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. “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. ‘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. “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 fold…
Shilpi Madan for Deccan Herald