The realism of Karan Lakhiani leveraging on automobile and aircraft technology

BY OSA AMADI

If accurate rendering of visual appearances in painting is the definition of realism, then Karan Lakhiani is a realist. A former student of British International School, Victoria Island, versatile Karan became a prodigy at age 3 when he picked up a racket, entered a court and played lawn tennis manifesting traits of a pro.

In 2002, he won the Parents Who Love the Game trophy in a competition organised by Ikoyi residents. He repeated the feat in 2005 by winning the 3rd Millennium Smash Shell Tennis Clinic for 10 -15 years old category, organised by Shell Petroleum Development Company. Now Karan is set to replicate those feats in painting. In this interview with Vanguard, he lets us into the world of brush, paint, and canvas:

Let’s go back in time.  When and how did you begin to paint?

I was inspired by my art teacher in school, at the British International School, Lekki. That was in my year 8 in 2010. I saw a painting done by my art teacher, Rotimi Ajiboye, in school, and that very week I went to the Artworld and bought painting materials and started painting.

What was your first work?
I used to draw and throw away because I was not really satisfied with the works. When I compared them with professional works I became discouraged and cast them away. If I remember, it was a parrot, two parrots, and I started with the legs. Could you imagine that? Eventually I painted a portrait of myself of which I got a measure of satisfaction. So my real first work was a painting of my portrait.

From what do you draw your inspirations?
I draw my inspirations from real life scenes.

Do these real life scenes inform your choice of subjects?
No I pick my subjects at random. They come with time, they just flow.

What steps are involved in painting a picture like these ones?
First of all you conceptualise what you want to paint. Then you decide the medium – oil, colour pencil, watercolour, etc. Next, you decide the size of the painting. What you want to paint determines the size of the canvas. But for me, my medium is always oil on canvas. After that, you do your sketching, then your precise drawing. After precision drawing, you start applying colours layer by layer. Finally you do the finishing.

Is there any philosophy behind your paintings, something – a  human problem you are trying to address or find solution to; a beauty you are trying to capture, or a deep feeling you are trying to express through the strokes of your brush?
I have always been fascinated by automobile and aircraft technologies, and these are the major subjects of my works – a Porsche car, an exterior view of the Dubai Airport Terminal 3, another aircraft capturing a nose view of it at night. Technology is a mystery, and automobile and aircraft technologies have greatly advanced human comfort. It’s great, and I try to capture this mystery and comfort in my works.

Are you interested in automobile design?
No. That is sort of engineering. Although I did all the sciences – physics, chemistry and biology – I prefer to stick to the arts.

We hear you are also a musician. What instruments do you plays?
I play the piano, the guitar, and the recorder, Just a little of each of these.

Now let’s talk about the commercial side of your works. Has anyone made you an offer for any of your works?
No, and it’s because I have not really been participating in art exhibitions.

How much would you sell each of these pieces?
It varies. The car has a value of N500, 000 because oil is expensive but it’s durable. Oil is life-lasting. I know the creativity I have invested into those works and you can see that quality when you look at them.

Would you accept a commission by individual, government, or organisation, to painting?
I will, if the price is right.

Culled from: http://www.vanguardngr.com