Bengaluru exhibition Journeys Within celebrates Gurudas Shenoy’s 60th year, with 38 of his works

Embark on a visual odyssey with Journeys Within by Artisera, Gurudas Shenoy’s latest solo exhibition that masterfully blends abstraction, texture and emotion. Marking his 60th year, this collection reveals Gurudas’ dynamic artistic evolution, offering viewers a glimpse into his rich inner world through captivating landscapes, still-life works and innovative collages. Gurudas takes us through the idea behind the exhibition, how spirituality influenced his works, how he strikes a balance between abstraction and structure and lots more…

Your exhibition Journeys Within marks 60 years of your artistic journey. What inspired these works?

These works reflect my life journey, spanning over four decades. Spiritual Odyssey is a series of imagined landscapes inspired by my travels, memories and spiritual experiences. Rather than documenting specific places, these paintings are mindscapes — visual interpretations of inner reflection. Growing up in Udupi, surrounded by the Arabian Sea and Western Ghats, I witnessed nature’s transformative beauty — like sunlight turning a simple rock into something divine. This spiritual connection deeply influences my work. Meanwhile, Timeless Narratives are rooted in memories and sentimental objects. I use elements like old newspapers, sepia tones and layered textures to evoke a sense of time. These pieces resemble windows into the past — each layer revealing stories, belongings and experiences that have shaped my journey.

The Spiritual Odyssey series seems to reflect your connection to nature. How does spirituality influence your creative process?

Spirituality and creativity go hand in hand; they run parallel. Nature itself is deeply abstract and understanding that abstraction is key. For instance, when I paint landscapes, I experience a sense of calmness. That’s why I call the series Spiritual Odyssey. I remember watching the sunset at Malpe Beach near my hometown, Udupi. The colours of the setting sun — cadmium orange, cadmium chrome, vermilion — blend in a way that feels otherworldly. It’s a divine experience. Similarly, standing at Hampi’s hills during sunset, watching the golden light dance across the landscape, feels like witnessing magic. These moments of stillness, awe and reflection are deeply spiritual to me and they guide my creative process.

In Timeless Narratives, you’ve incorporated collage elements. What drew you to this technique and how does it complement your style?

I’ve always experimented with different materials. I’ve worked extensively with murals and various mediums and each material brings its own limitations and possibilities. Collage offers a unique way to layer time and memory. For example, I often use old newspapers, which represent time itself. These collected papers have aged beautifully, developing unique textures and colours. By scanning and integrating them into my work, I create layers that evoke a sense of history. I once came across an old newspaper featuring India’s independence announcement — seeing that front page transported me to that era. It’s this sense of nostalgia and storytelling that inspires my collage work in Timeless Narratives.

How do you strike a balance between abstraction and structure in your landscapes?

I don’t plan or paint abstraction. There’s always a drawing behind my paintings. I create texture, effects and lighting — that’s just the way I work. Abstraction is abundant in nature and it naturally finds its way into my art. Some say I have a distinctive style but I believe it’s simply my way of seeing. Unless you understand the structure of the landscape, the anatomy and the perspective, you can’t make a good abstraction. It’s not about deliberately painting abstract works; rather, it emerges organically as part of my expression.

Having worked extensively in both large murals and smaller-scale works, how do you adapt your creative process for different formats?

The creative process remains the same for both small and large scale works. However, larger canvases offer me more freedom and allow for a bigger impact, which suits my narrative as I have many stories and emotions to express. I’ve spent four decades painting, working daily. Since I paint in oils, I avoid working after dark as artificial light distorts colours like burnt umber and indigo. Larger formats excite me — some of my murals span 4,000 square feet, requiring scaffolding to paint heights of 14-15 feet. While challenging, I find bigger canvases comfortable and liberating.

With this exhibition spanning multiple mediums — charcoal, oil and collage — how do you decide which medium best conveys your vision?

Each medium has its own character and I choose based on what suits my narrative. Sometimes, I combine media like oil and charcoal for the desired effect. This choice often happens instinctively. The sensory experience also plays a role — the smell of linseed oil or the sound of charcoal on canvas adds to my process. Ultimately, it depends on the story I want to tell and the emotions I wish to convey, with each medium enhancing the rhythm and texture of my work.

Entry free. On till March 30, 11 am to 6 pm. At Indiranagar.

Email: alwin@newindianexpress.com

X: @al_ben_so