HYDERABAD : Pastiches, photo-performances and live performance – it is an intriguing and unusual mix that the upcoming show titled ‘Time is Up’ offers. It is being presented by Hyderabad-based artist Ramani Mylavarapu, who has an interesting and impressive portfolio of artistic work and academic achievements.
The three-day show is set to open on March 8 at Gallery 78, and is being billed as the first-of-its-kind in the city. ‘Time is Up’ is made up of three distinct series and all of these are linked by the common theme of feminism or women’s empowerment.
This is being timed with the forthcoming International Women’s Day. Moreover, the show is in a format and manner not attempted before in Hyderabad. For the uninitiated, a photo-performance is a contemporary art form in which the artist makes himself/herself visible. However, the live performance is being linked only to the first day.
So, what is the purpose of this unusual show? Ramani replies, “Through this show, I am espousing the cause of women. The whole idea is to it draw attention to women’s struggles, their problems, their awakening and assertion of their rights.”The first series is constituted by about 12 western paintings and includes several artworks that deconstruct famous paintings by male artists.
Herein, pastiche is deployed with a difference. A pastiche is a work of visual art that imitates the style or character of the work of two or more artists and celebrates their work. She explains: “But I purposely use my body to replace the figures in the original works and also swap figures from two distinct works of different genres altogether. My intrusion in these paintings is not masked but an attempt to disrupt the way the work is viewed. The aim of this disruption is to shock and provoke the viewers to think.”
The second series titled ‘Pancha Kanyas’ draws from Indian tradition and epics. In the Indian tradition, the Pancha Kanyas refer to Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari. These women defied the social norms in more ways than one, even as they bravely endured suffering. These women are celebrated for their bold choices and courage. They are being portrayed by Ramani not just as historical figures but with a modern twist.
The third series, ‘Real Heroes’ is Ramani’s tribute to the five social reformers of India and their great, pioneering contributions to women’s empowerment and female dignity. These five are Raja Rammohan Roy, Gurajada Appa Rao, Kandukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu, Ishwara Chandra Vidyasagar, and Mahatma Gandhi.
Ramani has an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in Painting from JNAFAU, Hyderabad, an MSc in Zoology, and a PG diploma in HRD. She also attended a summer course in contemporary art at Slade Art School, London in 2015. She had her first solo exhibition at State Art Gallery, Hyderabad in 2014 and has also participated in group exhibitions around India, Dubai and London.
This is her second solo show and is the culmination of nearly 10 months of hard work which went into conceptualising, planning and execution, she explains. “I am hoping art lovers will understand and appreciate this novel presentation. It is my humble way of contributing to the cause of women’s upliftment and empowerment,” she concludes.‘Time Is Up’ exhibition is open for viewing from 7 pm on March 8 to 11 at Gallery 78, Near Hitex, Madhapur.