Zakir Hussain on canvas

Add as a preferred source on Google

Chennai, Mar 14 (UNI) The flamboyance and style of tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain have inspired a self-taught artist in the city to come out with a series of abstract paintings of him titled 'Zakir in My Dreams.' The exhibition of 23 abstract paintings, released under Volume one, was inaugurated by the tabla maestro at a function here.

An ardent fan of Zakir Hussain, the artist A P Shreethar, who has conducted 35 shows of his paintings, including exhibitions in Australia and Singapore, has captured the renowned musician in several moods and colours on the canvas.

Appreciating the art work, the tabla maestro, who has proudly displayed Shreethar's pieces in his Mumbai residence, said, ''So long you have remained my fan. Now, I have become your fan.'' Talking to UNI, Shreethar said, ''I first met Zakirji in 2005 when I created a painting in an abstract form fusing his caricatures with the body of Lord Ganesh playing tabla.'' During the course of the work, he was taken in by Zakir's simplicity and ''inborn divineness'' that he decided to create a series of exclusive portraits on him.

Since then, the bond between the exponents of two different art forms has grown from strength to strength.

The artist, who has made the portraits in the latest GICLEE medium (mixture of digital technologies and traditional print making techniques), has planned a world tour after completing the second and third volume before this year end.