With heavy hearts and a profound sense of loss, the Artist community say farewell to Natu Parikh, a luminary of the Gujarati art scene whose brushstrokes adorned our world with the vibrant hues of nature’s splendour. Landscape and seascape paintings will never be the same after his death, but his legacy will always shine on the canvas of memory. Natu Parikh is well-known for his artistic contributions to Gujarat. Many upcoming painters have found great use and inspiration in his landscapes and seascapes. The 93 -year-old Parikh, born in 1931, continues to paint diligently with enthusiasm and discipline.
He had instruction from ‘Kalaguru’ Shri Rasiklal Parikh, NS Bendre’s master and renowned art historian, VR Ambedkar. His artwork has been displayed in national and international venues, with over 50 solo and group exhibitions to his credit. In addition, he received other honours, such as the Gaurav Purashkar 2010.
Natu Parikh became a master at portraying the spirit of his native Gujarat on canvas after being gifted at birth and having great regard for the state’s scenic beauty. Through meticulous attention to detail and a keen sense of colour and light, he turned ordinary landscapes into spectacular panoramas that took viewers right into the heart of Gujarat’s rural and coastal areas.
In addition to painting, he taught at Ahmedabad’s top art college, Sheth CN College of Fine Arts, for thirty years. The research fellowship from the state of Gujarat on ‘Murals on the walls of the cities of Kaira District’ recognized his exceptional creative sensibility. Prominent art collectors, accomplished interior designers and architects, art enthusiasts, students, and public and private organizations own his works.
“At 84, all you have is a wonderful past. But my paintings will always be there to speak about me and my love when I won’t be in this world,” said artist Natu Parikh during his exhibition at Ahmedabad in 2014.
Beyond his creative abilities, Natu Parikh will be cherished for his kindness, modesty, and unrelenting commitment to his work. Even after becoming well-known, he never wavered from his love of his native country and its people, finding inspiration in the commonplace events and everyday lives around him. In remembrance of Natu Parikh, let us treasure his significant influence on Gujarat’s cultural milieu and exceptional talent. By creating works of art, he connected people across time and place by revealing the deep essence of the region and its people and capturing the external beauty of his surroundings.
