Bhubaneswar, Jan. 30: Artist Tarakant Parida is all set to host a solo exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai from February 2 to 8. Parida, founder of the first modern art gallery in Odisha is also the secretary of the Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi. He has chosen his best artworks for the exhibition.
Parida's 30 works, which include 21 acrylic paintings on canvas and nine graphics -has brought together real and abstract and the interdependence of both worlds for the existence of each. He explores the contrast of bright and dark in life, spirituality, memories and space.
Parida's 'A day beginning from...' series is a collection of artworks derived from his childhood memories from a nondescript village in Jagatsinghpur. He has extensively used his signature style of symbolic images such as birds and animals and has successfully created a sense of nostalgia and compared the beauty of simple living of rural settings to the abundance of urban life. In the solo exhibition, the artist has plans to present his study of spaces where the dark lies right behind the bright.
Parida was initiated into the world of art during his matriculation days. His artwork on Lord Krishna for a local festival got noticed by art connoisseur Udaya Narayan Biswal from Cuttack who visited his Jagatsinghpur village. Biswal advised him to join B.K. College of Fine Arts and Crafts where Parida met prominent artists, such as Siba Panigrahi and Fakir Mohan Mallick.
They groomed him and encouraged his creativity.
After completing his degree, Parida joined Indira Kala Sangeet University in Khairagarh with specialisation in etching. He has taken part in several exhibitions across India and has won many laurels.
Parida has bagged a state award, an honours degree from All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, twice and got a national scholarship for two years to research on etching with graphics. But he did not move out of Odisha like other artists and set up the Odisha Modern Art Gallery here. He braved severe financial and logistic challenges to come up with the gallery. With his efforts, he also led Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi to set up an art gallery by the government.
Excited about his first show at the Jehangir Art Gallery, Parida said it was a dream come true.
"The gallery allows you to apply only once in three years and if you do not get a chance this year, you have to wait for the next three years. This opportunity has come after a long wait and I am thrilled to display my artworks at the most sought after art gallery of the country," said Parida.
