The Gateways exhibition in 2017 represented a pivotal moment in the artist’s established career as it fused his love of India with abstraction. The themes of gateways and windows were clear metaphors for this transformation which allowed for a far more visceral approach, giving the materials far greater expression, unencumbered by representation. Different tools such as large spatulas, knives and lengths of wood were used to introduce the elements of risk, chance and opportunity. With a more restrained economy of means, the paintings are not so much about the finish as about the process - a process of not knowing, one that may reveal something you weren't looking for. Each painting becomes unique in the artist's search for the unexpected.
The Gateway of India left an indelible mark and became the starting point for the series as well as a metaphor for the stylistic change taking place. This monument has been a silent witness to many important moments in history. It is the backdrop to the unfolding events of the many gathered there. As evening approaches and the red sun dips into the Indian Ocean, the surrounding area takes on an almost carnival atmosphere. Musicians and hawkers vie for the attention of the throngs of tourists, as young couples wander under the watchful eye of elderly chaperones.
The whole of life plays out in this arena, each and every day adding its small mark to the layers of history and time.
