Indian history is replete with examples where art has paid a loving homage to light and festivities, be it in the splendid Mughal paintings, Pahari miniatures, or the oleographs of Raja Ravi Varma. Every artist has re-imagined the lights and splendour of festivals in his or her way. At the ongoing group show of paintings titled Light on the Canvas: Cloaked in Light by Masuram Ravikanth, Megha Shankar, Nayanna Kanodia, Priyanka Aelay, Ramani Mylavarapu and Renuka Sondhi Gulati at Kalakriti Art Gallery, expect an eclectic selection of artworks that reverberate with everything that makes light so special.
Brush strokes
Talking about the show, Rekha Lahoti, founder Kalakriti Art Gallery says, “We planned this group exhibition as part of our month-long Diwali celebrations. The artworks on display are an interesting mix with each one different from the other in their approach, yet connected by their depiction of the human and nature relationship.” For Hyderabad-based artist Priyanka Aelay, her works were supposed to be displayed at a different gallery in Delhi but that got postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. “I am really happy to showcase my works in Hyderabad first. I did the paintings last year during the pandemic when there were no physical shows and only a few online shows,” she says. Priyanka’s acrylic on canvas works has an interesting take on the Indian miniature style by overlapping it with flora and fauna.
City-based artist Ramani Mylavarapu’s works showcase digital prints on canvas, inspired by the global women’s movement and its recent manifestation in India. “I used the metaphor of art history to showcase my concern and chose pastiche (an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period) art form. The Light Within is an interesting hybridisation (combination of famous Indian artwork (SL Haldankar’s Glow of Hope) with a famous western artist’s work — Vincent Van Gogh’s The Potato Eaters (1885),” says Ramani, adding, “The resulting pastiche is meant to highlight the way women elevate and bring relief to the hardships of domestic life. I inserted myself in the painting as the girl with the lamp casting the glow and rays of hope. As I hail from a farmer’s family, this captures the hardship of many farmers. As a feminist, I highlighted the role of women in a family — being a motivating and unifying force. Paying homage to the unsung role of women in the family as a mother, sister and wife and who shows light in the darkness or difficult situations.” The show’s other interesting artworks are the Royal Gaze series (acrylic on canvas) by artist Masuram Ravikanth and Renuka Sondhi Gulati’s Journey Through Nature (oil and acrylic on canvas) on display.
The exhibition is on till November 30, Kalakriti Art Gallery, Road No 4, Banjara Hills (11 am to 7 pm).
— reshmichakravorthy@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @reshmi190488