<p>‘Happy in the Hippocampus’ at Method Kala Ghoda in Mumbai brings in the ruminations of the self-confessed daydreamer, artist Rohan Joglekar. His works are a wild burst of peony pinks, watery blues and crimson streaks that chart his fantastical world of fictitious shape-shifting forms, locations and situations. Call it a robust nod to the dream-spinning centre of the brain, the hippocampus.</p>.<p>His debut solo show showcased his flighty imagination in styles of magical realism and pop surrealism. “Colours are a language for me,” he shares with a smile.</p>.<p>“All the paintings bring in an immersive experience, using colours to enhance the visual pleasure and set the mood in an instant. What is more interesting than the colours is the space in-between where two colours meet,” he explains. The combinations are soothing and striking at the same time, engaging the eye in a relentless jaunt across the compositions. It is a cheerful, sometimes bizarre ride in the spillover zone but then you realise you are not alone, as the grand toss-up of thoughts in your own hippocampus seems to pour over into the works in some parts, adding to the fun, unpredictable ride.</p>.<p>‘Lounging Nude’ brings in a sinewy splash against the sunshine yellow, with quiet ruminations walking past, above, in the spate of reflections. The sharp definition of the shapes Rohan creates drives home the focal point of his creations, as most of us do not remember what we dream about once we are awake. Rohan establishes in his own way that the surreal is not necessarily scary. In fact, it is a place we all deserve to live in and enjoy to the fullest from time to time, for us to be able to reboot. As we let our imagination flow, untethered, we must also embrace concepts without pre-conceived mental constructs.</p>.<p>“I had a lot of fun roaming the hippocampus,” he confesses. Indeed. He has dived into the depths to uncover the blue. Symbolism darts and weaves through the cheerful works, from the pink hippopotamus to the cheery blue-jellyfish-shaped bubble, and then the vivacious fish swept away by faceless figures. There is a sense of symmetry that rules the space, from the folds in the drapes and the hippo skin to the smooth-bottomed curves, and geometric lines running through the compositions; in the pops of canary yellow stilettos, bubblegum pink tongues; the fluidity of forms and in the chattiness among the figures in the hippocampus.</p>.<p>“For me, composition plays a driving role in the process of creating my artworks, and the colours and brush strokes are used as guides to lead the eye of the viewer through the painting and the thought process,” says Rohan. “The blue jellyfish membrane adds to the allure. It separates the viewer from the narrative being played out within, creating a sense of ever-present distance and alienation,” he adds.</p>.<p>The eclecticism of Goa fuels his spirit. Rohan started out as a designer in Auroville in Pondicherry. He then left to pursue his love for visual arts, delving deeper into fascinating illustrations, murals, sculptures and merchandise while simultaneously honing his skills as an adroit painter by working on commissioned projects. Goa followed soon enough and it is where Rohan lives now, working from his own studio. Combining his love for nature with his fascination for complex mechanics, he has developed his own signature techniques deeply shaped by his understanding of sustainable design, love for ecology and pop culture. There are abstractions galore that suffuse his works as he dips freely into the unknown with bold, beautiful, bizarre strokes. The haunting, dextrous use of colours brings a zippy, zany touch to each composition, infusing awe and bewilderment in the viewers. “I am pushing the boundaries of the surreal,” he says.</p>
<p>‘Happy in the Hippocampus’ at Method Kala Ghoda in Mumbai brings in the ruminations of the self-confessed daydreamer, artist Rohan Joglekar. His works are a wild burst of peony pinks, watery blues and crimson streaks that chart his fantastical world of fictitious shape-shifting forms, locations and situations. Call it a robust nod to the dream-spinning centre of the brain, the hippocampus.</p>.<p>His debut solo show showcased his flighty imagination in styles of magical realism and pop surrealism. “Colours are a language for me,” he shares with a smile.</p>.<p>“All the paintings bring in an immersive experience, using colours to enhance the visual pleasure and set the mood in an instant. What is more interesting than the colours is the space in-between where two colours meet,” he explains. The combinations are soothing and striking at the same time, engaging the eye in a relentless jaunt across the compositions. It is a cheerful, sometimes bizarre ride in the spillover zone but then you realise you are not alone, as the grand toss-up of thoughts in your own hippocampus seems to pour over into the works in some parts, adding to the fun, unpredictable ride.</p>.<p>‘Lounging Nude’ brings in a sinewy splash against the sunshine yellow, with quiet ruminations walking past, above, in the spate of reflections. The sharp definition of the shapes Rohan creates drives home the focal point of his creations, as most of us do not remember what we dream about once we are awake. Rohan establishes in his own way that the surreal is not necessarily scary. In fact, it is a place we all deserve to live in and enjoy to the fullest from time to time, for us to be able to reboot. As we let our imagination flow, untethered, we must also embrace concepts without pre-conceived mental constructs.</p>.<p>“I had a lot of fun roaming the hippocampus,” he confesses. Indeed. He has dived into the depths to uncover the blue. Symbolism darts and weaves through the cheerful works, from the pink hippopotamus to the cheery blue-jellyfish-shaped bubble, and then the vivacious fish swept away by faceless figures. There is a sense of symmetry that rules the space, from the folds in the drapes and the hippo skin to the smooth-bottomed curves, and geometric lines running through the compositions; in the pops of canary yellow stilettos, bubblegum pink tongues; the fluidity of forms and in the chattiness among the figures in the hippocampus.</p>.<p>“For me, composition plays a driving role in the process of creating my artworks, and the colours and brush strokes are used as guides to lead the eye of the viewer through the painting and the thought process,” says Rohan. “The blue jellyfish membrane adds to the allure. It separates the viewer from the narrative being played out within, creating a sense of ever-present distance and alienation,” he adds.</p>.<p>The eclecticism of Goa fuels his spirit. Rohan started out as a designer in Auroville in Pondicherry. He then left to pursue his love for visual arts, delving deeper into fascinating illustrations, murals, sculptures and merchandise while simultaneously honing his skills as an adroit painter by working on commissioned projects. Goa followed soon enough and it is where Rohan lives now, working from his own studio. Combining his love for nature with his fascination for complex mechanics, he has developed his own signature techniques deeply shaped by his understanding of sustainable design, love for ecology and pop culture. There are abstractions galore that suffuse his works as he dips freely into the unknown with bold, beautiful, bizarre strokes. The haunting, dextrous use of colours brings a zippy, zany touch to each composition, infusing awe and bewilderment in the viewers. “I am pushing the boundaries of the surreal,” he says.</p>