Immortal Genius

The demise of Tyeb Mehta is a huge loss to the artist community; he was an artist who brought Contemporary Indian Art to the forefront.
On confirming the news, 11 am on Thursday, the 2nd of July 2009, curator Raju Sutar of Waves Art Gallery Pune called upon an open canvas to pay homage to the artist-genius. Artists, patrons and friends gathered at the gallery at 4pm and for over an hour painted strokes on a giant canvas beside a photograph of Tyeb Mehta.

Raju Sutar, Vaishali Oak, Das Dibakar, Dhanashri, Giri Kumar, Radhika Sehgal, Biswas Tanushree, Vijay Gavankar, Meenal Bhavsar, Mayura Khot, Gauri Gandhi, Jyoti Suryawanshi were part of the group who participated in this spirit of reverence.

The gallery curator and artists like Vaishali Oak narrated memories of their correspondence with Mehta and the relationship they shared with him. Sutar, particularly remembers appreciating Picasso's works with the icon at NGMA in Mumbai. "He once visited Pune for a tribute to the Kargil War" recalls Sutar.

While some preferred to celebrate his immortality with colour, a sense of loss was apparent among those who knew his contribution and worth.

Nevertheless, through the legacy of his canvases, his razor sharp strokes and the deep rooted impact which changed the look of Indian Art, Tyeb Mehta has only transcended to immortality. The canvas at Waves as a collective outcome, indeed was an unique homage to the enduring presence of great prodigy.

-Tanushree Biswas