"One fine day I realised that I want to be a painter. As soon as the thought popped into my mind I went ahead and aired my views to my father. To my surprise he said, "Go ahead and do what you would like to do ". Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar, a praiseworthy Indian artist, was born to the illustrious artist father Gopal S. Adivrekar. He was born in 13th November 1974 in Mumbai. After becoming a celebrated artist, he recalled his association with his father. To him his father was a self made man. Rising to fame from a small village in Konkan, was not an easy task for him. Thus, influence of his father in the painting life of Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar has been unforgettable for him. In his own words, "He has this special way of explaining things, which has helped me a lot in learning about my work and has enabled me to reach the position where I am today. He gave me total freedom to do what I wanted."
Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar received his Bachelor degree in Fine Arts from Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai with a First class degree. Since then he has given many solo exhibitions to his credit, like-- "Memoirs of the Unreal city", "Refraction of Ideas". Along with that he has also taken part in various noteworthy group exhibtions. Some of the worth mentionable are- Pictures of Asia, Larasati, Singapore, `Indian contemporary art`, Chelsea Art College, U.K., Ao~rta Project, BBK Kunst Forum, Dusseldorf and Ausstellungshalle Innenhafen, Duisburg, Germany. "Memoirs of the Unreal city" was awarded the prestigious Emerging Artist of the Year 2003 at the Harmony show. The award included Rs.1 lakh as the prize money. The Judges panel comprised Dr. Sarayu Doshi, Harsh Goenka, Mala Singh, Dilip De, Vickram Sethi, and Tina Ambani. All had applauded Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar as an artist, "with a distinctly unique style that captivates the viewer`s attention."
Some other renowned group shows of his are-- 2005 `Future and Present`, N.G.M.A., Mumbai; 2005 `Indian contemporary art`, Chelsea Art College, U.K; 2005 `Ardhanareshwar`, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai; 2005 `Pune Art Show`, Geetanjali Kirloskar and Tao Art Gallery; 2004 `Christian Art Show`, Goa; 2004 `Ideas and images IV` N.G.M.A., Mumbai; 2004 `Tao of Shiva`, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai; Adivrekar participated in the 2004 Art Camp by Gallery Beyond, Mumbai; 2003- Participated in Art on Train by WSF with Open Circle, Mumbai; 2003- he participated in `All India Artist camp` by S.C.C.Z. & Kannada & Culture, Bangalore; 2003- `Scared And Secular` inaugural exhibition, Time & Space Gallery, Bangalore; 2003 Kite exhibition, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi; 2003 I.I.F.A. Art Show, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai; 2002 Self portraits from RPG Collection, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata; 2002 Inaugural group exhibition, The Gallerie Maharaja, New Delhi; 2002 `The Quotable Stencil` group show, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai; 2002- Participated in Golden jubilee exhibition of Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; 2002- Participated in group show by Gallery Beyond, Mumbai; 2002-
Participated in `One square feet` exhibition, Dhomimal Art Centre, New Delhi; 2002- Participated in RPG `Mela` Exhibition, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; 2001 44th National Art Exhibition, L.K.A., Ahmedabad; 2001 Concern India exhibition at Jewels on Canvas, Mumbai; 2001 Maharashtra Mahoutsav Exhibition, A.I.F.A.C.S., New Delhi; 2001 43rd National Art Exhibition, L.K.A., Bangalore; 2001 Gujarat Relief Fund Exhibition, N.G.M.A. Mumbai; 2001 The RPG Collection Show, N.G.M.A. Mumbai; 2000-03 Participated in RPG Camp at Madh, Mumbai; 2000-05 Participated in The Harmony Show, Nehru Centre, Mumbai; 2000 Indian Contemporary Art, Group Show by Easel Art Gallery, Singapore & Hong Kong; 2000 Six Young Artist, group show, Artist Centre, Mumbai; 1999- Annual Art Exhibition organised by Indian Oil, Mumbai; 1999 `Art of the red soil`, Dabhol Power, Guhaghar; 1999 Art festival at Lakereen Art Gallery, Mumbai; 1998 Mini format Group Show in Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi; 1998 Participated in Varsha 98, Monsoon show, Chavan Art Gallery, Mumbai; 1998 Artquest for C.R.Y. Group show, Mumbai; 1997 Monsoon Show organised by Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai; 1997 Group Exhibition organised by Dr. Bhausaheb Deshmukh Academy, Mumbai; 1997 Group show by Bombay Art Society on the occasion of 50 years of Indian Independence; 1996 `Chatak` Group Show at Nehru Art Gallery, Mumbai; 1996- Participation in Vista Black & White Group Show at Chavan Art Gallery, Mumbai; 1996 Group Show organised by Birla Academy, Calcutta; 1995-96 Attended Artist Terracotta Camp at Phansgaon, (M.S.); 1995- Participation in Varsha 95, Students Monsoon show at Chavan Art Gallery, Mumbai; 1995 Group Show by Samyojitha Bangalore in Memory of Late Shri G.S. Shenoy, Jehangir Art Gallery; 1994-96-99-02, Involved in the Bombay Art Society Annual Exhibition, Mumbai; 1994-95-96, Involved in the Bombay Art Society Exhibition, Pune, and Goa; 1994- Participation in Exhibition organised by NAG Foundation, Pune; 1994- Participated in Kala Mela organised by Lalit Kala Academy in New Delhi, Calcutta; 1994- Participated in Dr. Bhausaheb Deshmukh Art Academy Show, Amravati; 1993-96 Participated in the Art Society of India Exhibition, Mumbai; 1993-94-02, Participated in Maharashtra State Art Exhibition, Mumbai; 1993, Attended `Artist Camp` in Kolhapur (M.S.).
Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar once stated that "My process of working is based on elective creative process. To build my art out of public spheres has been focal point of my work. `Memoirs of the unreal city` is about the city which is fast growing and overpowering, it forms catalyst in my work. The images of teeming vastness of the city at one point are crude and banal destined to fade and disintegrate into obscurity...".
Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar throughout his lifetime has tried out a wide array of styles and subject matter. He always attempted to bring together images from confounding or unpredicted sources. Sometimes the metaphors are historical, while sometimes they are contemporary. To give them a shape he uses distinctly dissimilar or unlike materials and techniques. As an artist, Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar can be reckoned imputable to his artistic multiplicity. `Resistance to any form of categorisation` is his theme of work which he has maintained throughout his life time. Based on photographic documentations, paintings of Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar can be regarded as something that are very close to nature.
The sense of realness present in an image becomes rarified, when a photograph is painted on canvas. When these paintings hold a high degree of fancy, it liberates its mechanical association to a specific situation. Paintings are individual interpretations. But when others see these paintings, they perceive them as photography. The mechanical processes of paintings have been rejected by Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar. He explores the visual effects of mechanical technology only with hands. In Ratnadeep`s paintings one can find both the time-consuming and physically demanding techniques.
Hidden within this luxuriant surface sometimes are sheets of expressive colour dribbles, lucid enough, bringing out the rawness of unplanned creation. His work like a shot refers to the conundrum of metamorphosis. His ability to form mental images of things or events, speaks softly without vibration of the vocal cords to the subconscious, ingratiatory to the surface. Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar`s works makes us aware of his beliefs, the mellowness of his symbolism. His symbolisms also include inscrutably circumventing the logically apprehensible things and the depth of his ambitions - which combine to make new resonances.
The characteristics of Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar`s paintings admit bundles of people, masses gathered, loads of them piled together. The characters are great in number, but at the same time they do not have any weight. It contains the peculiar and `unbearable lightness` of their being, which in certain cases makes one to stop over and look back once more. Through the works of Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar, time and space in one particular dimension walks together. They even look alike from the macro level. Like an impenetrable solid mass time gets mesmerised, still, and unintelligible.
Acknowledging his talent, Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar has been conferred numerous awards and scholarships like-- The Governors Prize, The State Art Award, National Scholarship by Lalit Kala Akademi, N. Delhi and in the recent past the Bendre M. F. Husain Scholarship. He has also been awarded the most desired honour by any artist-- The Harmony Emerging Artist Award. Being the son of illustrious Gopal S. Adivrekar, the limit of expectation is always high. But however he has created a distinct place and identification for himself through his works.
