Understanding a reclusive Gaitonde and what shaped his art

In the annals of Indian art, few names evoke as much reverence as Vasudeo S Gaitonde, a pioneer of abstract expressionism in India.

- Yogesh Pawar

MUMBAI: Now, nearly 25 years since his passing, Chinha, a prominent art magazine and publishing house, is offering a tribute to the artist's legacy through a compilation in English.

'Gaitonde', in Marathi, comprising essays and memoirs on the artist, launched in 2007, has been translated by litterateur and Sahitya Akademi awardee Shanta Gokhale in English, titled 'Gaitonde: Between Two Mirrors', which will be released in the city next week.

The Gaitonde project grew in volume since the time it was incubated after his death in 2001. That year Chinha published a first full edition on the artist; by 2007 the publishing house had managed to unearth more material on him in Marathi, which warranted another edition and a book. Years of research which poured into the book, offers a rare insight into Gaitonde's artistic and spiritual journey, deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism. More than a collection of words and images, it is a window into the mind of a reclusive visionary.