16-year-old artists to showcase 25 of his artworks at this SoBo gallery tomorrow

In all fairness the trope of teens today being glued to their screens and muttering in a secret language of internet abbreviations and slangs is starting to feel a tad overdone For a reality check strike up a conversation with 16year old artist Prithveer Jain and if yoursquore into art make sure itrsquos at his upcoming exhibition at the IFBE gallery at Ballard Estate The artist will take you up on a debate about art movements the purpose of art and creative expression As the teenager gears for his first ever public exhibition tomorrow we delve into the mind of the young artist exploring his inspirations and the stories behind his artFading EclipseOver a phone call from his home studio in Mulund the collegian who is currently pursuing an International Baccalaureate Diploma describes his collection most of which was put together during the COVID 19 lockdown as an experiment in artistic styles The artistrsquos process in many ways mirrors the same freespirited approach ldquoI never have a concrete idea in mind when I sit down to paint Itrsquos only after the first stroke or first pour of colour touches the canvas that an idea emergesrdquo he shares Kicking off his experiments in 2020 with spray cans taking inspiration from the growing graffiti movement in the city the artist shares that the lockdown and the ensuing boredom led him to explore acrylic painting and pouring mediums that form the bulk of the Prism What Goes Around collection which will be showcased at the gallery tomorrowJain works on an artwork at his home studio PicsSameer MarkandeOne of the standouts from his collection the 16yearold believes is Mahavat mdash a layered portrait of an elephant created in two halves ldquoMahavat sat unfinished for a month I like to allow creativity to take its course When I am unsatisfied with how a painting is progressing I take a step back Therersquos no point forcing a piece to completion for the sake of an imaginary deadlinerdquo Jain reveals adding that a spark of creativity a month later between juggling academics art and his growing passion for karate led to the piece finally taking its final shape and form Dharmesh Jain the artistrsquos father tells us that while theyrsquore surprised by his ability to juggle his responsibilities sometimes the upcoming exhibition is part of a natural progression for Prithveer who grew up visiting art galleries in the city and first picked up a paintbrush at the age of 10Prithveer JainWhile the teenager is expectedly excited for his debut and interacting with visitors at the gallery he lets us in on his mantra for the big day mdash less is more always He elaborates ldquoDescribing an artwork might very well be the death of imagination I want the visitors to rack their brains and tell me what they make of it instead I believe what they tell me will give me an insight into how my art makes people feel toordquo Case in point is Untitled 2 one of Jainrsquos earliest works that hides characters and their expressions beneath layers of abstract art ldquoAt first glance you see the silhouette of a man sitting at a bar Itrsquos when you probe deeper that you see the emotions that are quietly brewing in his idle mindrdquo he revealsAt the risk of sounding like every inquisitive adult we ask the 11th grader what he thinks the future holds for him Sure enough he answers like one ldquoI receive advice from both ends of the spectrumrdquo Jain laughs adding ldquoSome want me to pursue a career in business while others have warned me of not letting go of my passion Personally the only thing I know right now is that I will never make art my primary source of income Making art solely for money curtails artistic freedom it makes art a chorerdquo For the few who wouldnrsquot mind taking advice from a teen those are words to live byOn April 2 3 pm to 7 pm opening April 3 to 7 10 am to 7 pmAt IFBE 1012 Calicut Road Ballard Estate Fort