For Indian-born artist, Thakor Patel, disability does not mean inability and age is nothing, but just a number. Patel had his leg amputated at the age of seven, but he has managed to defy the odds through a tenacious approach to his work which has seen him making a name in the country’s arts sector.
At 80, and walking on crutches, Patel said although his age and physical condition are a challenge, he was managing to make a living from art.
He uses collage and mixed media in his works.
His artistic career spans as far back as 1954 when he enrolled at Sir JJ School of Art, Bombay, following advice from a friend. He graduated with a diploma in commercial art — painting and drawing in 1958.
“Before that, I had no interest in art. I was a musician playing a flute, but one of my friends was studying art in India and he encouraged me to pursue the subject and I decided to enroll for the course,” said Patel. After graduating, Patel took part in several exhibitions in India and received awards that advanced his profile as an artist. After a string of successes, Patel was invited to exhibit in a fine art programme organised by the Edward University of Texas, US in 1970.
In 1977, he was assistant director (design) in the Indian Government’s Hand Loom Weaver’s Centre in Bombay. During the same year, he exhibited designs at the National Hand Loom Fair Agricultural Expo in New Delhli, India. In 1980, he came to Zimbabwe and worked with some of the country’s finest artists like John Takawira, Tapfuma Gutsa, Nicholas Mukomberanwa, Henry Munyaradzi and Benard Matemera.
“They were very amazing artists and I was so much impressed with their work and that gave me a lot of inspiration,” he said.
Between 1982 and 1990, Patel was a lecturer in Graphic Design at Harare Polytechnic College. In 1986, he took part in the Annual Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition and got special mention for his significant individual contribution towards contemporary Zimbabwean painting.
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In 1987, he was conferred with the International Visitors’ Award from the American Fund for Artist Colonies. In 1989, he got an award of merit at the Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition and his works were selected for the Zimbabwe Heritage Exhibition in New Zealand in 1990.
Some of his works are in private collections in countries such as South Africa, Japan, US, France, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, Belgium, Canada and Spain.
