The canvasses of change
It is fair to say that this 17-year-old artist has shocked the art world with not just her artwork, but the depth of thought and richness of colour with which she creates her paintings
It is pretty much a universal truth that change is the only constant (apart from Planck’s constant). Change happens at every step, at every pulse. One moment you find yourself in the depths of despair and, during another, life surprises you.
Such is the philosophy of teenager Palak Modi. Her recent collection ‘Definitely, Maybe’ revolves around the theme of change and, interestingly, all paintings have been named ‘Change’, but using different languages from across the world. She has used a variety of mediums for her artwork
— be it canvas, or rice paper. Her portfolio also includes printmaking techniques, but her work normally uses acrylic. Palak points out that her themes are usually based around nature, life’s unpredictability, and her feelings. “There is so much going on inside me. I am a chaotic person and the chaos in me inspires me in my work,” she says.
There is a certain sense of turmoil and entrapment she portrays in her work. She adds, “If you ask my curator, he feels that I am a stubborn artist because I look for perfection around me. In order to break free from the shackles of professionalism, I try working with a lot of abstractions. So, I challenge myself to come out of this environment that I was trapped in.” As for her use of acrylic she says, “It is a very flexible medium that goes well with wood as your base or a canvas, and it does not take much time to dry up.” Palak was six when she first started painting and hasn’t looked back since. However, she has always considered constructive criticism valuable. She says, “I always want to be a better version of who I am. I want to see how they (critics) observe my work — I just love how people can view the same piece of art through different perceptions.”
Palak points out that she only has one oil-oncanvas work in her entire collection. On that, she expresses, “I would love to play around with that medium a lot more. I also want to try out the different techniques in printmaking and sculpture making.” As an artist, her favourite colour is blue because, she continues, “Blue is not just a colour that calms me down. But, I just love the different shades it has.” When feedback starting pouring in, people had their jaws dropping at the fact that these works were created by a 17year-old. Palak is inspired by the likes of Vincent Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo, as they motivate her to excel in anything despite the atrocities of life. And that aspect is prevalent in her works.
“I am shocked. When I was 17, I didn’t know what to do in life and she is so clear and transperent. Curating her works was not a challenge.” — JITENDRA PADAM JAIN, CURATOR