Childhood memories
One of the artworks that caught our attention was a black and white one by Dr Laxman Aelay. The untitled mixed media on canvas work is bold, quasi-realist. The arduously drawn imagery evokes a sense of nostalgia. If you grew up in the ’80s-’90s you will be taking a ride down memory lane while engrossed in the detailing of the striking visuals. Dr Aelay is a highly reputed artist for his contemporary depictions of rural Telangana imagery. Like many successful artists, he too started his artistic journey as a signboard painter and illustrator, before moving to mainstream art. We know from our epics, that the weapons of our deities were described in all their glory, including their origin, exceptional powers, and how to use them righteously. This specific work of his dwells on the idea of popularising and making weapons a fashion statement in mainstream cinema. “I have worked in several movies in various capacities so I wanted the artwork to look like a movie banner. I finished it in 40 days,” he says. Another black and white artwork that was interesting was Bhakthakannappa, led and ink on paper by artist Nagesh Goud B. Cinema inspires Nagesh as an artist. As a child he followed his parents to a movie theatre. Watching the movie Bhakthakannappa in colour on a large screen was mesmerising to the then seventh grader. When Annapurna approached him with the concept, he went back to these movies to relive the experience of his childhood. The screenplays, dialogues, costumes, and everything else that went into making these movies made them trailblazers of their time. Creating these works took him back to his days of working as an art director for an advertising agency in Mumbai.
Reel vs real
One of the other works that stood out was Tea Party in oil colour on canvas by artist Damodar Naya. The imagery in this painting references The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. However, this is where the comparison ends. Damodar’s painting depicts a tea party, where the doyens of Telugu Cinema are engaging with each other and enjoying themselves. Actors from different eras are placed in the same visual frame. They are seated at the table, sharing a common table to indicate that all of these actors are integral to the history of Telugu cinema. Artist A Rajeswara Rao’s Six Access in acrylic on acrylic sheet highlights the heroism in regional movies. “I am happy the way the show has turned out — larger than life, suiting the subject. I want to continue with the show as there are so many avenues to explore and I am also planning to make this a traveling show,” Annapurna concludes.