If the purpose of art is to be a creative expression and a reflection of the world around us, Ciddula Krishna chooses to do it with a good dose of optimism. He talks about enjoying being in the wilderness, soaking in nature’s glory and appreciating the uplifting hues of the sky and the reflection of foliage in water. “I tried to bring in the many colours of nature in my recent abstracts,” he says, talking of the paintings now on display at Iconart gallery.
The paintings are from the work he did in 2016-2017 and most of them are in cooler tones. “The different shades of blue, green and yellow are colours that can be soothing to the viewer. For this exhibition, we haven’t displayed paintings in warmer tones,” he says.
The Hyderabad-based artist has a fascination for abstracts though in a few paintings, a superimposed figurative outline of forms can be seen. Placed in the midst of nature, these figures appear meditative.
Using acrylic on canvas, Krishna presents several layers of bright, deep colours that reflect the vibrancy of nature in its unspoilt form. “Nature is everything for us. The day we learn to protect and be one with nature, we will be happy. These paintings are also a reflection of the happiness in my journey of being an artist,” he explains.
Some of the paintings veer away from the diktats of composition and balance dictated by art schools, according to curator Avani Rao Gandra. The juxtaposition of colours helps in a dance of light and shadow, and the choice of colours maintain the luminescence characteristic of bright, summer landscapes. “These are all high-key colours of summer,” says Avani as she turns a few canvases in different directions. Some of Krishna’s paintings can be viewed in several directions and will still not be lost upon the viewer.
A few paintings take shape through short, repeated burst of colours as though representative of filtering of light through dense foliage, while a few others remain minimalist. “The key is to know when to stop while working on an abstract. A few of his paintings may seem simple or even incomplete in a conventional sense but Krishna has a keen eye for balance and knows when he is done with an abstract,” adds Avani.
(Midsummer Landscape – abstract paintings by Ciddula Krishna is on view at Iconart gallery, Road no.12, Banjara Hills, till May 31)
