This showcase in Hyderabad is a collection of the artists’ diverse perspectives and backgrounds

Art is a reflection of one’s soul. It is the product of the artist’s experiences, the stories he hears, his belief systems, and the life he has lived. The art and the artist can never be separated. Echoes of expression is a group show where artists are exhibiting the pieces closest to their hearts. “We have selected pieces which reflect a certain expression and emotion. Although not explicit, each canvas will make the viewer feel varied emotions,” says Hanumantha Rao, the curator.

Across artists, all the pieces have childhood inspirations in common. Soumen Saha, whose work focuses on the ghats of Varanasi says, “I used to paint a lot of these ghats back in college. These works in a way are a tribute to those paintings.” On similar lines, P Rajasekhar, whose work focuses of fishermen and their lives, says that owing to his college being situated on the coast, he would see a lot of fishermen. They have inspired almost all of his works. Nithyam Singha Roy also draws from the stories he heard from his mother as a child, which inclined him towards spirituality.

All the artists have a very unique style they draw from their personal experiences. “I focus on one or two main subjects and paint them with a lot of detail. The contextual elements of the art pieces are just painted in monotone, and left to the audience’s imagination,” says Rajashekhar. Soumen also follows the idea of leaving a few things to the audience’s imagination. He uses acrylic paints to create the effect of watercolours, to give the piece a misty and foggy look. “When you look at the painting closely, it is the haze you can see, but as you go farther, you can see the figures and details more distinctly,” Soumen adds.

Nithyam on the other hand uses a lot of textures to add depth to his craft. “My work revolves around the interplay of cosmic feminine and masculine energies,” he explains. Another artwork which showcases the duality of these energies is by Kiran Varikilla. “The main element of my work is the flame which symbolises enlightenment. The peacock and the lady are representative of Radha and Krishna, and the textures and colours I have used reflect my personal style,” he explains.

These paintings showcase the variety in expressions and forms, and give the audience a platform to experience a diversity of ideas and cultural influences. The show case also features artwoks by Kandan G, Sabbavarapu VS Rao, and DVS Krishna.

Tickets at INR 499. March 8, 8 pm. At Odeum by Prism, Financial District.