VISAKHAPATNAM: As part of the Andhra University centenary celebrations, the Department of Fine Arts has brought together nearly five decades of artistic work through the “AU Kala Centennial Saga” exhibition, held at the AU Convention Centre on Beach Road.
The Department of Fine Arts, established in 1976 with its first batch in 1977, has over the years developed into a space where students have explored both traditional and contemporary forms of art.
The works on display show this progression, beginning with drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture, and extending to newer practices such as video art, performance-based work and digital media. The “AU Kala Centennial Saga” exhibition will remain open until April 27 as part of the centenary celebrations.
The exhibition features works by nearly 300 participants, including alumni, current students and faculty members.
Around 150 of the contributors are former students who continue to work as practising artists, while close to 100 are present students. Their works include oil paintings, drawings, prints, wood carvings, plaster of Paris sculptures, brass works and other sculptural forms.
The works on display cover a range of themes. Some focus on personal experience and memory, while others address social issues such as caste, gender, inequality and spirituality. Many of the works also use symbolic and metaphorical forms to convey ideas beyond their visual appearance. Speaking with The New Indian Express, guest faculty member and alumna Mrudula Kunatharaju said the exhibition was planned to bring together artists who have continued their practice over the years.
She said many students discontinue art due to professional and personal reasons, and the exhibition highlights those who have remained active in the field.
She added that the aim was also to connect past and present generations of the department.
She said that in art, the idea behind a work is more important than visual trends. According to her, artworks often use everyday forms as metaphors to express personal and emotional experiences.
Among the participating students, 20-year-old Geetha said her work draws from difficult experiences in her childhood including abuse, which she has tried to express through her art.
She said the exhibition brought together a wide range of works in different forms such as painting, printmaking and sculpture, with each artist bringing in their own idea or concept.
For her, being part of the “AU Kala Centennial Saga” was a meaningful moment, as it was the first time her work was displayed during Andhra University’s centenary celebrations. She said she felt happy and encouraged to see student works exhibited alongside those of senior and established artists.
For many alumni, participating in the centenary exhibition has been a return to their academic roots.