From the shores of Arnala to Kala Ghoda: Artist Rokesh Patil’s debut exhibition

God is in the details or so wersquove heard For sculptor and printmaker Rokesh Patil who grew up watching his father fish in Virarrsquos Arnala the details have always been amongst the Gods While fishing off the coast of the island the Patilsrsquo nets would often retrieve idols of Lord Ganesha encrusted in barnacles a displeasing sight for most boatmen ldquoI viewed these barnacles as ornaments naturersquos own work of art They became central to my creationsrdquo he smilesSubmarine Window watercolour on paper with magnifying glassStanding alongside Patil at Fulcrum a gallery space housed in the 200yearold Great Western Buildings in Fort the evidence is clear Nearly 20 woodsculpted miniature fishing boats cargo ships and oil rigs dot the gallery walls mdash barnacle shells clinging on to each one of them They constitute Indaan his ongoing debut gallery exhibition in the city named after the process of marking spots where fishing nets are laid outA view of Submarine WindowSea to the cityA SoBo gallery is new ground for Patil Home for him is a seafacing workshop where he works on the boats for months on end Every year the 33yearold showcases the boats mdash or lsquoburrsquo as the Koli children call them mdash in the intertidal zones of the Arnala shoreAaj Khaane Mein Kya Hai letter pressed ink on acrylic sheet PIC COURTESYFULCRUMA 40 ft x 40 ft space becomes his gallery and the receding tide on Amavasya and Pournima raise the curtains to an limitededition show Early last year midday went behind the scenes to capture the unique practice ldquoPinewood is one of the most common driftwood that washes ashore during monsoon I started collecting them to sculpt the wood into boatsrdquo he recalls Patilrsquos models are loosely inspired by real boats and often carry the names of children from the fishing community in Arnala Some of them have remained underwater for months before making their way to the exhibitionEvery year the artist sets up an insitu exhibtion on the shore of Arnala FILE PICFresh catchAcross the boats at the gallery are Patilrsquos newer experimental works One of them is a quadriptych that portrays fisherfolkrsquos dinner tables Speaking of food Patil shares about the shifting fishing cycles back home A short monsoon has allowed extended fishing and abundant catch but a late winter means that the favourites mdash paplet and halwa mdash are still elusiveBoats from the Bur series Pinewood barnacles oil paint fibre varnishThe most intriguing installation is a series of circular panels designed to resemble the portholes of a submarine Patil recalls sourcing clear glass balls from Vadodararsquos Shukrawar Bazaar Peer through them and you are transported into a whimsical underwater world where a submarine dances alongside fish and leaps out of the water like a dolphin ldquoWe live at a time when the mention of a submarine evokes images of war secrecy and conflict I wanted to revisit the playfullness we attributed to the vessels as childrenrdquo says PatilThe journey continuesLike the receding tides Patil will retreat to his coastal workshop on Arnala Island soon Gallerist Ayesha Aggarwal informs us that a few of his works will make their way to a larger multiartist showcase at Art Mumbai this weekFor now the artist is looking forward to visitors at his gallery debut Aggarwal assures us that an English translation of Patilrsquos thoughts will help visitors understand his works better But if you are conversant in Marathi we suggest you hear it from the man himself His singsong Koli dialect carries a distinct sweetness salted by the seaTill December 24At Fulcrum Great Western Buildings Kala Ghoda