subodh maheshwari

Painting

This series of artwork consists of five-seven 48”x48”x1.5” pieces of work. Using acrylic paint and pouring medium, I mixed plethoras of color together and streamed them onto canvas. As the colors cascaded down and deluged the canvas, I dragged objects through them to create unique patterns. I added a coral reef filled with varieties of underwater plants and fish to live in that reef. Each fish had a different personality, and as I painted I found myself feeling what I imagined the fish felt: the harmony of living among others, the tranquility of being under the ocean, and the contentment of being where they wanted to be.
I first started this Under the Sea series at the beginning of coronavirus lockdown. I felt as if under the sea was the safest place on earth at that time, so decided to depict a seascape on my canvas. I was able to paint in peace, and worried about nothing else. These pieces continued to bring me pacification until the day I got the news that my son had contracted coronavirus, and was admitted into the hospital in serious condition. Then, all at once, the artwork was abandoned and I felt as if I had fallen into a black hole. I could no longer find the energy to finish these paintings. I could do nothing but think of my son, praying that he would be okay, and for many weeks the series sat alone in my studio. After my son recovered from his close encounter with the COVID-19 virus, I felt as if I could finally come face-to-face with these paintings, and finish them. However, my mind was still in disarray and my emotional health had not quite recovered yet, so I took my time finishing the works. I wanted to capture the inner peace I felt when I first started painting. Every day I would work longer and longer until I took a step back and found the series was complete, and my emotions were healed. These paintings gradually enabled me to recover from the devastating shock of possibly losing a child, and helped me cope with those terrible feelings.

Painting

painting size: 48"x48"
Date: 2020
This is a paitning from my series 'Under the Sea'. I was not sure exactly what I expected this series to look like, or even what I was going to do to execute my ideas, but there was one thing I was sure of. I wanted to make an ocean scene and I wanted to make it grand. Using acrylic paint and pouring medium, I mixed plethoras of color together and streamed them onto the canvas. As the colors cascaded down and deluged the canvas, I dragged objects through them to create unique patterns and effects. I added a coral reef filled with varieties of underwater plants, and different kinds of fish to live in that reef. Each fish had a different personality, and as I painted this piece I found myself feeling what I imagined the fish felt -- the harmony of living among others, the tranquility of being under the ocean, and the contentment of being where they wanted to be.