Breaking Borders #1: Paresh Maity

His creative imagination has encompassed Kerala’s backwaters, surrealist folk art and traditions of India. And now, celebrated artist Paresh Maity takes his works to the land of kangaroos.

Maity, who was bestowed with a Padma Shri award last year, will display 20 paintings and sculptures — some almost 25 years old — at his first solo show in Sydney. Says the painter about the beauty of his field, “Art is universal. It does not have any boundaries; it just has colours and lines. Since the past 10 to 15 years, Indian contemporary art has reached global platforms and is getting exposure because of its dynamism and vibrancy.”

Married to fellow artist Jayasri Burman, Maity has been a master creator for the past 35 years, but fortunately isn’t looking to put down his brush anytime soon. He’s got shows lined up in Singapore, New York and Kolkata, and continues to be inspired by the world around him.

“As Aristotle has said, art is imitation of nature — without it we cannot think and imagine. Colours, air, sky, earth and people are part of nature. I try to pick people I am familiar with and incidents which are known to me,” Maity explains.

Paresh Maity — Solo Exhibition will take place at Sydney Contemporary 2015 in Australia from September 10-13, 2015.