Bharat Dalal

In 1980, Bharat Dalal invited his close friend and illustrator Suniti Joshi to join his dream project, Metamorphosis, a series of large-scale paintings envisioning a fusion of classical artistry and contemporary technique.

Joshi initially assisted with sketches and sourcing materials, but her role expanded due to her background as an illustrator and her connections in Los Angeles.

In 1982, they arrived in Los Angeles and stayed with Joshi’s brother, Satish. When Dalal considered renting a studio, Satish instead offered his three-car garage, which soon became their studio.

Since large pre-made canvases were not readily available, Dalal and his team built them from scratch. They selected wood, cut frames, stretched imported Mumbai canvas, and primed it to achieve a marble-like smoothness.

Dalal’s process was both methodical and innovative. He first transferred intricate designs onto the canvas, using contact paper to mask select areas before applying white, red, and purple paints. 

By carefully tilting the canvas, he allowed the colors to blend organically, creating dynamic, flowing compositions. Assisted by Joshi, he refined the works further with an airbrush, bringing his artistic vision to life.

By 1984, six monumental paintings and reinterpretations of Leonardo da Vinci’s works had been completed. 

Photographing them presented another challenge, leading the team to learn lighting techniques.

Despite setbacks in finding a gallery, the project remained a testament to Dalal’s ingenuity and artistic vision, a pursuit of timelessness beyond fleeting trends.