Dev Mehta

HBL ART New Artist Dev Mehta from India!

‘Dev’ has been an inspiration to many. By virtue of having the freedom and the opportunity to explore different mediums at such a young age, he has received profound insights as well as gained a broader perspective on life.

In this connection, ‘Dev’ has exhibited at prestigious galleries, art fairs and festivals in Mumbai-Jehangir Art Gallery, Nehru Centre (upon Invitation by the Government of Maharashtra), Bajaj Art Gallery, Art 35 Festival at Nine Fish Art Gallery, Taj Art Gallery, The Mumbai Art Fair, JAMAAT Art Gallery, Trident Art Walk Gallery, Dev Mehta Art Gallery and Group Shows at Ace Tech-Art Atrium & The Great Eastern Home-Art Atrium. His works were also exhibited at Saatchi Art Gallery.

For Dev, every painting of his is unique and there is no common theme resonating in his works. He prefers his paintings to be in an imperfect, raw and unfinished state. He visualises imperfection in a painting as a stroke of genius, by illuminating unusual ideas and manifesting his diverse thought processes in his artworks with iconic colour combinations. From the beginning of his artistic trajectory, he has inspired onlookers and viewers alike, enabled them to develop multiple perspectives, generate eclectic ideas and viewpoints as well as experience myriad emotions after viewing his art.

Art speaks where words are unable to explain. Art entered his life as God’s gift. Canvas, colours, brushes, knives, tools – art is a way of communication for an artist. His paintings and vision offer a futuristic perspective of the modern era.

Currently, he is working on the ‘Paper Period’ since it defines the gravity of how a piece of paper can transform into a work of art. Indeed his works act as a catalyst and trigger varied emotions in viewers who experience laughter, sadness, guilt, bliss, confusion et al. Most significantly, he has completed these works on archival paper and charcoal, thereby ensuring that the subtle nuances of modernity and renaissance are reflected in these works. The intricacies and detailing of each reminds us of different cultures on one hand and cubist figures on the other.

Given the above, he is at the moment attempting to find a balance between the Persian and Mughal influences in his paintings, as well as the seminal impact of cubism which would constitute the works pertaining to the ‘Paper Period’. He is curious and eager to explore more diverse cultures by reading, and observing the real world with a natural lens. Life is extremely fragile and he works within this fragility to craft original artworks. These artworks have the potential to make readers read, observers observe and curators curate on what he calls a defining moment in his life. The exploration and experimentation with different mediums facilitates his understanding of the great mystery of life. Undoubtedly, one can obtain a coherent and holistic perspective on these artworks only after the conclusion of the ongoing project.