Dinesh Kurekar is a painter who doesn't paint. iTALK meets the man who dips threads in colours before weaving his painting

Dinesh Kurekar's woven painting The paintings are yours for: Rs 35,000 to Rs 12,00,000.

An alumni of The JJ School of Arts, Mumbai, with a specialisation in textile design, Kurekar held his first exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery in 1991. The artist, who takes around 40 days to create a single piece, has been working tirelessly ever since. The process is a slow one after dipping cotton and woolen threads in natural dyes, he cautiously weaves them into a tapestry of images. He first paints a painting on canvas, and using that as a reference, duplicates it with threads on the wooden board.

"I chose this medium because I wanted to stand out. That led me to innovate and carve a niche for myself," smiles the HOD of Textile Designing, Government College of Fine Arts, Aurangabad. After after completing his advanced study in traditional and modern weaving, working with threads is second nature.

Nature is an inspiration 

Kurekar's woven spaces find expression in geometric arrangements and patterns created by juxtaposing hues.

His creations showcase his fascination for nature, since he's able to integrate his experiences with landscapes, the slipping of day into night, colourful pastures, hills and water bodies, into works of art, that are priced at as much as Rs 12 lakh.
 
For Kurekar, the presentation of his art is as important as his weavings, so a specialised team of carpenters help him give a green-hued polished finish to the wooden frames that encase his works.

Dinesh Kurekar's paintings are on display at Jehangir Art Gallery, Fort. Till November 18, from 11 am to 7 pm.
Call: 9422203397