His fondness for ancient Indian epics is evident in his works that are on display at Aalankritha Art Gallery. Titled ‘Recreating the Epical Tales’, artist Gade Pramod Reddy’s works are inspired by the many episodes of Indian epics, that have been an integral aspect of his work.
With scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana featuring prominently, Pramod Reddy’s works have a collage-like feel to them with the artist adding related figures and texts in the backdrop to each of his works. He also uses varying textures to add character to his paintings.
Featuring characters like Krishna, Hanuman, Narasimha and Vishnu, there is a lot more to his works than meets the eye. Each mythological hero is complemented by related characters and anecdotes in the background.
The artist uses colour patches and finely rendered line work to add more depth and meaning to his works.
What sets Pramod Reddy’s works apart is how he juxtaposes silhouettes and full figures of the same characters creating a sort of overlap that uses the space in an interesting manner. The devatas are recreated in their avatars and exist in all the pomp and glory that has been attached to their divine aura, according to art writer Palak Dubey.
This particular series of works by Pramod Reddy reveals his deep understanding of and affinity to Indian mythology. Though heard several times, being able to see an artist’s visualisation of these mythological tales is fascinating. The exhibition is on view till March 28 at Aalankritha Art Gallery.
