How did you begin painting? What is your first memory as a painter? Are there any specific incidents you remember that stand out from that period?
Actually I never studied art in my school days. It was my family's cultural traits that I believe I picked up and helped me choose the path that I did. I initially wanted to be an architect not an artist. But the fact that my sister went to Art College and the...

How did you begin painting? What is your first memory as a painter? Are there any specific incidents you remember that stand out from that period?
Actually I never studied art in my school days. It was my family's cultural traits that I believe I picked up and helped me choose the path that I did. I initially wanted to be an architect not an artist. But the fact that my sister went to Art College and the culturally rich family environment changed my mind. Also, at the time that I was in school I visited several exhibitions and they influenced me a great deal. I myself started exhibiting very early; right from the time after I graduated when I was in Art College. My first exhibition was at the Kunika Chemould Gallery in 1969. Another thing that comes to mind now is that even though I was a football player during my graduation course - and I was even selected for the college team - I used to visit the libraries really often. I read a lot of poetry, especially the French poets like Baudelaire and Rimbaud and the Bengali poet Jibananda Das. I also read a lot of philosophy including the works of Sartre and Camus. Although this did not directly influence my art or decision to take up art, it has played quite a big role in the development of my artistic sensibilities. And this does help a lot. One incident that really stands out to me from that period is the time when a great big French exhibition was going on in 1968. They were displaying the original artworks of masters like Picasso, Braque and Chagal and I actually got to touch some of Braque's and Picasso's works. It was a really great experience. I remember that this show aided in developing in me a deep respect for contemporary art.

People say that you are a very culturally and politically motivated painter. Is your changing style and the protestation in your works a result of this?
In all of my art there is always a reflection of time in some way or the other. This is what I believe led to people saying that there is some political or cultural motivation in my work. When the time is particularly bad because of political reasons, there may be some political symbolism in my works of that period. For example, I used to paint a dagger in my pieces sometimes. Since violence plays a major role in society, I feel there is always going to be an indirect reflection of that in my painting. In 1975, when the emergency situation was declared and ongoing, the figure in my works showed a kind of suppression or oppression. This still doesn't mean that I am only a politically motivated painter. It is simply a reflection of the times.

As you developed as an artist, how would you describe the progressive changes that marked your work or style? Were they deliberate or unconscious efforts?
It was always unconscious. There was no deliberation ever. There are so many things that are reflected in my work and they are constantly changing. So my work is dynamic in the same way. After graduating from the College of Art in Delhi I taught at the Art Institute of the Jamia Millia Islamia for a while and used to travel there by bus. The route took me past the Ring Road everyday and the open spaces really influenced me a lot. These empty fields and single trees had an impact on the development of my style after college and appeared in my earliest works. Also my childhood in the hill station of Simla played a similar role in this early definition of my style.

I can't pinpoint exactly when the figure began to appear in my works. As I said, it was not a conscious effort. The figure that stands isolated and in seclusion is almost like a reflection of me - the person I am - looking out at the rest of the world. It is also a reflection of the world because it is a witness to everything that is happening in its society and the world as a whole.

Now in my work material and technique is becoming very dominant. The figure is receding to the background as the idea of space and the division of space becomes important. There are a lot of free forms in my work now and also a lot of time-symbolism like the existence of day and night together or small sun symbols on the surface. I am focusing on texture a lot now because that has fascinated me as well. When I designed the India Pavilions for trade fairs all around the world, I used to travel a lot. And I bought many things on my travels. Now I use the labels from bottles and soaps and matchboxes that I picked up during those travels as a sort of nostalgic reminder of the times. In that sense my works are almost like a travelogue documenting places and things that fascinated me.

Today I have incorporated lots of materials in my work from waste to buttons and watercolours to the Fuji photo-colours that come in the form of little pieces of paper because their dyes are fantastic. There is no one medium that I can say I have enjoyed the most or that has been the most fulfilling for me. I have worked with several different mediums simply because otherwise I would have been bored. One must never be a slave to style and should always go wherever he is lead by his heart and imagination.

Do you relate to or particularly appreciate the work of any specific Indian or international artist? Why?
There are so many artists in the world today. It is very difficult to name any one particular artist. From time to time I have liked the works of many different painters. I remember I period when I really appreciated the work of the master Klee.
The art scene in India is becoming very trendy and trend oriented as well. I wish young painters could discover themselves in the same way we used to. But there is a different way today. The revolution in communication and the way in which the world becomes smaller every day definitely plays an influencing role. But they must remember that one's own vocabulary is very important. Most young artists don't see that today.
One artist from the younger generation of painters whose work I like is Atul Dodiya. And from my contemporaries I think the work of Prabhakar Kolte is brilliant and I used to like Jogen Chowdhury's work as well.

What are you working on now?
I have a big show coming up in September 2003, and right now I am focusing solely on the works for that show. There are going to be several canvases both in oils and acrylics and I am also experimenting with fumage or using smoke in my painting. The show will be held at the Sakshi Art Gallery and will first be in Delhi and then travel to Mumbai. Apart from this I am not really involved with any other major projects as the painting takes up most of my time. There will be about 20 pieces on display all of different sizes. Last year I was the designer for the Indian pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival.