'Horizons of Memory': Artist Yashwant Deshmukh explores architectural abstraction in solo show

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) The house and the objects that make it a home, painted by Yashwant Deshmukh, may seem familiar to the viewer as the distinct play of geometric forms reflects his fascination with the different layers, visual sensibility of objects and traces of his memory from a childhood in Vidarbha.

"Horizons of Memory", Deshmukh's solo show at Art Alive Gallery here, continues his long-standing engagement with the metaphysical qualities of space, architecture and forms.

Through abstracted architectural elements and muted visual language, Deshmukh constructs a world where the visible and invisible, the inhabited and the imagined, quietly converge.

According to Deshmukh, it is not a nostalgic approach where he draws from memories of his childhood but he goes back to his memories as reference points.

“In my visual vocabulary, geometry is constant behind whichever forms I create through objects. My language is rooted in minimalism but particularly, the recurring idiom in 'Horizons of Memory' at Art Alive Gallery is the idea of home.

"It has emerged in my artistic practice in the post pandemic period particularly when that period made us value safety and shelter. I go back to my memories as reference points and all these objects are informed by a sense of affection that I feel for home. I feel that is the conceptual strongpoint of this exhibition," Deshmukh told PTI.

The artist’s engagement with materiality also resurfaces in "Horizons of Memory" as the textured surfaces depicted in the architectural renditions of doors and crevices, modulation of tones and the subtle gradations of light evoke a tangible sense of space "where the forms are not merely visual but can be felt as a sensory experience in great depth".

“'Horizons of Memory' delves into the intricate nuances of everyday life through a meditative visual language. This body of work continues his signature exploration of contemplative stillness, engaging with abstract architectural forms and a rich interplay of materials. His nuanced experiments with tonality, form, and gradation invite viewers into quiet yet evocative interior worlds," Sunaina Anand, director, Art Alive Gallery said.

The exhibition will come to an end on September 30. PTI MAH MAH