Born in 1965 in
Maharashtra, Umakant Kanade completed his art education from the Abhinav Kala
Mahavidyalaya, Pune in 1990. Working primarily in ink on canvas, Kanade’s
paintings usually depict elements of nature in their most bare and basic forms.
The artist painfully labours to bring out the texture of each rock or bird that
he portrays through minute strokes. Speaking about his work, he says “I have
tried to explain a concept through these drawings. When I look at stone, I
think of tolerance, its patience, its strength to be able to bear the storms. I
think even stones depict sensitivity, and are part of life, seeing the colourful
world in black and white. Observing tones and colours and then converting them
into black and white is a difficult task.” The artist has had several solo exhibitions,
including six in the year 2008 at Art 2 Day Gallery and J Studio Art Gallery in
Pune; Shree Rang Art Gallery and Delhi Art Gallery in New Delhi; Samsara Art
Gallery in Mumbai; and Creative Art Gallery in Dubai. He has also had shows at
Crimson Art Gallery, in Bangalore; and Bal Gandharava Kala Dalan in Pune.
Kanade’s work has been featured as a part of group shows at Virgo Art Gallery
in Patna; and the Chitari Academy of Fine Arts in Pune.