Lot 0086

The drawings and sketchbooks of Tathi Premchand reflect the restless rhythm of Mumbai city and the emotional movement of modern human life. Living and working in Mumbai for many years, he transforms everyday public spaces into living studios filled with observation, memory, and spontaneous creativity. His sketching practice is deeply connected with the people of the city — local train passengers, workers, street crowds, public gardens, and the silent moments hidden inside urban chaos. Premchand often creates live drawings in crowded places such as Mumbai local trains, Marine Lines, stations, parks, and busy streets. Instead of working only inside a studio, he observes people directly and captures their gestures, emotions, loneliness, and movement through quick sketching and expressive lines. His drawings are not only portraits of individuals but also portraits of society itself. The sketch shown here combines figurative drawing, geometric structure, and emotional abstraction. The woman’s face appears calm and thoughtful, while the surrounding chair, plant, and architectural shapes create a feeling of urban isolation and memory. The use of blue, black, and brown pen marks gives energy and tension to the composition. The graph-paper background suggests planning and structure, but the freehand lines break that order, symbolizing the unpredictable life of a metro city. According to his artist statement, Tathi Premchand believes drawing is not only preparation for painting but a complete artistic language in itself. His drawing books contain hundreds of pages filled with social observation, black-and-white studies, abstraction, and experimental forms.