Paintings by Gayatri Gamuz

In a land without trees

at Hacienda Gallery from October 18 to 25

Desolation 33 x 11 Oil on linen

At 41 Gayatri Gamuz is not a novice in the world of art. This exhibition however is the first opportunity for Mumbai’s art lovers to see an entire collection of her works under one roof. Trained in Spain, Gayatri moved base to India 15 years ago. She has had seven solo exhibitions since 1996 in Spain, UK, Australia and Kochi, India besides participation in several collective shows.

“In a land without trees” brings out Gayatri’s core concern – the consequences of the inevitable evolution in culture, lifestyle, behaviour and psyche of the humankind from organic to the current scenario empowered by technology. She traces the transition from the natural to the fabricated and imagines a scenario where nature is endangered. She acknowledges the comforts made possible by technology yet feels nostalgic about the past. She detects a sense of loss for the ways of the past.

In her paintings I see the desire to return to childlike innocence. There’s a sense of purity and tranquility in her paintings. In some works there is delightfully ironic humour. Her uncluttered compositions that have select few forms reflect clarity in her evolved visual thought process. She portrays animals, human beings and objects in a realistic fashion with sensitive rendition of shadows and nuances of such kind. But there’s a twist in the compositions. She paints imaginary circumstances that reflect the present human condition in a language that is phantasmagoric. That adds zing to her paintings.

Her observation and the inclusion of the local cultural aspects are reflected in her visual language and commentary. It would be expected of a ‘foreigner’ living in India to make paintings of kitsch, imagery inspired by religious icons or Indian street life. Gayatri’s scope is not limited to an Indian or Spanish canvas. She observes the 21st century human condition and incorporates symbols, metaphors and instances from her immediate surrounding and blends them well with her roots and her beliefs.

Her paintings are endearing because they strike a chord with the innocent, carefree and humourous aspects within us. She speaks of a crucial concern with tenderness thus making her works intimate.

Artist representative, curator
Jasmine Shah Varma

Life got complicated (II) 22 x 20 Oil on linen

Provisional tree 58 x 58 Oil on linen

In a dream 39 x 39 Oil on canvas

Wandering Bird 39 x 39 Oil on canvas

Window 39 x 39 Oil on canvas

Critical Times 32 x 22 Oil on canvas

"In my paintings I play with the symbolism of toys and plastic elements
as a metaphor of the capitalistic culture which separates
us from the natural world and at the same time creates the
perfect substitutes to give contentment to the modern man.
The plastic elements are a sarcastic portrait of the
unconscious human presence in the natural world."

- Gayatri Gamuz

Somebody is bugging me 22 x 18 Oil on linen

Portrait of a girl 54 x 54 Oil on canvas

Egg and boy 39 x 39 Oil on canvas

School boy 27 x 27 Oil on canvas

Maze 27 x 27 Oil on canvas

Musk deer $ 45000 per kilo 54 x 54 Oil on linen

“My work is a reflection on the nostalgia of the human psyche,
a reflection on the psyche of the loss.”

- Gayatri Gamuz

Life got complicated (I) 54 x 54 Oil on linen

Father and daughter with plastic flower 39 x 39 Oil on linen

Elephant and pseudo-elephant 39 x 39 Oil on canvas

Feet and snail 54 x 54 Oil on linen