Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, one of India’s most celebrated modernist painters, is often regarded as a pioneer of non-representational art in India. Renowned for his meditative abstraction, Gaitonde’s works transcend the tangible, inviting viewers into a realm of introspection and inner dialogue. The noted artist and writer Akhilesh offers a compelling perspective on Gaitonde’s art, resisting the conventional temptation to link it with spirituality or religious symbolism. Instead, Akhilesh sees Gaitonde’s oeuvre speaks for his refined humanity and solitary defiance. He argues that Gaitonde’s works are not mere reflections of the external world but manifestations of an inner universe, born from the turbulence, longing, and tranquility of the artist’s restless mind.
From the outset, Gaitonde engaged in a dialogue with the infinitude of space, evident even in his sketches. These works address an inner dialogue, perhaps tied to Gaitonde’s refined humanity. I resist connecting his works to spirituality or religious intent. Gaitonde, as an honest artist, delved deeply into his creative universe, abandoning the mundane world in pursuit of the inner truth within his forms. These forms are not representations of the real world; instead, they are steeped in an authenticity Gaitonde may have discovered in solitary defiance.
His paintings are not mirrors reflecting familiar objects but rather documents of the turmoil within an artist. They resonate with the light of desire, the gleam of envy, the darkness of longing, the tranquility of subdued hues, the turbulence of aggression, the focus of form, and the diversity of a restless mind. In their unspoken language, Gaitonde’s works articulate these experiences. He creates and lives in creation, finding hope in this act and anchoring himself in the works he produces.
Gaitonde’s fragmented life was the concentrated solitude of his creativity. He poured himself into his paintings, experiencing the vast internal cosmos through the infinite expansion of forms. To truly experience the boundlessness of his art, one must immerse oneself in his paintings. They reveal Gaitonde’s immersion in the process of creating a pictorial language, his search for a singular void—a quest that begins but never ends.
– Book: Unke Baare Me by Akhilesh | Original excerpt in Hindi translated into English
Born in 1956, is an artist, curator and writer. He has gained worldwide recognition and appreciation for his works through extensive participation in numerable exhibitions, shows, camps and other activities.
