Mangalore: Exposing Fading Culture through Art
By Florine Roche
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Dec 17: Art speaks and in a powerful way! Philip V D’Mello’s Expose …. Unexpose, an exhibition of painting which was opened for public at Orchid Art Gallery in Mangalore on Wednesday, Dec 16, conveys the lament of the artiste about the culture which is slowly fading out from our minds. In today’s age when people have lost their cultural roots due to the onslaught of cultural invasion from all quarters leading to cultivating values of material success, careerism, social status, prestige and consumerism it is heartening that art has become a powerful instrument of preserving our rich culture and tradition for posterity.
Mumbai-based artist Philip V D’Mello, nicknamed “Vasaivala” has used paintings to express his inner most feelings that are associated with his childhood in Vasai, a suburban about about 60 to 70 kms from Mumbai, with regard to the surroundings, the tradition, the culture, the way of life etc,. The exhibition offers a veritable account of all that is associated with his childhood, the time when the village folks of his community took absolute pleasure in activities associated with their mundane lives, be it picking/plucking flowers, tending cattle, harvesting, spinning tops, flying kites or rocking in the swing. All these activities are presented in the form of beautiful oil canvases to the discerning art lovers. The painter feels the onslaught of cultural invasion and the technological advances in today’s urban life have sounded a death knell to the distinct culture of Vasai which has totally disappeared from the minds of the people. His paintings are an endeavor to give a glimpse of this culture to the public. “Communication and technology is so quick whatever is available in Mumbai in the afternoon is visible or available in Vasai by evening. This is true to all aspects of life”, he laments.
Instead of brooding D’Mello has used his paintings to keep this tradition alive. The painting exhibition is aptly titled Expose…. Unexpose and does exactly what it conveys. Sometimes the canvases show clear figures and sometimes the figures masquerade in the form of blackened faces, subtly conveying the inner elements of the good old days of his childhood, some of which are but vague in the fading memory of the painter. Speaking to daijiworld.com D’Mello said “these paintings are like a black and white reel of film, a part of which is exposed and unexposed”. Some of his paintings at the bottom show the reels to convey this meaning. Another common element that is found in most of his paintings is showing the good old roofs of the homes and the rice barns that were used in every household in Vasai in those days.
This is D’Mello’s first exhibition in Karnataka and the “Vasaivala” looks quite excited. In fact his paintings live and breathe only about Vasai, the ambience, the tradition, the people, their culture, their dress, their activities, their modes of entertainment etc,. They convey in its own subtle way the rustic village life, the simple lifestyle of the rural people and their culture. In fact the beautiful ambience of Vasai in those days has fuelled his creativity and some of the scenes are fresh in his mind and some of which he remembers vaguely but has made an effort to put them together in his paintings. The paintings clearly portray the observation of the painter to minutest details of those days including the doors, the roofs, the scribbling on walls, the bride of good old days etc., giving us the vivid picture of Vasai culture. The vague figures in one of most of his paintings could be an effort to put together the fading canvas of his memories.
“Through these paintings I tried to show the lost memories of my childhood. I am sad to witness the disappearance of this culture which was part of my upbringing. As an artiste I am trying to preserve this dying culture for the generation next. My art shows a special dedication for the culture of Vasai which brings out my identity as Vasaivala”, he declares.
Born in Vasai D’Mello had a fascination of drawing from his childhood. One of the teachers who noted his talent advised his father to send him to train in JJ School of Art in Mumbai. D’Mello honed his skills in JJ and in Bandra School of Art (now known as Raheja School of Art) and he has been a revelation since then. He has held solo exhibitions in the prestigious Jahangir Art Gallery in Mumbai and in Kolkotta, Delhi, Chennai and other parts of the country. He has also held an exhibition in Switzerland and art collectors in Japan have also bought some of his paintings. D’Mello has held thematic exhibitions such as Folded Pages, Wedding Album, Hindola (swing) etc,. Most of his paintings are oil canvases and he has been using water colours. The prestigious Lalit Kala Academy of Delhi has two of his paintings in their collection.
D’Mello has unfolded his memories through his paintings giving vent to his inner feelings, lamenting them, thus having a shade of both positive and negative approaches which may not escape the attention of art connoisseurs. One has to appreciate Vasaivala for the love he nurtures for his culture, a subject which is a distinct part of all his paintings and his efforts to present them to the next generation. The public will surely be able to identify and savor the uniqueness of his paintings.
Exhibition at Orchid Art Gallery, Balmatta, Mangalore from 16th December 2009 to 5h January, 2010.