Gaitonde grew up in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and studied at the J. J. School of Art. In 1947, he was invited to join the Progressive Artists’ Group and went on to become one of its original members. He worked with various mediums and used a roller and palette knives to create his layered texture, which later became his signature style.
Although Gaitonde was considered to be an abstract painter, he considered his work to be non-objective. His later paintings differ from those he used to paint in the 1940s and 1950s, because of a car crash he was in. Following the car crash, in the 1980s, his health made him change his style as he was unable to paint large canvases. As a result, he experimented with small works on paper.
“Abhishek Poddar: Gaitonde was a bit of a recluse. We weren’t great friends but shared a cordial relationship … while we were working on a project of carpets and tapestries designed by artists, that I went to see him. As compared to the other masters, his paintings would be difficult to reproduce; however, his drawings would look fabulous if reworked as weaves of the carpet. He was quite happy with the idea and shared three drawings. ” (Abhishek Poddar on his art collection, 17 DEC, 2016, The Wall, Jyotsna Sharma)
His Tapestries were exhibited at Vadehra Art Gallery from March 15 - April 4, 1995.
At Prinseps' Modern and Contemporary Art Sale, November 17th:-
Vasudeo S Gaitonde (1924 - 2001)
Tapestry (1995)
Signed and Dated
75 x 60 in.
