Artist : Viraag Desai Title : Of The Street Medium: Mixed media (acrylics, pencil) on paper Size : 30" x 40"
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Artist Viraag Desai completed his BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and has shown widely shown in USA & India. A recipient of Merit scholarships during his tenure at art school, he went on to do residencies in Spain and other parts of India, as well as shows in galleries in the US, Spain, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
Tibetan ‘thankas’, and ‘pata’ paintings of old Bengal were his early source of inspiration. Later, he moved towards a type of abstract expressionism, striking hard at the conventional notions of propriety in form, using spray-guns, acrylics, polyurethane gel, and pigment dispersions.
In the artist’s words : "I am trying to convey concept through the use of medium and processes, by taking the piece out of the realm of 'image' and creating a multi-sensorial experience". Viraag refers to mechanical forms as a point of departure, depicting chaotic arrangements of flora and fauna, and figures from various militant/historical scenes. He uses found objects along with traditional art materials and created media (dried oil paints, fabric and local materials). Appropriation of these materials and techniques result in cinematic glimpses of his personal contemporary voice.