Social Narratives: Childhood & Hope
I explore the intersection of innocence and societal inequality, capturing the resilience of children in marginalized communities through oil and acrylic.
My painting "Hope of Innocent Flowers" on display after receiving the Kalanand Award. This piece is a metaphor for the aspirations of slum children, using flowers as a symbol of their potential.
My painting "Love & Hunger" exhibited at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. This work, which received a grant award, explores the profound theme of maternal sacrifice and nourishment.
Titled "Choice of Living," this oil on linen canvas depicts a conversation between two girls. It explores the idea of separate worlds and the need to bridge the gap between marginalized children and mainstream opportunities.
Liberation," an oil on linen painting. The girl looking towards a window with flying birds symbolizes the yearning for freedom and hope, even when constrained by circumstance.
This panoramic oil painting, "Changing Emotions," captures a sequence of expressions on a young girl's face. It is a study of the fluid and complex inner world of a child.
This acrylic portrait of a child from the Gujjar tribe in Kashmir was created during a national art workshop. I used a palette knife and impasto techniques to quickly capture her direct gaze and the textures of her clothing.
Titled "HOPE II," this acrylic on canvas was painted during a monsoon art camp. The piece portrays a young boy and his connection to nature, suggesting a sense of hope found in the simplest of environments.
This oil painting, which received the Maharashtra State Art Award, captures a moment of self-conversation. The hands partially obscure the face, suggesting an internal dialogue and the complexities of youthful emotion.
Tomorrow's Identity is in Exclusion." In this oil on linen piece, the girl's turned back symbolizes how society often overlooks the educational needs of children in slums, a theme I explore to advocate for change.
Here I am in my studio with the "Hope of Innocent Flowers" painting. This image shows the scale of the work and provides context for the long hours of research and painting that go into each narrative piece.
About Social Narratives: Childhood & Hope
When I paint these children, I use heavy palette knife strokes to build texture, mirroring the complexity of their environments. Each piece is an invitation to look past the surface, urging the viewer to see the aspiration and the strength in their gaze rather than just the limitations of their circumstances.
My work in this series is built from years of direct observation, wandering through the clash of slums and city skyscrapers. This isn't just portraiture; it is social research captured on linen.
In pieces like 'Hope of Innocent Flowers,' I use the metaphor of a fragile bloom to represent the potential of a child growing amidst a concrete jungle. The process is tactile. I favor oil on fine-grain linen, employing the impasto technique to add weight and tactile presence to the subjects. This texture is vital—it represents the grit and the reality of the spaces these children occupy.
I often focus on the gaze. In paintings like 'Tomorrow’s Identity is in Exclusion,' the subject faces away from the viewer. This is a deliberate choice to comment on how society turns its back on the educational needs of slum children. My goal is to provoke a dialogue, shifting the viewer from a passive observer to an active witness of these systemic barriers.
Whether working with acrylics from a monsoon art camp or professional grade oils for a gallery exhibition, the objective remains constant: to transcribe the untold stories of the streets into a visual language that demands attention. If you are interested in a narrative commission or exploring these themes, we begin with a conversation about the vision you want to bring to life.
Abhijeet Patole
I am Abhijeet. I translate the quiet, ignored realities of the streets into visual stories, using paint to ensure the resilience of children in marginalized communities is recognized.
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