A flood of colours and emotions oozes out of the works of Ravi Kattakuri, currently on display at the ongoing art exhibition at Andhra University Department of Fine Arts. While the characteristic feminine face with pouting lips is predominant in Ravi’s repertoire, the exhibition also showcases the changing dynamics of his style from his early days as an artist.
Ravi, who recently returned after a month-long trip to Japan for the Visiting Artist Programme, has showcased about 55 of his works spanning five years. Among his latest is the series on nude figures that he showed in Japan. Done in pen and ink and watercolour on paper, the works have elements inspired from the Indian countryside.
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Speaking about his recent visit to Japan, Ravi says: “It was a confluence of artists and their ideologies from four different countries. The art scene in Japan is quite evolved and is heavily influences from abstract art. Artists often play with illusions to alter the day-to-day perceptions. Visual installation art is an emerging form in Japan as well as Europe where the artists are involved in dance performance as well as projected scenography.”
Some of his incomplete works (not displayed at the exhibition) were inspired by Japanese landscapes and Nature. Ravi, who has visited seven countries as part of various artist programmes, feels that Indian art has a lot of demand in South Asian as well as European countries.
Hailing from an agricultural family, Ravi’s foray into art was the result of a stroke of luck. He used to paint on walls and hoardings for political parties in his village in the 1990s. During his second year of BSc, his artistic passion drew him towards Fine Arts. He eventually shifted streams and completed his BFA from Andhra University and MFA from Santiniketan. “My stay there laid a solid foundation for my artistic style. Prof Jogen Choudhary, who used to teach Indian modern art, played an important role in helping me develop an individualistic style. That exposure in art was a big platform for me.”
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Turning point
The turning point in his life came when his works got selected for a solo show at Mumbai’s Prithvi Art Gallery in 2002. Its success also brought him attention from some known names in the art circuit and helped build his network.
The ongoing exhibition has some of the artist’s early abstract works from his MFA days in Shantiniketan. “Now I am concentrating on group feminine figures, adding more forms and elements to the canvas. The idea is to tell a story through a single work.”
Venue:AU Dept. of Fine Arts
Date:Till October 27
Time: 10 am to 6 pm