Ninefish

Douglas John

BIOGRAPHY

At the age of 16 I moved to Bombay from my birthplace Solapur and joined Sir J.J. School of Art. But my learning process extended beyond the classroom. Inspiration came from every corner of this mesmerising metropolis and I was awestruck by this city. After exploring the city to the fullest satisfaction of my curiosity in a series of landscapes, I drew into a shell, searching for something deeper, more sublime. This search lead me back to my roots in Solapur rediscovering the’Gadda Yatra’.
“In search of light” is a deeper exploration of this quest. While the traces of influences from murals to miniature paintings to revivalism can be discerned in the painting, the use of gold reflects the indestructible nature of faith that these paintings show. The portrait paintings depict the sense of devotion, piety as also achievement, while the larger paintings show human figures which seem to be on a journey of seeking enlightenment and though in a group each figure appears to be on a journey of seeking this in its own way, reflecting the universal truth that attainment and not a group endeavour.