Bose Krishnamachari wears the mantle of an avant-garde artist with consummate flair. Known mainly for installation art, he has received rave reviews from art critics all over the country. One of his most famous installations was intriguingly titled AmUseuM, a landmark in his career, that overturned artistic notions of gallery space and fine arts.

Bose was born in Kerala and studied at the J.J. School of Art, Mumbai. During his career, he has held solo exhibitions at the British Council Division, Mumbai, the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai and many other galleries. His recently concluded show titled Exist at the Jehangir Gallery, Mumbai once again generated praise from art connoisseurs and featured pencil-drawings, self-portraits and tributes to other noted artists.

Bose?s wife Radhika works in Mumbai?s income-tax department. The couple has a two-year-old son Aryan. Radhika enjoys spending time with her family and also assists her husband with his work.

RADHIKA ON BOSE

My brother was Bose?s friend at the J.J School of Arts in Mumbai and one day he came to our house with some other friends. There was absolutely no interaction between us at that time. He was just introduced to our family as my brother?s friend and since he came from Kerala, he soon became quite friendly with us.

However, after that we lost touch till about 13 years later when both of us were registered at the same marriage bureau. Both our parents were looking for a suitable match for us and the agency gave us the respective contact numbers. After enquiries, when my parents came to know that Bose was the same friend who had visited our house a long time ago, they thought it was an ideal match. We tied the knot finally in 2002.

Both of us come from two entirely different fields ? while Bose is an artist, I work in the IT department. But we share similar likes and dislikes and this is what binds us together.

As a husband, Bose is not only supportive but also allows me a lot of space. Before marriage, I had no exposure to the art world and even today, I cannot understand some of the concepts. But my husband is perfectly comfortable with that and never forces me to visit art galleries and shows. Nonetheless, I am slowly learning to appreciate art. In fact, it feels good when my colleagues and friends praise his work. Whenever Bose works at home, I ensure that there is complete peace and quiet so that he can concentrate fully on the task at hand. What I appreciate about him is that he is very focused and dedicated in his work.

People may know Bose as a great artist, but at home he is very down-to-earth and simple. He is a family man and whatever little time he gets, he likes to spend it with us. Every now and then, he insists we go out for a movie together and we catch up on all the latest releases. Though he?s quite a regular at art shows and late-night parties, I never accompany him unless it is one of his solo exhibitions. But the one thing I absolutely hate are the unending calls he gets whenever he is at home. Throughout the day, his mobile never stops ringing which sometimes gets very irritating.

Another quality about Bose that I find completely wonderful is his desire to encourage artists from Kerala. In fact, he goes all out to support any new artist from Kerala if that person seeks his help. That, I feel, says a lot about the kind of person he is.

BOSE ON RADHIKA

I was a complete freak before marriage. Since I was a bachelor staying alone in Mumbai, I had lots of girlfriends and partied hard. But after sometime, I found all these boring and craved for a settled life. It was then that I registered myself in a marriage bureau and when they gave me Radhika?s contact details, I was overjoyed. Her parents called me to their house to know more about me. It was then that I realised that I had visited their place earlier. Things clicked and very soon we decided to marry and settle down.

The fact that Radhika is not from an art background doesn?t bother me at all. In a way, I consider it good, as opposites attract. But Radhika is slowly learning to adjust with the art fraternity, while I, on my part, don?t interfere in her work as she knows what?s best in her line. But she is very honest and always encourages me to take up good projects. She is my greatest source of inspiration and a pillar of strength.

After our son Aryan was born, I have become more responsible and domesticated. For me the concept of responsibility and stability never existed before marriage as I was completely caught up in my work. The birth of my son has changed all that. And today I feel that I should be a good father and teach him all the right values in life. When my son is around, every day is different.

Radhika knows me for what I am ? a sensitive guy ? and understands my moods and feelings very well. Though she complains that I am a complete workaholic, she understands that I have to meet a lot of work-related commitments. As a wife, she has always been straightforward and honest about her likes and dislikes. I value her opinions a lot and whenever I have my exhibitions, I seek her advice and suggestions. Today, I can safely say that my marriage has had a calming effect on me and made me a far more confident person.