The art pieces of Satish Moladiya are a visual expression to examine the multiple layers of human spirit, emotions and experiences. A mixture of surrealist elements and symbolic narratives, his works are both accessible on the surface, yet invoke deeper contemplation as viewers navigate their visual journeys. Moladiya paints portraits that show the complex nature of human thought processes and how our inner world is always on a knife-edge with the external plane, by juxtaposing abstract and figurative styles.
From rich, earthy tones to deep blues with color His work is both introspective and wide-reaching in atmosphere. Every Figure in his work takes on character one of its own, sometimes having many eyes or a body shape that is stretched out and an detailed pattern showing limits of consciousness beyond the every day world. The figures appear to be hovering between the real and fictitious persona, dancing side by side with life itself. The expressive faces, abstracted landscapes or pictorial symbols of birds and fish piece together a narrative that is highly intimate yet widely relatable.
His canvas occasionally employs imagery of nature blending with manmade objects, connecting self to nature in the most evasive way. The textured surfaces and fine linework complement the deeper layers of feeling exposing themselves only to those willing to delve further into the emotions and stories that are so bluntly put before them. Somehow, his compositions seem structured and fluid at the same time — in perfect synchronicity with themes that gracefully cater to reinterpretation.
Moladiya takes viewers on a roller-coaster ride through the human mind — a journey of self-discovery, emotional depth and the ever-changing relationship between internal struggles and external realities — through his art. His art is not just a sighted phenomenon of experience but a meditation, a reflection on the lives that we live ourselves and what our purpose in this life is. Every piece in his body of work is evidence of his skill at mingling the individual with the collective, hence creating artworks that are poised to resonate far and wide.
Iftikar Ahmed is a New Delhi-based art writer & researcher.
