Devidas Dharmadhikari was born in Pandharpur, Maharashtra in 1972. He pursued hi GD in Art (painting) from the Dalvi’s Art Institute in Kolhapur.
Well known for his horse paintings, Devidas is a figurative artist who has worked with various mediums including, oil, acrylics, pastels and watercolours, over his artistic career of 15 years. Though, acrylics on canvas is his most preferred medium, for most of his paintings.
Like many other artists, poets and writers, Devidas found his muse in steed. The only thing with real shape and form on his canvas are his subjects; the horses. Everything else is abstract. He often paints two horses in contrasting shades — black and white or brown and white — in his works. These colours compliment and contrast each other, yin to the other’s yang, both incomplete without the other. The running horses in Devidas Dharmadhikari’s paintings are a metaphor to life, people often stay put in one place, tied to chains, unwilling and unable to break free, confusing their restraints for sash.
The artist paints horses, mostly running and galloping, perhaps in open fields. He focuses on the horses’ postures and their muscular strength. The flowing mane and raised hooves portray the movement in the horses, as if the artist has frozen these animals mid-air, to capture the perfect moment.
Over the years, Devidas has showcased his works in numerous art shows in many Indian and international cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Chennai, London, New York and San Francisco. He also received First Price in V.V Oak Exhibition, in Pune.
