| Medium | : | Acrylic |
|---|---|---|
| Height | : | 60 inch / 152.4 cm |
| Width | : | 48 inch / 121.9 cm |
| Surface | : | Canvas |
| Style | : | Abstract paintings |
| Dimension | : | W: 121.9 cm × H: 152.4 cm |
| Year | : | 2012 |
A bold and atmospheric abstract painting, this work by Prabhakar Kolte combines expansive fields of red and deep green with unexpected glimpses of blue, yellow, white, and earthy tones. Its layered surface and fragmented geometric forms create a feeling of depth and quiet movement. Simple from a distance yet richly detailed up close, the work reflects Kolte’s thoughtful exploration of colour, space, and abstraction.
Prabhakar Kolte | Untitled | Acrylic on Canvas | 60 x 48 inches | 2012
This striking abstract work by Prabhakar Kolte brings together bold blocks of colour, layered textures, and quiet moments of visual discovery. At first glance, the strong red and deep green forms immediately draw the eye, but as you spend time with the painting, smaller flashes of blue, yellow, white, and earthy tones begin to reveal themselves through the composition.
The painting feels architectural without depicting any specific building. Large vertical and horizontal shapes create a sense of structure, while the irregular openings and exposed layers give the surface an almost fragmented, lived-in quality. The rich red area on the left balances the darker green mass on the right, creating a powerful contrast while allowing the brighter colours to peek through like glimpses of something hidden beneath the surface.
Kolte’s restrained yet expressive approach gives the work a sense of stillness and movement at the same time. The visible layers, scraped passages, and variations in texture make the canvas feel tactile and deeply considered. Rather than telling a literal story, the painting invites the viewer to experience colour, space, rhythm, and balance in their own way.
A sophisticated example of contemporary Indian abstraction, this large-scale work can make a particularly strong statement in a modern interior while rewarding closer viewing with its many subtle details.
Born 1946
The search for abstraction in Indian art in the early years of Independence was born out of a desire among artists to attain an independent idiom of modernism. Rooted in the country’s philosophical and religious aesthetic, Prabhakar Kolte is among the leading practitioners engaged in this quest.
A master of poetic and metaphysical abstractionism, Kolte received a diploma in painting from Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay, in 1968. Initially, he freelanced as an illustrator, also working as a designer at Bombay Dyeing.
Kolte’s early works bore a strong influence of Paul Klee and his lyrical line. Like Klee, Kolte too found his inspiration in nature—he attempted to paint like nature, relying on his intuition as opposed to imitating nature or drawing from it.
Painting is highly meditative for Kolte, and he draws inspiration from the commentary on the Bhagvad Gita by the thirteenth century Marathi saint Dnyaneshwar. He eliminates anything representational on his canvases that are instead made up of layers of dripping paint. His work is often dominated by a single hue, like a symphony in colour that hides and reveals layers, and in which architectural or landscape-related forms are sometimes discernible. He experimented with installation and performance art in the early 1980s.
Kolte taught at his alma mater from 1974-94 before quitting to pursue painting fulltime. His first group show was at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1972, to mark the silver jubilee of India’s Independence. Kolte lives and works in Mumbai.
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