Fervent fractal form

A digital art form brought to life by old-school techniques

March 21, 2017 04:41 pm | Updated 04:41 pm IST

Rampa on the stories behind his art

Rampa on the stories behind his art

In Hyderabad, there are various pockets of hidden art communities. Sixty-four-year-old Rampa unveils his collection of fractal art in an exhibition titled ‘Black and White Fractal Melodies’ in Kavuri Hills.

A collection of 108 eye-catching works embraces the natural order and disorder of life. The works, however, are not framed; Rampa explains that the work should speak so well for itself that it does not need a frame. He explains that fractal art has always been in his mind, and shares “With such a fire in my mood, I completed it in one month, working night and day. Initially, I worked with a light hand, then with Indian ink and a brush. And only after finishing it, I yawned. Then it took two months to put together this display.”

Fractal art has not taken off big time in India, with only a few notable figure in this genre. Fractal art involves the algorithmic formation of shapes and patterns within an artwork, usually created digitally on a computer. Indian art is inherently creative and story-driven, but Rampa succeeds in displaying small stories in each hand-painted piece, bringing an old-school feel to a popular media art form. One of Rampa’s favourites is of a dark hard breaking into the ground. While this type of art may not be to everyone’s taste, the collection maintains a mesmerising feel thanks to symmetrical forms and psychedelic undertones along with the stark contrast of black and white.

Rampa, versatile in the world of art as a cartoonist, a playwright and a performer, feels his work is aptly titled. ‘Melodies’ underpins the flow between all 108 pieces, showcasing, according to him, “Life is a chronic disease. And laughter is the medicine.”

The exhibition, on the ground floor of the American Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology, will be welcoming viewers until March 29.

Fractal Facts In the1970s, Benoît Mandelbrot, a Polish-born and French mathmetician coined the term ‘fractal’ from the Latin fractus for its use in describing the geometry of broken glass.

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