Ours is indeed a story without an end: happy or sad, says Viren

‘ The art lies in the fact that how well can it be told on paper, canvas or stage’ fells Viren Tanwar, one of the few artists who has done his city proud by painting well the saga of life, writes Mandeep Puri
1974 batch of Diploma in Painting of the Government College of Art, Chandigarh had one such bright boy, surprisingly a Jaat from an aristocratic family of Hisar. While other boys of the family chose to study law and engineering, this one would settle for nothing but art. Viren with his lean-and-tall aesthetic looks stood out in the group and was known as an ‘outstanding’ in the limited art vocabulary at hand.
The city artist, who completing his and higher studies at Slade School of Art, London 1984 received several awards, honours and scholarships, which includes the All India Fine Arts and Craft Society-New Delhi 1978, 79, 80, 94 and 95; 7th International Contemporary Art Exhibition (Graphics) 1984; National Academy of fine Arts, New Delhi 2000; Chandigarh Fine Arts Academy 1980 and 81; Punjab Fine Art Academy 1975, 78 and 94 and British Council Scholarship.
He also exhibited many solo shows at New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chandigarh and represented in many international, national and state exhibitions including Sotheby's Exhibition and auction, New York 1995 and 96; International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Mexico 1995; 8th International Triennale, Berlin1987; and several others in India at New Delhi, Chennai, Calcutta and Chandigarh.
Works acquired in prominent private and institutional collections in India, USA, UK, Holland, Germany, France and Pakistan.
Viren was as painterly as he came and this made him a favourite teacher to many as well as inspiration when he started teaching in the same college that had groomed him. But now looking back, one feels that what was most striking was the dignity that he imparted to the human form even when he was dealing with the gross. And this week one is face-to-face with the canvases of this painter who has indeed done the city, his friends and family as well as his faithful students proud by passing through the rough and tumble of life to paint the ‘Story without an end…’
Art and life, a title of the paintings that Viren has put together in a show at the Apparao Galleries in Chennai on November 27 , which is still regarded as his best work.
The artist is emotional and what makes him special is that he retains his ability to laugh at life and what it brings; sometimes the smile of his five-month-young grandson and sometimes the hurt of recalling the past, which can only be described by the title of a Dostoevsky novel: ‘Insulted and Humiliated’.
The only humiliation for a creative spirit is that she/he be alienated from one’s own art. “Well, it nearly happened and making a living and looking after the more worldly needs there were times I felt that I would never be able to paint with the fervour that I had in youth,” says Viren. But it has happened and once again this blue-eyed artist of the city is soaring in ‘Every thing is for Sale’, the title that is going to Chennai.
A good artist is the one who struck balance with the acrobats, mind you the girls have blossoms in their hair. And the colours, Viren has used are the bright and vivid hues of Kanchivaram silks. So there is a riot of oranges, reds, greens, blues magentas and what have you.
One chuckles with Viren and talks about his ongoing work ‘Everything is for Sale’ ‘. “Is duniya mein har cheez bikau hai, which is why I am a painting a nude male figure. Even the bodies are being sold, what is needed is the right buyer”, says Viren.
What has been more challenging to the artist, Viren is quick to answer, the right message. “Every paining has a message for people. The success is attained only if the artist has succeeded in delivering the right meager through his painting”.
Circus, a traditional work, which is one among the many. Like others Circus too have a special message. For Viren like is a circus, where people tends to jump from one ball to another in search for a better living.
‘We were performing the Circus and we continue to do so’, he adds.
BOX:
Who – Viren Tanwar
What- An Artist
When- 1974 Chandigarh