A delightful visual treat from one of India’s top contemporary artists

A new solo show of works by Paresh Maity, entitled ‘The World on a Canvas’ features a visual travelogue. The show presented by New Delhi based Art Alive Gallery promises to be a first of its kind, as it features works done by the master artist from 1983 to the present, inspired from his many travels in India and abroad. It includes his drawings, watercolors, oils, mixed media and sculptures drawn from his travels over the years.

His travels have taken him to many destinations – Kolkata, Kerala, Rajasthan and Varanasi in India and London, Venice, China, and Mexico abroad. Paresh Maity instinctively imbibes the essence of each place in his works and every place he visits equips him with a new vocabulary. A press release elaborates:

“Travels are a crucial part of Paresh Maity’s life. They are the life of his art. He has mapped both his home country and the world - from cities to hamlets, from countries to continents - carrying with him his brushes and paints. Seeking inspiration from landscapes and monuments, from history and people, he has the ability to perch anywhere to sketch, draw or paint, amidst crowds or all by himself, as he records his impressions in what has become a visual diary of his painterly life.”

In this visual voyage, which is as much about self-discovery as about storytelling, the artist showcases some of his most endearing and refreshing works on these destinations. Providing the perfect accompaniment to this visual journey are the arresting portraits of the artist at work by Nemai Ghosh, celebrated for his stills of Satyajit Ray's films.

The highlight of the show is a large installation done by him as well as his short-films ‘The Mystic Melody- A day in the golden desert’ and 'The Magic of Monsoons – Montage, Moments, Memories'. The art event provides an exhaustive visual reference for those who love Paresh Maity’s art, and Nemai Ghosh’s black-and-white photography, as well.