BY PRATIMA ACHREKAR | NT NETWORK
A creative mind who has since 1977 been a regular participant in the Kala Academy State Art Exhibition and has won the State Art Award for the 19th, 24thand 26thState Art Competition, Shridhar A Kamat Bambolkar has brought his creativity alive through graphic designs, with over 300 book covers to his credit. The well-know artiste has also directed and acted in telefilms, teleplays, documentaries and short films.
His motto – make the best use of your time.
“I feel twenty-four hours are less. When I get down to working, the world beyond the canvas or stage ceases to exist,” says Bambolkar.
Presently, Bambolkar is all excited about his forthcoming exhibition titled ‘Ghan Barse Re’, which will be held at the Kala Academy’s Art Gallery on September 4 at 3.55 p.m.
“My exhibition will portray images, moods, fragrance, music and the various colours of nature, all inspired from Bakibab’s poems. He is truly a legend, this great son of Goa. He was urged by the various shades, hues and tones of nature to write some really wonderful lines. Interestingly, it is these lines that stirred me to give form to his words and while doing this I have tried to put myself in Bakibab’s shoes.”
Most artists find Nature at her most beautiful during the rainy season and all their artistic spirits are aroused and for years Bambolkar has harboured the wish of bringing out a collection with rains forming the theme. And there was no better time than this when Goa is celebrating the birth centenary of one of its most laudable sons – Bakibab Borkar, who has written several poems on the rains.
“Aesthetic minds have captured Goa’s scenic beauty through its sea shores, rivers, hills, mountains, mornings, noons, evenings, nights, birds, animals, houses, monuments, flora and fauna, etc. However, Bakibab had a strong inclination towards painting and music and his literary expressions have a unique poetic flavour. It is these that I have attempted to capture through paintings,” says Bambolkar going on to add, “Moreover, like Bakibab, I too hail from Ponda. Thus, for me, Bakibab poems hold a special importance. One can presume that B B Borkar had veiled talents as a painter and musician if one reads his poems.”
This exhibition will be his humble offering to the legendary poet.
“I have made a genuine attempt to express my feelings and emotions and to capture the inner mood as well as content of his poems through lines, forms, colours, textures and tones. However, my aim is neither to illustrate nor to explain his poems through the visual language. My works are inspired from Bakibab’s poems based on nature and monsoon, they are not, however, interpretations of his poems,” explains Bambolkar.
Incidentally, Bambolkar has designed the cover pages of the poet’s books ‘Sasai’ and ‘Paijona’ that were reprinted and released recently.
Altogether 32 to 35 paintings of different sizes and on different mediums will be on display at the exhibition.
(The exhibition ‘Ghan Barse Re’ will be on from September 5 to September 8.The inaugural function will be followed by ‘Malharanche Swarse Re’ a musical programme based on Bakibab’s poems that has be arranged by Professor Purnanand Chari, which will take place at the Black Box on September 5. The exhibition is being organised by the Kala Academy in association with the Department of Art and Culture, Goa.)
