When Badepalle-born artist Maredu Ramu first moved to Hyderabad in 2001, he remembers the city being much smaller, calmer and greener than it is today. It’s this difference that he aims to highlight through his artwork in his solo show, Deccan Connection 3. Showcasing 25 acrylic and oil paintings on canvas, the show is a representation of the city’s journey in the last two decades — in terms of development, lifestyle, people and the environment.
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Ramu’s paintings have always dealt with water, which he considers the most important element for every living being. This time too, he has used water as a theme to show the amount of pollution we’re fighting as a society. “I don’t intend to give people one particular message. Instead, it’s for the viewer to understand, depending on their perspectives,” he says. From nature, the concept of his work has gradually moved towards exploring the urban terrain, with all its modern pomp and glory. The vanishing green regions and encroachment by human beings are some of the themes he has dealt with in his work.
One of his paintings on display includes a landscape of Jubilee Hills, that has witnessed a complete transformation in the last few years. “I remember this area being full of rocks, and not many people would travel to this side of the town. But today, it is the hub for businesses, fashion, cinema and everything else,” recollects Ramu, who has completed his masters in fine arts from the University of Hyderabad. Other works also depict a street with metro pillars under construction and billboards around it — a store’s discount, a religious meeting and an ode to Sridevi.
Till November 30.
At Alliance Française Gallery.