic paints because they dry faster, and this helps me use the knife on top.

My work is abstract and non-representative. My paintings don’t use any objects or forms, but I like to represent figures in a more abstract way.

Nature, landscapes, lights and shadows inspire me.

Also Read: About Namboothiri who gave a face to characters of literary greats

Q. Why did you choose Hampi as a muse in your new show, Time Stood Still?

A. I visited Hampi first in 2013. The boulders, the ruins, the sunlight falling on the rocks — the entire landscape there is art in itself.

I call Hampi a treasure trove of creativity for artists. Be it any style of artist. I have visited Hampi a couple of times since. When I’m there I take a lot of photographs and do sketches. I do not sit there and paint, but rather I take that and develop my own landscape on the canvas in an abstract way.

The shapes, light, and shadows of Hampi inspired me to make this collection. In this series, all the pieces are abstracts, but they each bring out some element of Hampi. There are 14 paintings in this collection.

There are 14 paintings in Tada’s new collection. (Supplied)

Q. For how many years have you been working on these paintings?

A. It started in 2013-2014. Although at that time I was also working full-time, I was juggling between work and this.

I painted in the evenings or weekends. I found it to be a struggle.

People say you can do your hobby or work on your passion along with your work, but I found it difficult. So, most of this work has been done in the last year after my retirement.

Q. The colour palette of the series is muted and earthy. Why did you choose that?

A. In terms of colours, this is a departure from my initial period. I used to employ a lot of bright colours then.

Now I have evolved to using more sober and earthy tones, which brings out the earthiness of Hampi and its landscape.

The bright colours do not suit this. The collection has a lot of dark greens and browns.

Also Read: JMS Mani’s Badami series has more people in it than the town

Q. Why abstract art?

A. In my initial period, I did a lot of figurative paintings. For example, I did a series on a camel. But somehow that did not attract me in the same way.

Abstract art has attracted me a lot. I think maybe it is because of the intrigue it provides. It is not a direct representation, so it makes the viewer think and apply their own memories and experiences to their paintings. This process is close to me.

(The Time Stood Still art exhibition will be on display at the MKF Museum of Art, Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, from 29 July to 13 August 2023.)