The wall of memories

Vibrant abstract oil canvases, immersive watercolour landscapes, pencil sketches of Cubbon Park, incredible ink-on-paper artwork... all the colours imaginable merge to create an astonishing body of work that defines the artist and mother of cricket icon Rahul Dravid. Pushpa Dravid’s retrospective exhibition, Srishti, spans nearly 70 years. While the country cheers Rahul Dravid for bringing home the World Cup T20 trophy as head coach of the Indian team, he was cheering his mother at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru, on Palace Road, on Friday.

Walking through the halls of NGMA, surrounded by over 250 artworks of his mother, Rahul Dravid couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of nostalgia. “It feels nostalgic because it’s like a retrospective. I remember seeing a lot of paintings displayed here as a child... I would watch my mom paint some of these at home,” he says, his voice tinged with warmth. “A constant memory from my childhood was seeing my mother with her paintings on our old dining table, passionately dedicated to her craft.”

One of Rahul Dravid’s fondest memories is looking at the murals engraved in terra cotta installed at the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), which includes tributes to cricketers Brijesh Patel, Anil Kumble, as well as himself. “I remember mom doing those murals at the KSCA...For the sheer magnitude of it and how big it is, it sometimes almost felt unbelievable. Seeing it at a stadium where I have played and won was a really special memory.”

For Rahul Dravid, the exhibition was more than just an artistic event; it was a celebration of his mother’s life and legacy. “If anyone had seen my drawings and my art, I would not have been invited. Unfortunately, I never inherited her artistic talents,” he admits with a laugh. “But watching her dedication, passion, and hours of concentration to bring these pieces to life was a huge inspiration for me,” he says.

Reflecting on the inauguration and the retrospective, Pushpa Dravid, the 83-year-old artist shares, “It feels great to see this exhibition happen. It’s been more than 70 years, and I never thought something like this could happen. Whenever I painted, they used to watch me, and Vijay [Dravid] used to come and sit with me. I am happy to see my sons [Rahul Dravid and Vijay Dravid] here, remembering their childhood days.”

Vijay Dravid adds, “My straight drive may not have been as good as Rahul’s, but everyone in the family tells me I inherited a little bit of my mom’s artistic talent.” The evening programme saw a big draw with the likes of renowned artists SG Vasudev, Rekha Hebbar Rao, and art historian Choodamani Nandagopal being present.

The in-house curated exhibition showcases an extensive range of Dravid’s work, from her early days in the 1960s to her latest creations. The collection includes drawings, sketches, and more, revealing the evolution of her artistic journey. A section dedicated to the folk art and tribal life of Madhya Pradesh, as well as digital visuals of her terracotta murals, has been added to offer a glimpse into the scale and ambition of her public art projects.