Geologist and ex-ONGC officer turned painter S.R. Kolluri has earned himself a name for his graphic art. He had worked on a computer graphic art on 108 episodes of Ramayana. That four-year-long effort is now in the Bhadrachalam temple. Artist Kolluri has come a long way from playing with acrylic and water-colours.
This septuagenarian is full of life and says animatedly, “I work on Photoshop on my iMac with a vacuum tablet to create these works of art. I just read a particular episode and mull over it, till I visualise it with characters and their positions. It's almost like making a cinema!”
His latest project ‘Story of Siva' is currently being exhibited at the State Gallery for Arts. His personal and imaginative interpretation of the Siva Puranam finds place in 37 out of the 54 paintings, with the rest based on the Jyothirlinga kshetras - Rameswaram, Srisailam, Kedarnath, Bhimshankar, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Trayambakeshwar etc. Each work on the Jyothirlingas depicts the mythology and story behind it.
With an imaginative usage of colours, S.R. Kolluri brings alive the jewellery of Lord Siva. His works convey the grace and munificence that are bestowed on devotees by dieties.
Speaking about his work, S.R. Kolluri says, “The Lord is in all the panchabootamulu (five elements), Cosmic, Earth, Water, Fire and Air and that legacy needs to be acknowledged.”
The paintings are vivid and full of detail. The works provide the perspective of a devotee, who sees the Nataraja for a genial persona.
Why graphic artwork? He says that he has never come across anyone who does anything like this. Computer graphics enable him to erase mistakes and rework his art. The layers that you can create in the software prove to be a boon. He hopes to bring out another book of these paintings and sell it for charity.
The exhibit is open from 11 a.m to 7 p.m till July 3 at the State Gallery of Fine Arts.
