Artist’s long career leads to place in Tate art book

Mr Gill said his work frequently deals with cultural remembrance.

He painted a portrait of Guru Nanak for his mother, shortly before she died.

“She wouldn’t have gotten abstraction,” he said. “So I painted something she could really relate to.”

His wife, Inderjit Gill, said: “When he’s painting, he doesn’t think about anything else — even his tea.

“He’s in a meditative state.”

Mrs Gill has played a key role in his career and handled communications, organised exhibitions and ensured Mr Gill was able to focus on creating art.

“I like living in an art gallery,” she smiles. “I say to him — let’s put more work up.”

He was a prominent figure in Nottingham’s Asian Artists Group during the 1980s and had his work exhibited widely, from Leicester Museum to the New Art Exchange.

Now, his piece, Earth Shrine, will appear in Alina Khakoo’s ‘A Brief History of British South Asian Art’, from Tate Publishing.

The painting, composed of texture, nature forms, and metaphorical items is presented as a reflection of Gill’s compound, intuitive style.

“I don’t plan my work completely,” he said. “It comes together. Like life.”

Mr Gill said he was delighted to have his work acknowledged in the book.

“All artists want to be acknowledged,” he added. “This is gratifying. Surprising. An honour.”