Gaitonde: Between Two Mirrors Book was unveiled at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Museum.
MUMBAI: The grand launch on 27 Feb, 2025 of this remarkable book was hosted at the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Fort, Mumbai, a venue as timeless and evocative as Gaitonde’s own artistic legacy. The ambiance was steeped in history and creative spirit, making it a fitting tribute to a maestro who redefined abstract expression in India.
Many luminaries had the distinct honour of sharing their thoughts on the occasion, including Dr. Nandkishore Laud, Amol Palekar, Kumar Ketkar, Dr. Sharyu Doshi, Dr. Firoza Godrej, Shanta Gokhale, Prayag Shukla, Dr. Manjari Thakur, Vineel Bhurke, Sandhya Gokhale and esteemed editor Satish Naik and convener Ketan Karani. Their insights and reflections highlighted the depth of Gaitonde's influence, making the evening a fusion of artistic appreciation and scholarly dialogue.
In the annals of Indian art, few names evoke as much reverence as Vasudev S Gaitonde, a pioneer of abstract expressionism in India. Now, nearly 25 years since his passing, Chinha, a prominent art magazine and publishing house, is offering a tribute to the artist’s legacy through a compilation in English.
The Gaitonde project grew in volume since the time it was incubated after his death in 2001. That year Chinha published a first full edition on the artist; by 2007 the publishing house had managed to unearth more material on him in Marathi, which warranted another edition and a book. Years of research and meticulous curation which poured into the book, offers a never-before-seen insight into Gaitonde’s artistic and spiritual journey, deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism. More than a collection of words and images, it is a window into the mind of a reclusive visionary.
Satish Naik, editor of Chinha and driving force behind ‘Gaitonde’ believes the artist deserves far greater recognition than what has come his way. “Despite his great contribution to art, there is a dearth of literature on him, owing to a lack of research and documentation,” Naik said. This realisation had propelled him to create a book “that is both a reference and tribute”.
The volume features over 1 lakh words of text, 120 paintings by Gaitonde, 74 rare photographs, more than 20 exclusive sketches portraying Gaitonde in various moods, 12 candid encounters with his close acquaintances and several press articles, making it an invaluable reference for art lovers, collectors, and young artists alike.
Satish Naik (Chinha Publication), Rajkumar Sharma (Kala Samvad), Ketan Karani (Convener)
Padma Shri Dr. Saryu Doshi (Art Historian, Scholar) with Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director)
L-R: Neeta Satish Naik (Chinha Publication), Ketan Karani with wife & Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director)
Padma Bhushan Dr. Nandkishore Laud (Orthopedic surgeon), Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director)
Dr. Firoza Godrej (Art Historian and PhD in Ancient Indian Culture) with Shanta Gokhale (Indian Writer and Translator)
Padma Bhushan Dr. Nandkishore Laud (Orthopedic surgeon) with Padma Shri Dr. Saryu Doshi (Art Historian, Scholar)
Book Launching "Gaitonde: Between Two Mirrors" Padma Shri Dr. Saryu Doshi (Art Historian, Scholar) with Ketan Karani (Convener)
Book Launching "Gaitonde: Between Two Mirrors" Prayāga Śukla (Hindi Poet, fiction writer, art critic), Dr. Milind Hardas (Under Secretary Protocol, Government of Maharashtra), Vineel Bhurke (Chinha Publication)
L-R: Dr. Manjari Thakur, Satish Naik, Amol Palekar, Shanta Gokhale, Dr. Firoza Godrej, Padma Bhushan Dr. Nandkishore Laud, Padma Shri Dr. Saryu Doshi, Ketan Karani, Prayāga Śukla, Padma Shri Kumar Ketkar, Dr. Milind Hardas, Vineel Bhurke
Neeta Satish Naik (Chinha Publication) honouring Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director)
Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director) honouring Dr. Manjari Thakur
Neeta Satish Naik (Chinha Publication) honouring Shanta Gokhale (Indian Writer and Translator)
Satish Naik (Chinha Publication) honouring Advocate Sandhya Gokhale (Film director Amol Palekar's wife)
Neeta Satish Naik (Chinha Publication) honouring Dr. Milind Hardas (Under Secretary Protocol, Government of Maharashtra),
Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director) honouring Neil Daptardar
Amol Palekar (Indian Film Actor & Director) honouring Vineel Bhurke (Chinha Publication)
Satish Naik (Chinha Publication) with Padma Shri Dr. Saryu Doshi (Art Historian, Scholar)
Prayāga Śukla (Hindi Poet, fiction writer, art critic) and Rishiraj Sethi (Director, Aura Art eConnect Pvt Ltd)
Advocate Sandhya Gokhale (Film director Amol Palekar's wife)
Prayāga Śukla (Hindi Poet, fiction writer, art critic)
Prayāga Śukla (Hindi Poet, fiction writer, art critic)and Eminent artist Prabhakar Kolte
Young Artist & Art Curator Nandoo Sarswati at GAI Selfy Point
Rajkumar Sharma (Kala Samvad) at GAI Selfy Point
L-R: Padma Shri Dr. Saryu Doshi (Art Historian, Scholar), Prayāga Śukla (Hindi Poet, fiction writer, art critic), Rajkumar Sharma (Kala Samvad),
