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Bhupen Khakhar, a largely self‒taught artist, developed
a sophisticated pictorial language, employing vibrant
oil, gouache, watercolour and acrylic paints. Largely
figurative, his work offered commentary on the struggles
of day to day life, or incisive observations of the unusual
in the mundane. The present lot was painted towards
the end of his career. Khakhar’s interest in seascapes and
fishing communities, which began in the 1970s, finds
expression in this picturesque representation of what
is probably the mosque and inlet in coastal Ratnagiri.
Under an overcast sky, a small fishing community is seen
in a cove. Shadowy figures are silhouetted against their
catch, in contrast to the detailed rendering of coconut
trees. While the landscape creates the atmosphere of
the coastal town, the narrative literally unfolds on its
fringes. Khakhar encloses the landscape within a red
border populated with scenes of coastal life. Painted in
gold, these vignettes bring out the vibrancy of the fishing
community. This painting ties the genre of figurative
narration that Khakhar is best known for, with the
tradition of landscape painting.
“I havealways felt that thehumanbeing is the source. Sometimes landscapes
fascinate me. But I feel my paintings are incomplete without figures.”
BHUPEN KHAKHAR