WHEN
NOT TO WORK
Although I believe that a creative
artist ought to keep working, if only to be in practice, Life’s experience has
convinced me that there are periods when one has to stop work and while away
his time till the real thrust for working returns. The first of such occasions
is, when one faces a mental blank, not knowing what to paint. Nothing comes to
one’s mind – neither a vision nor a reason to take up the brush. It was very
early in my art-career that I had such a feeling. I couldn’t paint as I had
nothing to paint. I couldn’t gossip as I did not feel like it though there were
friends around. And I couldn’t read though that could have been an option. But
I felt I will be forcing myself for that even. So I decided to rather loitre. I
walked down to India Gate and watched holidaying families and children(quite a
few of them crowding around ice-cream vendors and balloon-seller even around
pea-nut seller, along with their mothers
or father. It was quite relieving – the real life scenes. Boys and girls
boating in the India Gate canals, expressly meant for it. And several other
engaging sights.
But things took an interesting turn
when one day I walked on till I reached the space in front of the National
Gallery of Modern Art. On a sudden impulse I crossed the road and entered the
NGMA, mechanically (or rather sluggishly) making for its galleries. I didn’t of course know what was on display.
But I spotted some works of Nikolai Roerich in one of the galleries. They immediately (and immensely) clicked with
me. The works seemed forever beautiful and timeless art (Nikolai Roerich had
long departed from the scene of international art and intellectual interaction
and his son Sweteslav Roerich had taken over the baton of Russian art and made
India his home, having married the legendry actress and film-maker Devika Rani
from Bombay Talkies, her former Indian husband Himanshu Rai had founded).
The few hours at the NGMA galleries
proved to be a nutrient. I came back to my own ground. There was something to
do – something that would be worthwhile and engaging and a means to move out of
the blank spot I had gotten into.
The other occasion was when I felt
exhausted, over worked as I was, preparing for a show that had been agreed to
between me and Ashish Anand of Delhi Art Gallery of Hauz Khas Village, New
Delhi. I was trying to meet a deadline and really not reaching anywhere. This
was too painful and depressing at the same time. So I just walked out of my
studio and straight went to the tea-shop for gossip and tea (I knew some of the
fellow artists will be there already gossiping). This proved to be a healing
balm. I of course did not continue paining that day though the weather was fine
and cooperative. I also gossiped with my family at dinner that evening with
good result, as everybody felt I was in high spirits and responded whole
heartedly, sharing my mood and my jokes. That was a good lesson indeed. I will
never forget that day (and that evening with my family, of course).
The next day I was back in my studio
with vigour an intent to move ahead. I really
produced an engaging work that day – a work that I still like to look at
though it is no more in my possession. There was such spontaneous burst of
energy that day that I could not hold myself but work and work till I got the
image I wanted (it of course took some more days to give final touches to the work
in overriding tones of blue)
These two instances taught me when to call
it a day. And I have since that day worked in that mode.
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