June - 05 : Tea with The Tribune --KK GANDHI, painter

‘Art doesn’t give you licence to hurt others’

KK Gandhi, a well-known painter of the state, is an artist with a difference. He took to painting in the second innings of his life in forties. He believes that gone are the days when an artist would be happy by just making his painting and waiting for appreciation and buyers. These days artists no longer afford to live with the traditional approach, they have to market their creations like any other product if they want to survive and thrive, he says.

Jupinderjit Singh (JJS): You emerged as a painter in later part of your life. Earlier you were into manufacturing air conditioners. How this shift came?

KK Gandhi (KKG): I was actually painting since my childhood, but could not develop on the talent due to dearth of resources, guidance and talent. I was eight years old when Indo-Pak war broke out in 1971. Those were the days when I would be idle and started drawing on walls with charcoal. Later, to earn a living, I took to the business of manufacturing air conditioners and selling them. But when the branded ACs entered into the market, my business took a knock. After that I discovered myself and pursued painting as my profession.

You would be surprised to know that I could not clear my drawing examination in class X as I was doing work on the answer sheet of a fellow student and was caught by the supervisor. Subsequently, a case of unfair means was registered against me.

Rajesh Bhat (RB): What has been the dominant theme and prominent colour of your paintings?

KKG: I normally use bright colours and depict nomadic life in my paintings. I also portray Jammu’s ancient monuments and heritage sites, but I try to paint them in good light instead of showing them as haunting places as they actually are.

Sunaina Kaul (SK): Your paintings are exhibited in various countries. Do you think that people of the state have the same understanding of the art as people outside the state?

KKG: People do appreciate art here, but they are comparatively less aware about the art, especially paintings. In other countries like Bahrain, people are more drawn towards this form of art. Bahrain has less population even than our state, but it has the Bahrain Art Society that organises painting exhibitions to encourage artists.

SK: In your opinion, how this art can be promoted in our state?

KKG: Artists have a responsibility in this regard. They need to organise exhibitions on their own to connect people with the art. It will help them in promotion as well as sale of their creations as well.

We are witnessing a number of palatial houses and offices of several autonomous bodies coming up here. People do need artifacts for decorations and the need is to approach them. Painters can also collaborate with hotels for the sale of their paintings.

Dinesh Manhotra (DM): Don’t you think that some painters deliberately prepare derogatory paintings to invite ire from some fundamentalist forces to get publicity?

KKG: I am not going to deny these allegations. Some painters deliberately prepare such works that hurt sentiments of some section of society. I don’t think that nudity is the only way of painting. Instead of preparing painting that hurt sentiments of people, painters should prepare positive paintings for strengthening relations among different sections.

Ashutosh Sharma (AS): Piccasso of India, MF Hussain, is no longer a citizen of India. Being a painter how do you look at the development?

KKG: There can be no other Picasso in this world. As far as the controversy surrounding Hussain is concerned, I feel that art does not give you a licence to hurt the feelings of people around you.

There is no need to paint the women or deities in nude. Even I am attracted towards painting women, but I just draw their facial expressions that aptly define different shades of their personalities.

AS: What do you believe, art should be for art’s sake or it must have a social cause associated with it?

KKG: Social cause is very significant and art of any kind should be exercised with social responsibility.

AS: Don’t you think it restricts the artist from exercising free will?

KKG: I don’t agree with it.

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria (RKK): An artist can never remain insensitive towards the harsh realities, especially in a militancy-infested state like Jammu and Kashmir. Have you ever tried to convey a message through your paintings to the people vis-à-vis militancy?

KKG: I usually make paintings that give positive vibes and happiness to the people, but of course, an artist can never remain aloof to the harsh realities.

In fact, I made a painting based upon militancy wherein two adolescent boys peeping out of a window of their house with their noses pressed against the windowpane looking at a bus being blown up in an explosion. The fear is writ large on their faces with flying splinters hitting their windowpane leaving a crack on it. The major attraction of my creation is that the scene of destruction is reflected on that windowpane and not in the picture itself.

The fear on their faces, bus being blown up in explosion and flying splinters hitting their windowpane… through this creation of mine I tried to portray how militancy has affected even small children in this state, leaving a scar on their tender minds.

However, people usually don’t want negativity. There is so much of violence, bloodshed, poverty and other evils. Those who buy my paintings for their drawing rooms are interested in seeing the brighter side of life.

DM: It is widely perceived that eminent painters to project themselves as progressive usually sell poverty of the country. What is your reaction?

KKG: I agree with you. During my visit in different parts country, I observed that some painters only prepare paintings depicting poverty among the people to project themselves as progressive.

RB: Tell us something about the painting which you consider your masterpiece.

KKG: It has been the portrait of Jammu’s Mubarak Mandi heritage complex that was the focus of attention for every visitor during the Jammu Festival, 2008. I gave a royal touch to this painting on a 9X5 ft canvas. The painting is presently adding grace to a central lodge in Jammu University.

RB: How sensitive are people of Jammu towards art and artistic community?

KKG: There is a little awareness among the people towards the essence of art in our society. Let us admit it, we are not so good art lovers.

Archit Watts (AW): Have you made any painting on the theme of saving the Tawi?

KKG: Yes, I have made a number of paintings regarding the river. It is our holy river called as Suryaputri. Now, I am planning to make a painting, which will show the difference when it was on the full flow and the present condition when the water level is almost zero.

AW: How much time do you take to draw a painting?

KKG: I just need five-six sittings, means only three days to complete a painting. Most of my paintings have been made in this much time.