Artists’ labour of love

An exhibition of paintings and photographs in the city is an ode to the working class

May 03, 2015 08:24 pm | Updated 09:11 pm IST

A painting by K. Nageswara Rao

A painting by K. Nageswara Rao

The colours, canvases and photographs speak of the passion and pain of being a part of the working class. At Ailamma Art Gallery, 14 artists honour the nameless, faceless men and women who do different jobs and carry on with their lives to make life better for us. The artists depict the realities of life in an exhibition titled ‘Labour of Love’ that coincided with May Day celebrations.

A glance at the charcoal drawing of a little boy by L. Sivakesava Rao reveals the ugly face of child labour rampant in society. The boy is working at a site. “I get inspired from the issues happening in the society,” says the artist.

Seasoned artist Laxman Aelay shows us a day in the life of a labourer in a village getting ready to go to work. Rustam’s images are of two women and a man with potlis and a small steel container commonly used to carry food. While photographer P.V. Sivakumar captures a lone farmer working in his field, K. Ramesh Babu’s frame is of a young boy, who is making cricket bats instead of playing with them.

Aruna Giri’s dry pastels showcase sweepers and constructions workers. For artist Pavan Kumar, it is the domination of higher class on the lower class which has influenced his thought process. With a barbed fire fence in the spotlight, there is a wave of protest in red spread across the canvas. “I paint on current issues. My paintings are a mirror to the surroundings,” he points out. His wife Swethachandra’s watercolours on canvas depict a half eaten biscuit, a burnt match stick and a cigarette. “People are alone even when they have a company,” observes Swetha. It is this illusion of company and the absence of companionship that Swetha brings alive in her works. The paintings of a cup filled with tea without the contours of a cup or half-eaten biscuit signify that ‘some things are there, yet they are not there.’ “At a workplace, one takes a break to smoke or have tea and goes in a group to have them. But, one feels stressed, exhausted and isolated even when there are companions and togetherness. A burnt matchstick showcases that idea,” she states.

K. Nageswara Rao’s image of fishermen going out to sea catches one’s attention. “I had once watched the scene when fishermen in go inside the sea and a big wave splashing them. Yet they do not fear the sea; and it shows in their courageous attitude,” he says. His other painting on women carrying pots of water on their heads showcases the present situation. “I have travelled from Chittoor to Adilabad and from Adilabad to Srikakulam and have studied rural women. I am inspired by the features of Telugu women,” he says.

Vasantha Mukthavaram uses dry leaves to convey her message. Her dry-leaves art exudes uniqueness. She collects leaves and stores them carefully till the moisture goes away. “I don’t cut them but meticulously place them to bring about the shape and its features,” she says. Her exhibits ‘Aluperagani srama jeevi’ and ‘bala karmikulu’ depicts the lives of farmers and child labourers

The exhibition is on till May 10.

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