Painting portraits of the interior

“Painting for me is to create a space, mood and thought...to live within a dream...this perfectly articulates my life's journey.”

This is how Nikhil Chaganlal articulates his practice. The artist has developed over the years a unique technique of painting on Masonite board. He makes use of acrylic combined with oil paints and chemical sealants.

The self-taught artist has been painting for over thirty years impelled by an inner urge. With layer upon layer of vibrant color he emblazons his work in an enticing and highly individualistic style. His themes are resolutely Indian and, maybe, yet not so. One gets awed by a personal strength of vision palpable in the works. In that sense they are mystical

His works carry a freshness of approach coupled with a new vision. Revolving around the pantheon of Indian deities, couples/ embraces and interiors, they mine the depths of his inner instinct. For example, the gods are presented in a very human manner. He represents them as he sees, perceives and feels them, only to be recognized by their symbols.

Nikhil Chaganlal developed interest in art at an early age. His father often took him to art galleries for the exhibitions of artists like Tyeb Mehta and Husain. He won the Lalit Kala National Award at the age of 14, which brought his talent to the fore. He even wanted to be an interior designer, a passion that reflects in his painted interiors. A lot of conceptualization is involved in them, similar to preparing an architect’s draft. He describes the works as ‘living within a dream’.

He paints ‘portraits of Interiors’, as he likes to call them. His portraits of the interior prompt te viewer to ‘escape into the paintings’ with an embrace of intimacy and nostalgia. ‘Intimate Vistas of the Interior’ by Nikhil Chaganlal features 21 of his mixed media works on Masonite.