'Bhupen in Goa': Exhibition at SAF pays tribute to Bhupen Khakhar through rare collection of works

Panaji, Dec 22 (PTI) Watercolors, drawings, prints, and ceramic plates, some carrying autobiographical elements and others reflecting Bhupen Khakhar's signature wit, offer viewers a glimpse into the colourful life of the artist.

Over 150 artworks, representing different phases of Khakhar's life, are on display at the 'Bhupen in Goa' exhibition at the Directorate of Accounts building in Panaji, as part of the Serendipity Arts Festival.

The exhibition, curated by his close friend and fellow artist Gulammohammed Sheikh, is drawn from the large private collection of Khakhar's work housed in the Swaraj Art Archive. It pays tribute to the multifaceted artist.

"Bhupen was a most colourful character on the contemporary Indian art scene. Self-taught largely but he developed his own mode of work by dint of hard work that he worked day and night and produced a very large corpus," Sheikh told PTI.

Khakhar, born in Bombay to a Gujarati family, attended evening classes at the JJ School of Art while pursuing a degree in chartered accountancy at the Bombay University.

In 1961, he moved to Baroda to join the Master's program in art criticism at the Faculty of Fine Arts, making the transition from an aspiring accountant to a full-time artist.

Known for his portrayal of everyday people, particularly those from the urban middle class, Khakhar drew inspiration from his workplace as an accountant and immediate surroundings.

"Then he found people from the common middle class and urban middle class in particular, those who people pay very little attention to. They would never figure in the art of other artists. But he then kept on painting the sort of people he loved, and he again made kind of a statement about the elderly people that he painted," Sheikh said.

An openly gay artist, Khakhar also used his art to explore his relationships, often portraying his friends, lovers, and companions.

The exhibition also features his two books: one on Khakhar's Sri Lanka journey in water colour, and another on Salman Rushdie's short stories with lino-cut illustrations by Khakhar.

His portrayals of gay life continues to be regarded as "an unprecedented chapter in the annals of contemporary art".

The exhibition, part of the Serendipity Arts Festival, concludes on Sunday. PTI MAH MG MG