The conference room at Taramati Baradari has a strong smell of paint. Pieces of fibre glass splattered with paint — some dry, some still moist — lie unattended. Artists at work have no time to spare for requests to pose for photos but no one is complaining. After all, the deadline of the Telangana art camp involving more than 150 artists whose works will be displayed at the historic Taramati Baradari was looming large over them.
The participating artists turn nostalgic. While some appreciate the effort behind the sho, some others revel in the chance to see some celebrated artists at work, others are pleased with the amount of brainstorming that went into finishing each canvas. “There was so much exchange of ideas, we all came out united. The effort is to create a united forum for Telangana artists and the art,” explains Bharath.
The works range from rocks, local deities to market scenes from local and rural Telangana regions. A few artists have also highlighted the ‘Irani café’ culture. Artist Akshay’s work doesn’t just show an Irani Café, it also highlights the culture. “A table can be occupied by a group of friends or a group of strangers. No one insists on sitting and the cups and saucers are always white. This is one of the urban cultures and no can deny it,” explains the artist. When Irani chai is discussed can M.F. Hussain be left behind? One artist has done a caricature of the celebrated artist as his tribute to art and culture from the city.
“Art@Telangana is an initiative by a group of individuals with the vision to bring the artists and artistic traditions from Telangana into the forefront. Under this initiative a coffee table book and a website will be launched. Our vision is to create a platform that endeavours to internationally showcase the works of eminent and budding artists alike from the region .
Historically Telangana has had a rich tradition of art. Ramappa Temple built by the Kakatiyas is a symphony in stone. Buddhist sculptures of Nagarjuna Konda are revered as art pieces worldwide.
The Deccan miniature paintings reflect the affluence of this land. Painters like Deuskar, P. T Reddy, Sayyad Ahmed, Sayyad Bin Muhammad, Kumarila Swamy, K. Rajayya, Kondapalli Sheshagiri Rao, Badri Narayan, Vasudev Kapatral and sculptors like Osman Siddiqui’s art works are timeless,” explains Laxma Goud one of the heads behind the massive art camp.
