Statement

Bursts of intensity interrupt Parth’s meditative pace. Inevitably, he returns to the quiet contemplation with paint. A fusion of knives, spatulas, rollers, brushes, and clay-crafted tools are by his side.

Having entered the art scene in his late forties, he says that age makes him wiser, less risk averse and patient. “By the time you are my age, you have been there and done that. Techniques are exactly what they are: things that be mastered by repetition. What matters most is process. When I think process, I think of the verbs inquire, invent and evolve. They capture the essence of what I do”, says Parth.

Often he starts with a sketch or a color or a word. It initiates inquiry and exploration through research or more sketching. “As I proceed through inquiry, some semblances of conceptual maturity appear in my drawings and notes. When I feel I am ready, I set to create the piece or pieces.”

He claims he is constantly learning and evolving. That macro process is made up of countless micro processes. “I do not engineer a piece. When I paint, I am spontaneous.”

Based in Toronto, Parth sees himself as both spectator and actor in our changing society. He is fascinated by people and their stories. “Every person has not only a unique story but also a very individual perspective. I cherish diversity.”

In the early 90s he lived in Vancouver. He was deeply affected by the works of artists Bill Reid and Robert Davidson. “They were following some tradition but were mostly creating a new visual language using obloid shapes and positive-negative spaces… I must admit I was studying Kandinsky and Escher at that time.”

During the late nineties he lived in New York, so Schiele, Picasso and German Expressionism were very accessible. “I spent hours studying Dubuffet, Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall … at the MOMA and Guggenheim.”

Over the years he has expanded his influencers to include Rauschenberg, Twombly, Kahlo, Rothko, Os Gemeos, Richter, Kusama, Hockney, Hussein, Gaitonde, Longford, Harring, Murakami among others.

As you engage with Parth’s artwork, the process of inquiry and invention will continue with you. His art practice invites you to inquire, asking: what do you see?