A thing of art isn't the artwork alone, the sheer diversity of form and the desire of the artist to create something that represents their soul contributes to the experience. ‘Start Art 2K18’, the three-day art show held at State Gallery of Art over the previous weekend went beyond 'art-meeting-the-eye'; the visitors heard stories that inspired artworks, the platform unified creators across the globe under one roof, tools and devices that one wouldn't necessarily associate with art took centrestage. Every artist was permitted to showcase a maximum of three works, it was also the turn of the artist community to indulge in some healthy competition and find inspiration from one another. Here, we talk to artists whose art defied conventional visual imagery and yet evoked a universal appeal.
Anantha Srinidhi
The strength of this Hyderabad-based teenager's artworks is her technique and detailing. Her art bats for the simplicity and the innocence of lives by the countryside. In this series, she's inspired by the scenes from her native village-ox, old-world architectural charm and the fields convey a deeper story. “I want to say how the people back in villages go by their daily life without harming the environment, the use of construction materials for houses, the foundation for what we eat today and much more. This is a platform I cherish for the advise I get from my senior counterparts. I hope to improve by the year,” she remarks.
Chandan Suresh
One among the only two artists in the country to practice the 'paper stencil art' form, Chandan Suresh from Mangaluru is unique for not using brushes or paint in any of his artworks. The artist, who specialises in live performances of this art form, uses papers and cutters to complete portraits of celebrities under five minutes. His art works at the show included portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Rajinikanth. “ I was a regular artist for long doing works on acrylic, but I felt there are many others who also practised this form and I desired to create a style distinct to myself. It's then that I came across stencil art,” he says. What's also special is the 3D effect he gives to his works using layered white and black sheets. The artist is set to receive an 'India Book of Records' honour for the most number of artworks produced in this form soon.
Vijaya and Raj Kumar Ayancha
Portraits often hold great value in terms of providing an instantaneous high- artist Vijaya Ayancha from Hyderabad gives it a unique spin with the mystery element in her works. One such work at the exhibition was the centre of attraction for many visitors-of a woman covering her eyes and body with a cloth of many curves in an artwork that uses the 'grey' shades to perfection. Mythology also forms the basis of her art. “I used to recreate portraits of iconic personalities I spot across magazines in childhood. My father and brother laid a strong foundation to my career as an artist.” Her other specialisation is her work on areca lead plates-of which a series on the most famous pilgrimage destinations in the country found place at this exhibition. Incidentally, her software engineer son, who's also an artist had displayed his works here; he adds it was his mother's fascination for art that gave his career a direction and an outlet to express.
Kasula Padmavathi
The medium through which you'd want to portray your art also defines the artistic value of a work. That's where Kasula Padmavathi's body of work stands tall. Holding nearly 40 records for being the torchbearer of artworks done on emu eggs, pista shells and other forms of micro art, her command over kalamkari work enriches her art that surrounds woman empowerment, mythology in specific. “I used to love adding decor and art to most plain surfaces and figures I've noticed. In regular visits to our farm, I often found emu eggs (after the hatching) not being used and thrown away-that's when the idea of doing art on them struck. The number of artworks only increased with time-the rarity of the medium fetched me many rewards.” With a focus on mythology, Dasavataras (Kalamkari) and Gods fascinated her and she wanted her artwork to remain a token of tradition. How a woman braves great turmoil to survive in society across various spheres is the theme of her next micro-art series that she plans to unveil for Woman's day later this year.
Rashida Kalangi
A factor that lends credibility to the artwork of city-based artist Rashida Kalangi is its identifiablity. Her strokes don't always bear sharp features, an artistic device to remove barriers, she explains. One of her paintings Hope defines a window-view of a woman looking out for solace in a sepia-tinted outlook which lends it a timeless quality. She adds, “Whenever I talk of art, I am reminded of Vincent van Gogh's quote 'I dream of painting and I paint my dream'. This is my fourth art show and my first at State Art Gallery. Having studied at Indore at the country's first-ever online campus helped my art. I specialise in abstract, semi-abstract art and being a city girl, I always aim for minimalism in my work. I enjoy saying stories through art, mirror the forces that define it.”
