At his studio in Okhla on Friday, artist G R Iranna walked visitors through an exclusive preview of a series of paintings, sculptures and installations exploring the relationship between nature, history and spirituality. Made using materials such as ash, charcoal, burnt paper and terracotta powder, the works reflect on the impermanence of human achievements and how time leaves its mark on the world.
Titled ‘Whisperings from Transcending Meadows’, the exhibition will be presented by Gallery Espace in collaboration with Bihar Museum in Patna from November 21 to February 4, 2027.
The show takes its philosophical inspiration from the poetry of 12th-century Kannada poet Allama Prabhu and his concept of ‘bayalu’, a Kannada word that Iranna describes as an open, infinite space without boundaries or barriers. Going beyond the idea of emptiness, it suggests a state in which everything dissolves into an expansive, unbounded space.
Nature and memory
Many of Iranna’s works feature trees and tree trunks rendered in unusual shapes. A recurring motif across his paintings and sculptures, trees represent a connection between the natural world and the passage of time. In one work, the artist creates lines resembling the rings of a tree trunk.
These lines suggest the age of a tree and the events it may have witnessed. Iranna reflected on how trees can survive for centuries, outlasting generations and witnessing changes in societies, religions and political systems.
He also draws parallels between tree branches and the human nervous system, pointing to the similarities in their patterns. Through these forms, he explores the close relationship between the human body, mind and nature.
Iranna grew up in a farming family in Sindagi, Karnataka, where trees, soil and water bodies were part of his everyday surroundings. “I grew up surrounded by that soil and the unmistakable smell of the earth, something nobody can forget. I spent my childhood swimming in the pond and climbing trees,” he says.
These experiences continue to shape his creative process. Iranna says his years at a traditional gurukul left a lasting impression on him, which continues to find expression in his spiritually inspired works.
Traces of the past
History, particularly the ruins of Nalanda, forms another important theme in the exhibition. Iranna recalls visiting the site and being struck by the remains of what was once a major centre of learning. One of the large artworks depicts Nalanda in charcoal, with intricate details capturing the ruins.
“Today, the wall is a witness [to history],” he notes, reflecting on the remains of Nalanda.
Another work draws directly from the site's brick walls. Made using half-burnt wooden slippers once worn by ascetics and saints, the life-sized installation recreates the appearance of a damaged structure. Its charred surface evokes a sense of destruction and loss.
The conceptual development of the installation took around one-and-a-half years, while its execution took about six months. Iranna describes the work as a “silent scream”; it also reflects on how religious, political and territorial conflicts have shaped history.
The Buddha and Bodh Gaya are other important references in the exhibition. One of the works shows a Buddha head emerging from a composition of black ash and burnt paper, with its rounded hair curls becoming visible when viewed from a distance.
In the age of AI
According to Iranna, for him, the process of making art often begins with an image or an intuition that gradually develops through drawing and experimentation. Ideas may shift during the process as he tests what works in practice.
The artist also spoke about the growing opportunities for artists in India, pointing to the increasing number of galleries, museums and biennales. He believes greater public awareness is helping people understand art better, although he adds that India still has a long way to go compared with Western countries, where children are often introduced to museums from an early age — which helps them understand the "value of art".
Additionally, speaking on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in art, Iranna adds that while technology can draw from existing works and create new combinations, it cannot replicate an artist’s unique creativity. Taking the poet Kabir Das as an example, Iranna points out, “AI can bring together Kabir’s poems and combine them to create something new, but it cannot [match the ‘divine’ creativity that comes from the poet himself].”