Gulab Kapadiya

The lightness of Kapadiya’s canvases, where he paints a repetition of objects such as jute bags and bamboo baskets, are almost meditative renderings.  The artist uses soft watercolour washes and layers them to create a vintage effect in an attempt to render the life of the ‘container’ as beautiful and meaningful.

Kapadiya’s works represent some of the popular professions of India.  His works are inspired by small business holders such as vegetable and bangle sellers, cobblers, barbers, key makers, grocers, flower sellers and labourers.  They are the protagonists in his paintings. His works capture an intimacy of the protagonist with his/her wares.  The repetition of the form contributes to the silent harmony in his works thereby paying equal tribute to the object as well as the human form.  Sometimes, he uses the imagery of different objects and materials from these environments to serve as surfaces for creating a sense of ‘remained traces of presence in absence’ in his work.