Large canvases displaying free play of bright colours and innermost emotions adorn the walls of Alliance Française de Chandigarh, as part of an exhibition ‘Enveloping the Infinite’ by graphic designer Mandeep Singh.
What sets this exhibition apart is the fact that the 16 gigantic abstract expressionist paintings it displays are created digitally using ‘Coral Painter’.
“My paintings express the abstract digitally on canvas through free play of colours and emotions. They are handmade paintings — but created through a mouse instead of a brush,” said the 38-year-old “commercial artist”.
“Art is art irrespective of the medium used to create it. Art conveys and connects, whether created on computer or on canvas,” he said.
Singh has tried to envelop the endless in his paintings, which he calls ‘skyscape,’ as the scope of his subject is vast and includes everything from meditation, to shapes, patterns and the vibrations created by thoughts. His immediate object might vary but the underlying theme in all his paintings is the same—an expression of deep-rooted emotions through a brilliant play of bright colours. “There needs to be a connection between an artist and his paintings. My work might be created digitally, but it is alive and touches a chord within,” said Singh.
Inspired by the works of Jonas Gerard, a self-styled spontaneous abstract expressionist painter, who began his artistic career on the streets of the New York City, Singh says it is not that easy to create his kind of art. The paintings displayed in the exhibition mirror his work of the last seven years. “It requires a lot of hard work and practice. It takes me two to five months to create a painting. I have been practicing for the last 10 years. I only decided to exhibit my work when I thought it was presentable enough,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Inspired by the works of Jonas Gerard, a self-styled spontaneous abstract expressionist painter, who began his artistic career on the streets of the New York City, Singh says it is not that easy to create his kind of art. The paintings displayed in the exhibition mirror his work of the last seven years. “It requires a lot of hard work and practice. It takes me two to five months to create a painting. I have been practicing for the last 10 years. I only decided to exhibit my work when I thought it was presentable enough,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}All his paintings have titles so as to help people understand the thought that inspired their creation. “I use titles such as ‘stream of consciousness’ and ‘shattered feelings’ to help the audience understand the mood of the painting better,” he said.
Graduated in graphic designing from a city-based college in 1997, Singh wants to do customised paintings in the future, as per the requirements of his clients.
He also wants to organise ‘live exhibitions’ where he would make paintings live on the request of the visitors so that they can understand the process of creating a painting and can appreciate the hard work involved in it.
“I want to set up exhibitions in Delhi and Mumbai so as to engage more and more people with this art form,” said Singh, who believes there is exclusivity in the paintings he makes which “also sets his clientele apart.”
This is his second exhibition, which will be on view till March 3 at Alliance Française de Chandigarh, Sector 36. sneha.bengani@hindustantimes.com