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Indelible Ink, an exhibition of collages and paintings by British artist Peter John Wells, is being presented by the British Council. The third in 'A Season
of Seeing - Frame', Indelible Ink was inaugurated in Chennai by Chris Gibson, director, South India, on Thursday February 8, 2007.
The exhibition will be on view from February 9-24, 2007, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (except Sundays and public holidays).
Collages are snippets of life, like a pinned butterfly they capture a kaleidoscopic second. Images merge into each other, colours run, amplify, invert. Temples fade into faces, figures, flowers, explode like fireworks in a photo.
Gouache transforms collage softly, it is a gentle medium but the pigment resonates. The brush smoothes the cracks, a unified surface created out of torn fragments. Finally, the image is translated into oil, a slower, more contemplative process. Weeks instead of days of meditation, layer painted upon layer, layer scraped from layer until the final image emerges from its chrysalis and is there in the world. The 27 images: nine collages, nine gouaches, nine oils - were made in that order over a period of two years in a studio in India.
Along with Peter's collages and paintings, he will create a work during the exhibition entitled 'Rhubarb' ... that strange British delicacy ... its progress can be seen in the library as well as a film of the same name that will tickle the taste buds and arouse your curiosity about the fruit.
Peter Wells has exhibited widely in Europe and India where he has lived and travelled for 22 years. The country has left an indelible impression on his psyche and body.
Peter John Wells was born in Kenya in 1958 to colonial parents in the twilight of the British Empire. He moved to England when he was two. When he was 15, his hero was Picasso, he wanted to be like him. He studied art at Bath Academy where his studio was next to Bhupen Khakar's who was on a fellowship from Baroda. He never spoke to him though he did sneak in sometimes to see his extraordinary work.
He came to India when he was 28 and has lived here for a total of 12 years, commuting every six months to the UK. He has lived in all parts of the country from Kullu to Rameswaram. His painting includes temples, people, landscapes or simply a matchbox. He is attracted to many mediums, oil, water colour, gouache, collage, printing, sculpture, installation and another discipline: writing. Sometimes they overlap.
R Rangaraj
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