Devi

Artist: K. S. Kulkarni
Medium: Acrylic on Paper
Size: 30 x 22 inches (76.2 x 55.88 cm) 

K. S. Kulkarni developed a visual language that merged classical Indian sensibilities with international modernist movements, without allowing either to dominate his expression. His figures often carry an otherworldly quality, stripped of unnecessary detail, yet rich with symbolic form and inner rhythm. Working across mediums and continents, he brought a deep psychological engagement to his portrayals of the human figure, balancing abstraction with recognizability.

This stylized portrait of a seated woman reflects the artist’s mature phase, where form is reduced and meaning concentrated. The figure is rendered in broad, flat planes of gray-green, her anatomy defined through decisive contours rather than anatomical precision. The head, disproportionately large and rounded, features Kulkarni’s signature almond-shaped eyes, silent and inward-gazing. Her body, simplified to essentials, evokes both sensuality and stillness. There is no overt narrative, yet the posture suggests presence rather than pose.

Subtle motifs, circular and cross-like forms near the shoulders and head, introduce a sacred or ritualistic subtext, drawing the viewer’s attention to symbols that hover between decorative design and spiritual reference. These additions do not distract from the central figure but extend her into a larger cosmology, as if she is both individual and archetype. The background, a field of yellow-green with slight tonal modulation, offers a quiet counterpoint to the solidity of the figure. Brushwork remains visible, lending a tactile surface to the canvas. Kulkarni’s choice of a restricted palette, subdued in chromatic range, sharpens focus on compositional harmony and symbolic geometry.

Although closely associated with the Delhi Shilpi Chakra and a founding member of Triveni Kala Sangam, Kulkarni’s influences extended far beyond the Indian subcontinent. His travels across South America, and encounters with Mayan and Etruscan visual cultures, deepened his interest in symbolic figuration and mythic themes. This exposure is evident in the abstraction of the human form and his treatment of space as psychological terrain.

Kulkarni consistently refused to romanticize the rural or dismiss the urban. His works often bridge these worlds, merging everyday presence with metaphysical weight. His engagement with classical Indian traditions, particularly the mural aesthetics of Ajanta, transformed in his hands into modern allegories, rooted neither in nostalgia nor rupture. This painting continues that legacy, quietly assertive, formally refined, and emotionally resonant.