'Art was in me like a dormant volcano,' says Padma Shri JAK Tareen

The exhibition, titled 'A Solo Contemporary Art Exhibition' with more than 50 paintings, will continue till 7 p.m. on Feb. 18.

"The art was in me like a dormant volcano, erupting now and then," said Tareen. "But after my retirement, the past one year I created more than 130 paintings. Art is a reflection of my experience across the society and the education."

Tareen, who calls himself a feminist, has portrayed women in many of his paintings, including women in science.

A painting of a woman cooking with five children around her is his own childhood memory. It reminds him of how his mother nurtured her children and educated them in the absence of his father. All his siblings are in various science and technology fields.

"My mother taught me honesty," said an emotional Tareen, pointing out his achievements in academics.

In reply to a question on the current state of India, Tareen said, "Freedom of expression is the backbone of any progressive nation. Even the dress of a girl has been challenged now. This is a regressive attitude."

"Contemporary art has a lesser audience than the realistic art, but it refreshes your mind," he stated.

Hailing from Mysore, Tareen has served as the Vice-Chancellor of three universities -- Pondicherry University, University of Kashmir and BS Abdur Rahman University, Chennai. This is his second exhibition.