“What is of foremost importance to me are fundamentals of aesthetics rather than philosophy or story telling.”

Good or bad, social and political environment does not influence the artist’s thought process and thereby his expressions on the neither canvases, nor does Padmanabh Bendre want to get involved in it. “I do not stick to any style or philosophy. I am an experimental artist who likes to experiment in different mediums like pastels, oils, acrylics, watercolors as well as subjects emerging from a wide arena.”

Bendre doesn’t wish to limit the thought processes of the viewer by painting a concrete, stagnant picture, so he tries to encourage the observer to bypass the literal perception and dive into the impenetrable and pure emotions which he is not able to experience otherwise.

Bendre on his creative process says that “I start from void space and as I paint along I give the colors and forms a meaning. A meaning that holds importance to me and me alone. The viewer is not considered during the conception of the painting and is not told what to think or how to conceive it or what it means. There is no need for definition.”

A riot of colors, free moving forms are the key elements of Bendre’s paintings “I strongly believe in bold yet simplistic forms and wish to encourage the observers to think beyond the normal, surpass all norms, rules and regulations as I believe in an open mind with no mental barriers.”

The artists feel that his style is a synthesis of all his experimentations in various mediums, subjects and techniques. His art does not depict agony and stress but wishes to express a larger truth and that is rejoicing the gift of ‘life’.

Born in Madras, 1946 Bendre spent his initial years in Baroda completing school and college education. He has acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Master’s Degree in Town and country planning from M.S. University, Baroda in 1968 and University of Pune in 1972 respectively. He was practicing as an Architect and Town planner in Mumbai till 1989. He has also done a short term courses in Life drawing, Portrait painting and Monotype from Mesa community College, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. during 1994 to 95.

The artist lives and works in his Mumbai.