Banyan Hearts Studios (BHS) in Kismathpur in Hyderabad is bustling with energy. On December 16, BHS transforms into a printmaking zone with more than 20 contemporary artists from across the country taking part in a week-long camp. A week before the launch, senior artist Chippa Sudhakar, also its director, is busy with preparations. Wearing an apron, the artist takes a short walk across the premises before pausing for a chat under the shade of a 60-year-old banyan tree.
Sudhakar has been holding such camps for more than a decade but this year’s session holds significance for two reasons. “The workshop brings senior and junior artists together, and is a first of its kind during this pandemic,” he says, adding, “2013 was the last time we had big names from the art fraternity like Rini Dhumal and Jyoti Bhatt. The presence of the celebrated artists in this year’s list makes it an eagerly awaited camp.”
Some of the artists include Laxma Goud, Ravinder Reddy (also members of the organisation), T Vaikuntam, Atul Dondiya, Baiju Parthan, Vivek Vilasini, Veer Munshi, Seema Kohli and Riyaaz Kumar and V Ramesh.
The young artist’s three-month residency programme (that could extend to six months), an initiative of BHS has Madhukar Mucharla and Jayeeta Bhattacharjee. Besides helping them by providing them with accommodation, studio space and materials for work, BHS aims to have four to eight artists benefit from this internship. “The pandemic has affected all, especially the vulnerable sections. Upcoming artists too, faced many challenges. The Studio has infrastructure and space but we need the support of established artists and the art patronage community to help these youngsters with resources and guidance,” he points out.
The artists at the camp will create work in printmaking, a technique where multiple images can be sourced from a single plate. “Money from the sale of prints will go to a trust that takes care of the scholarship of artists doing residency programme at the Studio.”
