Late singer Lata Mangeshkar has become a muse for many people and one such person is artist Ramkripal Namdeo who has created around 50 paintings, till date. In his exhibition titled Chitralatika, the 58-year-old artist from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh will exhibit 46 paintings out of which 34 paintings are based on the late singer.
Ask him why he chose to title his exhibition Chitralatika and he says, “Latika was Lata didi’s name when she was small. Chitra means image or pictures. My son thought of this name since I am exhibiting mostly didi’s paintings.” He considers the Yeh Galiyan Yeh Chaubara (Prem Rog 1982) singer his God and muse. He says, “She has, is and always will be my inspiration for all my paintings. While I have done other works, I am her follower and will devote my entire life to her.”
This ardent fan had the opportunity to meet the legendary singer, very briefly, in 2014, after walking around her house on many different occasions. He recollects his conversation with her and says, “I was very excited to meet her. I have been listening to Lata didi’s songs since I was a child. On a previous occasion, her security gave me an autographed picture from her but I was not satisfied with that. I wanted to meet her. After many tries, I finally got to see her and with luck shall have it; I had my painting with me. She was very appreciative of it and even signed it for me.”
That same painting would go on and win him a spot on the Limca book of Records in 2016 for the most number of faces (930) painted in 60 hours. In 2019, he was included in the Asia Book and India Book of Records for a second painting that had the maximum number of faces (1436) on one canvas. Both these paintings were of Mangeshkar and can be best described as a collage of tiny faces that created the singer’s face. Women like Michelle Obama, Mother Theresa, Rani Lakshmibai, Kasturba Gandhi, Kamal Nehru, Annie Besant, Margret Thatcher, Princess Diana and more are included in these collage as well.
{{/usCountry}}That same painting would go on and win him a spot on the Limca book of Records in 2016 for the most number of faces (930) painted in 60 hours. In 2019, he was included in the Asia Book and India Book of Records for a second painting that had the maximum number of faces (1436) on one canvas. Both these paintings were of Mangeshkar and can be best described as a collage of tiny faces that created the singer’s face. Women like Michelle Obama, Mother Theresa, Rani Lakshmibai, Kasturba Gandhi, Kamal Nehru, Annie Besant, Margret Thatcher, Princess Diana and more are included in these collage as well.
{{/usCountry}}Catch it LIVE!
What: Chitralatika
Where: Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda
When: On till April 24
Timing: 11am to 7pm