A shot fling with Venice
It was in 1993, twenty years ago, when artist Paresh Maity discovered Venice, a city that haunted him since then.
The veteran then decided to revisit the memories of a place that has inspired his works the most, through an ongoing exhibition, titled, “Venetian Odyssey”.
Instead of a paint brush, Maity picked up a camera this time capturing the quintessential city of eternal romance and the myriad hues of landscapes that come along with it.
“The amazing light of Venice is its most endearing quality. A clear sky, a mischievous cloud, the tantalising darkness, the quiet of the afternoon is suddenly broken by the pitter-patter of rain. And then everyone runs for shelter. The next moment sunlight sparkling on raindrops transforms the now deserted St. Marco Square into an impressionist painting and it never ceases to amaze me,” describes Maity.
Not many knew this side to him but photography is something he has always taken very seriously. “In so many ways, the Venice that I have captured — whether by brush or through my lens — is the Venice all visitors encounter: the waterfront and the canals, the gondolas and the reflections or silhouettes of a medieval city of trade and culture,” he says.
“Venetian Odyssey” is the first complete series of his photographs and it serves to highlight his treatment of light and reflections which are critical elements in his watercolours.
The aching, impossible blue of a sky, the refreshing colours of the waters on which the light dances a tango, the stark shapes of black-and-white images of a reality that is all around in Venice comes alive beautifully through the lens of the maverick Maity.
At Art Alive Gallery, Panchsheel Park till February 28
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