A Caterpillar and a butterfly Painting

Negative is nothing but hidden pool of positive possessions ... It is intriguing and thought capturing series by Prashant Hirlekar. The everyday useful household commodity "˜Iron' becomes a remarkable metaphor in this series. He addresses it in Hindi language and calls it "˜Istri'; it is explored physically and characteristically. He tries to exterminate misconceptions, blind beliefs and pseudo psyche. "˜Istri' is basically used for purpose of ironing; it stores negative energy -heat. This negative energy itself is used for good outcome of flattening the creases on the clothes to make them more attractive and presentable. This working of Istri has magnetized the artist and he finds its association in our surroundings. He has deeply studied nature and found that goodness of nature has its existence due to presence of negativity. This negativity surrounding us, leads to positive outcome or its presence is unavoidable if one wants to experience goodness in the universe. In fact, not a single being is devoid of this negative energy which plays an important role in boosting positive spirit in us. Doesn't hate make us sensitive towards love? Isn't the fear of death which is a future, make us live the moments today? These complexities and much more is presented in the series. Hirlekar precisely points out goodness out of bad, positive out of negative all through the series. Generally, people and for that matter even artist look at the happy and attractive side of the elements and artist paints them on canvas to make a good impression. There is deliberate attempt in the society to ignore or avoid negativity as it is considered bad. There are superstitious beliefs associated with many things in nature. Some of the superstitious beliefs like considering black colour as inauspicious and representative of bad omen or crow being considered ugly and useless, these same things bring twist in life when they gain priority and importance by the same society which discards them very often. Black colour may be inauspicious for people but for artists it has proved to be useful colour to make impressions, even in nature clouds are dark bringing the rains, dark nights bring along sound sleep, black hair sign of beauty so on and so forth. In the Hindu ritual a crow is sought after, to know whether souls of forefathers are satisfied and are at peace.