'Dialogues in Silence': a look at artist Mohan Das' latest works

Technology, and the fusion of different European art eras channeled through a sense of grief and closure on life seems like the dominant theme of artist Mohan Das’ latest work that was recently exhibited at The Second Floor, Karachi.

The acclaimed artist is back in the limelight after taking seven years off from art galleries — a time he spent on generating and developing ideas at the backburner for the magnificent treat titled 'Reminiscences.'

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Das’ journey starts from the streets of Hyderabad as a minority in Pakistan. In the mid of his life, it seems that the artist feels a sense of swan song.

Das has remained true to his art and a non-conformist. He states: “There is a rapid sense of closure enveloping his soul. As if it is now or never.”

Das has been through various medical problems over the course of years. According to him, he was pondering on this idea for many years. But dealing with Polymyositis served as a vehicle to complete his thematic dream. He feels as if his body is stopping and gradually breaking apart, as is his life. We find absence of triangular shaped canvases; though, all paintings are oil on canvas.

This reflects well in the artist’s statement accompanying the exhibition: “Through this exhibition ‘Reminiscences,’ Mohan Das is not only doing psychoanalysis of the earlier artists as an aesthete, but also merging it with the contemporary life, while maintaining the conscious dignity of his own reflections.”

Das’ work is remarkably stunning and a summary of his inspirations. The impact of a 'Street-credo' prevails in his current exhibition. However, as technology is populous on the streets, therefore Das has merged different art periods with tech-tools. His ‘inspirations’ never used technology, but Das admits the use of technology and draws an artistic comparison between the styles and thought processes.

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In his exhibition 'Reminiscences,' he has mixed his palate with interesting observations merging past with present. As stated earlier, his work is startling and deep because he is almost in conversation with the artists of previous eras taking therapeutic treatment. For instance, due to his eyes' amaurotic condition, he painted the vibrant colours used by Frida Kahlo in grey tones depicting his suffering and naming the painting 'Nature-Descolorida.'

Similarly, his treatment to Vermeer’s work is fascinating, he names it 'Mirroring the Muse.'

While discussing with him, he says that art historians claim that in the painting 'Girl with a Pearl Earring,' there is really no pearl. The earring is only a polished tin. However, Das gives that earring the look of pearl and makes Vermeer wear a polished tin. The impact portrays the depth and uniqueness of intimacy between Vermeer and his muse. It seems, Das knows their connectivity in a secret way.

Speaking of connectivity, in 'Monet’s Moments,' Das says that he is representing Monet’s response to the advent of technology. Instead of competing with the ability of a camera to record exact instant, Monet painted in an unusual way – like flashes focusing on movement in a way that was not possible with photo technology of that period. Das is in conversation with Monet about getting his spades on. Time and speed have importance for both the artists. As Das explains that this exhibition is pivotal both as an artist and as a human who is going through a sense of fading, like a waning moon.

Mona Lisa, however, is not a new subject for Das. He has named the painting 'Still but Alive.' He has trapped Da Vinci’s creation in a photo and exposed countryside on the canvas. By placing Mona Lisa in a photo, Das is almost indicating his muscular pains and stiffness in the study room of Da Vinci. As Das says, “his therapies are these private conversations.”

A pixelated Vincent Gogh is a deep statement on the contemporary art scene. One sees Gogh everywhere these days, but the ‘Dutch Artiest’ died lonely under the starry night. 'Dollying Vincent' suggests seven-minute fame in today’s world of technology for every Joe.

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Das is experiencing his sadness and loneliness all over again; together with the artists of old epochs in two folds. It is not that Das chooses them but more like the silent artists are choosing him. There is no sequence, the choosing is irrespective of time period. It is almost like the ‘hurt’ locked in the artist is taking refuge through great art tradition without uttering a single word.

Das has bedazzled us as a Pakistani artist who plays magically both with the earlier artists of Europe and his contemporary take reflecting on the art scene of 21st century. His idea is new and yet old. Signifying fragility of each artist with strength. According to his statement, “His salutation to the paintings of olden era is a futuristic approach of peeping into the memory lane of art history.”

His paintings give one a tour of enigmatic past, and at the same time brings one back to the present era. As I walked through the gallery pondering on his work a phrase struck me, with an immediate urge to pen it down: “Their grief is alike; it is static yet a metamorphosis.”

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The writer is an artist. She can be reached on Instagram: @arte_by_musferah