Meenaketan Pattnaik with one of his works. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 17: Not many would be happy to be called “monkey man”, but artist Meenaketan Pattnaik is proud to have earned this name.

The central character of his series of paintings, which portray several interesting themes, has always been the monkey and these have helped him emerge as a promising artist. Only last week, his painting from this series — “Romance Factor” — sold for Rs 1 lakh at an exhibition in New Delhi.

Meenaketan is from Aska, which has produced many known names in the art world, such as acclaimed painter Ramahari Jena, art director Ajit Patnaik (remembered for his lavish sets in the Tipu Sultan television series) and Sukant Panigrahy, one of the most sought after art directors in Bollywood. Not surprisingly, Meenaketan was easily drawn to art as a child.

“I remember I had once visited a painting camp by Ramahari Jena and Ajit Patnaik in the village. I had watched both the artists creating a fascinating, landscape scenery on a huge canvas with oil paint. This really inspired me. Later, it was my math teacher at school in Bhubaneswar who encouraged me to pursue art as a career,” said the painter.

Known for conceptual art among city-based artists, it was during his student days at Bhubaneswar’s B.K. College of Arts and Crafts that he started a series on monkeys.

“Monkeys are fickle but innocent, just like our minds are. During a camp at Chandikhol, I happened to observe their behaviour and felt that they were the best symbols to represent the temperament of a youth. Though many people thought it was weird, I fell in love with my subject and have since created at least five different series with the monkey as the main character.”

Among some of the most interesting series created by the artist are the Mythology, Bell series and now, Factors. “I started the Mythology series in the 1990s. Monkeys play a vital role in the series. I had once depicted Hanuman with a meek expression, tied by adolescents Luv and Kush. This had earned me criticism during a camp at Patna. But I was happy since all an artist wants is reaction — good or bad — from his viewers.”

“In fact, I love to be known as monkey man,” said the painter.

The Bell series was a wake-up call for youths in different social situations. The latest series is based on different elements that attract youths and tries to keep their minds busy. “It was one of these works, the Romance Factor, which was displayed at an exhibition Aakaar last week at the All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society in New Delhi when a young Australian pilot immediately bought the painting for Rs 1 lakh,” Meenaketan smiled.

The artist, who teaches at the same art college he studied at, loves to attract the layman with gimmicks on the canvas while also keeping an interesting concept in the painting to provoke thoughts in the minds of intellectuals. An avid illustrator for children’s books and magazines, Meenaketan feels there is much to be done for artists in the state.

“There is much to be done to explore the talent of the artists of Odisha. Artists are still not respected in the state unlike in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad or Bengal. Still, there has been a positive shift over the years,” he said.