Padamvir Singh, 62 is an unlikely painter. The former IAS officer, who now heads the Atal Behari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance, has showcased forty years of his artistic journey in the Rangdarshani Gallery of Bharat Bhawan. The six-day exhibition, inaugurated by retired IPS officer and his close friend K.S. Dhillon, includes his sketches, paintings and photographs.
As many as 115 expressive artworks, made between 1972 and 2016 using various media like pencil, pen and ink, oil pastels, water, oil and poster colours impressed the art lovers. His first sketch, in which he drew the portrait of his Aaya named Salooni, is also on display. Some of the sketches are abstract and surreal whereas others are based on realism.
Photographs clicked by him with interesting titles like ‘Door’, ‘Fire’ ‘Butterfly’, ‘Celebration’, ‘The Gaze’, ‘Art and Nature’, ‘Sunflower,’ ‘Man With His Best Friend,’ ‘Heritage’, ‘Technology’ et al are also on display. The artist began painting as a student of The Doon School, Dehradoon under the guidance of Rathin Mitra. While in College, in the early 70s, the enthusiastic art lover discovered the painter in him while recovering from a broken heart. Singh, who hails from Punjab, began with experimenting with distorted human figures and faces. For the last two decades, he has also taken to photography. It is noteworthy here that this is the artist’s first exhibition. On the occasion, a large number of city personalities including bureaucrats and artists were present. The exhibition will remain open for public till December 4 from 1 to 7 pm.
(All pix: Neelesh Sen)
