Ramakanth Thumrugoti is a prominent name in Hyderabad art circles. With his rare distinction of having developed his signature style, it is a little wonder why. In an attempt to get connected with viewers, Ramakanth employs a highly developed sense of design, form and colour. The message attached to every painting draws the viewer from an abstract vision into a narrative brilliance. After enticing the city, the artist is currently presenting his solo exhibition of paintings titled ‘Travelogue of a stray bird and other works,’ at the Miyuki Art Gallery, located in Ginza, Tokyo
Excerpts from the interview
Style & training
The city-based artist says substance of my work is rooted in decades of reading and imbibing the essence of literature from Indian, English and Far East literature. “My work can be described as Transcend Art, this genre helps creating a common intellectual space that can be shared by the artist, art and the appreciator. Each painting has an individual story to tell. The treatment of the painting is semi-abstract. This style of my painting is a result of decades of conventional learning of classical art that is understanding human anatomy, figure drawing, painting techniques with various media that include pencil sketches, acrylics, water colours, charcoal drawings,” says the artist, who had previously, his private shows were held in Singapore (2007), Lyon, France (2008), Boston MI, USA (2010), Koln, Germany (2011) and Dusseldorf, Germany (2012, 2014).
About the ongoing exhibition in Tokyo
The show which kicked off on October 12 be will conclude on Saturday. “It’s a great honour to present my works in Japan, a country known for its fine artistic sensibilities. Japan has always been a great source of inspiration for me. This is one place I notice art as the part of living. Subtle, existentialistic and crafty, many Japanese artists like Hokusai and Hirushige have influenced my artistic pursuits. This show is my third solo show in Japan in the last five years. My art essentially studies the complexities of human relationships,” says Ramakanth, whose paintings are spread over United States, Europe, Middle East, India and Far East.
Work that defines him
“In the current series, I like the painting titled “The missing easiness of the everyday life.” It captures of my present state of mind where I worry about too many lines that are drawn and too much of direction that is shown. As Oskar Kokoschka, famous Austrian expressionist painter had once said , “All that is left now is purely poetic work, putting more life into individual places, as I have made so sure of the fundamental mood and dimension of expression that it won’t leave me groping around in uncertainty anymore,” shares the artist.
Story behind his signature piece
From his current series on displayed in Tokyo Ramakanth says he like his “I loved you so long” where the painting gives the story of human relation which cannot be measured by time factor.
Price range
Ramakanth’s paintings are priced between Rs 4-6 lakh Japanese Yens.
What’s next?
The artist has three international solo shows on the anvil for 2016 in Paris, Barcelona, Taiwan and couple of national level shows in his kitty.
Hall of Fame
2014
His work was showcased at India Art Fair 2014, New Delhi and received acclaim from art connoisseurs.
2013
His painting ‘The Ecstasy of Untethered Love’ was auctioned amidst royalty and the elite in the ballroom of Burj al Arab in Dubai. The painting was selected by a committee of the Children’s Hope Foundation (CHF), which provides medical and educational facilities for underprivileged children across three continents.