A skeletal mass with deep and dark labyrinthine fissures sleeps in B. Srinivas Reddy's series of paintings titled, ‘Fragile City'. The paintings are symbolic depictions of a cityscape that was once resplendent with life. The paintings are a memory of the past, which is no more. The city now sleeps with no life, business, cars, wars or human existence.
One noticeable feature in the paintings is the sheer number of windows. As a representation of multiple memories, the dark crevices and squares on the canvas jog you into wondering as to what lies beyond. The big canvas encapsulates a giant idea of a city, but unlike Canaletto's Venice cityscapes, Srinivas Reddy's are rather abstract than realistic. Bordering on a diabolical representation of an idea — a sleeping, rather dead city.
What comes to your mind when you think of a city? Isn't it the people, the lights and the activity that makes up a city. The empty windows in Srinivas Reddy's paintings ponder upon creativity and the birth of an idea. The windows represent the different variations of life — big and small. The sober colours have a marked presence in Srinivas's works, dull browns, yellows and deep blues stand as steady foundation to dark strokes that make up for skyscrapers and buildings. Even shades of red have been made to look sombre.
The paintings focus on the present status of the current cities as well. With changing psychologies, landscapes and attitudes, cities today are ever-evolving. The works represent the time and space function of a city and it represents the idea that a city might cease to thrive if the windows of feeling and emotion and creativity gradually lose their value.
The exhibition is on at Icon Art Gallery in Banjara Hills till February 10. For more details contact: 9885228446
