Manoj Kachangal grew up in a small village in Madhya Pradesh, and it was there, in the very midst of Nature, that he began his artistic journey; it is not surprising, then, that Nature continues to be his most important influence. In fact, the artist recollects that the first paintings he created, before enrolling at the Institute of Fine Arts, Indore, were those he painted on the walls on his mud hut with flowers and other natural pigments like geru. Kachangal’s use of colour overrides all other elements in his work in order to blur boundaries, and to allude to ideas beyond the frame. As they have no specific geophysical location, his works are often referred to as abstract landscapes. Although there are no clear demarcations between land and sky, there is a hint of reality, a semblance of authenticity which possibly stems with his preoccupation with Nature. These works, however, are dotted with abstract symbols – a sudden triangle or an unexpected circle – that unsettle the view. EDUCATION: 2003 Master of Fine Arts (Painting), Government Institute of Fine Arts, Indore.