Ways Of Seeing

Ways of Seeing: Prabhakar Kolte

Curated by Raju Sutar

John Berger’s Ways of Seeing fundamentally shifted how we engage with visual culture. Borrowing this title for Prabhakar Kolte’s exhibition is not merely an homage to Berger’s text, but rather the most accurate lens through which to encounter Kolte Sir’s canvas. To view his paintings is to realize that they resist being consumed as static, "final products." Instead, they are active, unfolding processes—they are, quite literally, ways of seeing.

Kolte’s artistic journey is defined by a courageous act of subtraction. As he himself has articulated, his method begins with the deliberate removal of known, recognizable forms from the visual plane. By stripping away the familiar and the named, he clears the canvas of preconceived notions. It is only after this act of un-knowing that he begins to truly look, allowing the painting to dictate its own creation. The resulting abstraction is not a denial of reality, but a deeper, more profound engagement with its essence.

My own association with Kolte Sir spans over three decades, taking root in 1992 during my final year at Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya. What began at that formative stage has evolved into a lifelong dialogue. Over the years, we have shared countless hours of deep learning, spirited discussions, and passionate arguments about the very nature of art. He has been a constant presence—challenging, inspiring, and reshaping my own understanding of the abstract.

To present his work in the form of this exhibition is both a deep personal honor and a vital cultural endeavor. Ways of Seeing invites the viewer to step into that space of un-knowing alongside Prabhakar Kolte, to discard the burden of immediate recognition, and to experience the pure, transformative power of looking.