The eight-year-old winner of the 2020 Global Child Prodigy Award, Advait Kolarkar, is in the English capital to present his new collection, Alluring Illusions at the Gagliardi Gallery.
ADVERTISEMENTWinner of the 2020 Global Child Prodigy Award, Advait Kolarkar has unveiled his first solo show in London.
The eight-year-old artist is in the English capital for the first time to present his new collection, Alluring Illusions.
"Why illusion you might ask? I was enchanted by the ideas and illusions in my mind while painting for this collection and I was captivated by the beauty of infinite objects, like the Universe, dinosaurs and the whole cosmos," said Kolarkar on the inspiration and theme of his latest exhibition.
London is just the latest destination on the young artist's agenda. With his family by his side, Kolarkar has already shown his art around the world, including in the US, Canada and India.
Talent from a very early age
His mother, Shruti Kolarkar spoke of the moment she first discovered her son had a special talent.
"I could not believe that a baby, a one-year-old boy, was creating those compositions," she said. "And that was the moment I realised it is something special and I need to nurture that. And when he had tools like canvases and colours. He never stopped. His passion is still the same."
While his work is known for its vibrant splashes of bright colour, Kolarkar had a surprising answer when asked about this favourite colour to paint with.
"Black is my favourite colour," said Kolarkar. "And if we mix all the colours, it creates black. So, I felt like I was already using all the colours."
There is more to come from this child prodigy in the months and years to come, soon he will be heading to Las Vegas, where he will prepare an exhibition which will tour the United States.
Kolarkar has a clear vision of his future and, while a career in art is clearly on the cards, he has many different ambitions.
"I'll be a painter for my entire life. I also want to be a palaeontologist, an inventor and an author," he said.
Advait Kolarkar's exhibition Alluring Illusions runs from 12 to 22 May 2022 at the Gagliardi Gallery in London.
Check out the video above for an inside look at Kolarkar's Alluring Illusions exhibition
