‘Journey Within’, an exhibition of art organised by members of Amaravati Visual Art Society (AVAS), a newly-formed artists’ body in Andhra Pradesh, is an attempt to bring awareness among people about various forms of art through a series of events proposed to be organised in future, said AVAS president Kota Mrutyunjaya Rao.
The inauguration of the three-day exhibition at the Cultural Centre of Vijayawada (CCV) in the city, coincided with the International Artists Day observed to mark the birth anniversary of legendary artist Pablo Picasso.
The first public event by the society members is a smorgasbord of various mediums such as miniature art by artist Giridhar Gowd, charcoal works by K. Mrutyunjaya Rao, depiction of human relations by Teki Mrutyunjaya Rao and Vasan Velpuri’s sculpture works.
Srinivas Padakandla has explored mystical thoughts through canvas-paint brush medium, Manohar’s inclination towards a world beyond reality comes to the fore while P. Santosh Kumar’s search of identity reflects in his work.
Butterflies are recurrent motifs that appear in Venkates Chadalavada’s works while Mary’s illustrations revolve around women in pensive mood.
Artists Veeraiah’s comes up with poetical expression in vibrant colours and Appala Naidu’s figurative sculptures explore the balance between self and the external world.
“Art has no frontiers. In fact, it is a powerful medium to transcend boundaries. We want the government to give art forms the recognition they so richly deserve,” said Mr. Rao, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Fine Arts in Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa. Suggesting that the State fovernment could think of levying a 1 per cent cultural cess on the lines of Punjab to generate revenue, he said that efforts should be made to transform the State into a place of art-lovers.
