Rumour of a new man Sanjeev Khandekar's creation "Death of Search Engine" In watercolour. One finds Sanjeev Khandekar provocative in both his works of art, book of poems and thoughts that guide this environmentalist and artist. His works "Rumour of Truth" in watercolour showed at Apparao Art Gallery in New Delhi, this week, writes Rana Siddiqui. HEY ARE provocative, aggressive - one might say witnessing a few of Sanjeev Khandekar's paintings posted at Apparao Gallery, New Delhi. But they are symbolic, even avoidable, one would agree. A young Sanjeev may not be quite known among the calendar of famed artists but in Maharashtra he is known for his provocative poetry, paintings and taking up environmental causes. So are the paintings of this self-taught artist, an amalgam of figures and abstract, that on one hand sing the saga of parts of a machine, on the other mock at the human tendencies of procreations relations and frustration. Be it through "Gene Bank of India" where men constantly aim at procreation without realising its affect on the population on earth or another work in which a woman throws her egg into a well symbolising her detachment from her own child in this modern world, or a seemingly mocking antinomy of a women in "A key­hole view of a health club". Ask him the reason for such provocative works and he says, "The world has undergone a tremendous change over past 10 years specially after 9/11 episode. Ideologies have shrunk, they have replaced religion too. It has produced a spineless society. See earlier there was one truth hence God was the Ultimate. Now people believe Stephens Hawkins more. Sanjeev Khandekar I have seen wailing women in Gujarat, ethnic cleansing, Iraq, children killed by so called a democratic country but I am helpless, helpless because it is too big a design for me to act against. So I try to express my anguish and helplessness through my work." His works are an amalgam of figures and abstract, he cannot detach himself from either of the two. "Our abstraction is based on spiritualism, yet the abstract painters draw geometrical figures in their abstract work of art.Abstract is beyond such geometrical forms, it does not concretise," so a portion of his abstract work is mainly free of any forms. Khandekar also feels aghast at the condition of art galleries in Delhi . "There seems to be no difference between art galleries and Parliament now, the serenity is at a loss there. Aesthetics and moral preoccupations need to be saved," he declares. Will a Cultural Policy help here? "Cultural Policy in BJP Government," he shoots back, "they will put a chastity belt here also!" Revolutionary you might say but he is one who might provoke you otherwise too. "We badly need some new young, art critics. Our respected, senior art critics have same old notions, same stale approach to a work of art, however new it is. Hence, their readers too rest their opinions about art based on their views only. Art lovers hence behave strangely, they don't go beyond liking Raja Ravi Verma!" Talking about new art, this great admirer of Kolte and Akbar Padamse's abstract art style does not mind digital art too. "It is a new tool to read more fascinating world of a 'different' art. I would say it is just a tool to keep pace with today's science and new technology."