Art for life

A five day art camp has given artists participating from all over the country a medium of expression.

January 12, 2012 08:58 pm | Updated July 25, 2016 08:34 pm IST

By Dillip Malik

By Dillip Malik

A reflection of the current environment and events, young contemporary artists have found an expression in their surroundings and personal experiences in the form of pop art.

On a five day art camp at the Krishnakriti Annual Festival of Art and Culture organised by Kalakriti Art Gallery, artists from all over the country are participating. Whether it is their personal experiences or views on society, these artists take inspiration from their day to day activities.

Artist Thirumala Thirupathi has found his muse in an Rs. 500 note. Painting the pathos of the common man and their constant battle with money is his favourite subject. Whether it's Mahatma Gandhi's dismay at people scrambling for money or the symbolic representation of wealth through a money plant, this artist draws his inspiration from his surroundings and personal experiences.

“I have translated my personal struggle with money on the canvas,” he says.

Painting the urban jungle and the eternal dichotomy between development and preservation of natural environment is what Maredu Ramu, a postgraduate from University of Hyderabad likes to do. Use of bright colours to represent the urban landscape makes his work very upbeat.

Also participating in the art camp is Renu Anand who has moved away from canvas painting and has taken up tapestry to weave a room divider. “Lucrative opportunities for a fine arts student is less so we have to find ways of turning art into utility products,” says Renu who is a student of Indian Institute of Crafts and Design Jaipur.

Sculptors like Dillip Malik, Shailesh Mohan Ojha, Sukumar Reddy are also a part of the art camp. Each of these sculptors has a message and a story to narrate through their work.

While some of the artists prefer doing a rough sketch before they start working on the campus, some artists like Hetal Chudasama prefers to follow her instincts. “I am a spontaneous person. I don't have any set ideas, I just want to put my thoughts on canvas,” she says. At the art camp the artists are given five days to complete their work and exhibit them. Their works will be auctioned to fund art students.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.