HYDERABAD: Nandalal Bose and other artists are known to have reincarnated Mahatma Gandhi on canvas. Now, on the 150th commemoration of his birth anniversary, Telangana artist Shankar Pamarthy does the same. He has sketched 40 artworks of the leader envisioning him as a yogi, a philosopher and a common man. The artworks will be on display from October 28 onwards at Kalakriti Art Gallery, as part of the exhibition titled ‘Mahatma 150’. It’s curated by Ruchi Sharma. Gandhi’s birth anniversary is also celebrated as ‘International Day of Non-Violence’.
Shankar has used a variety of techniques – drawing in pencil, pen, ink, and even using colour pencils, he has tried to represent Gandhi’s philosophy. But what drew him to bring Gandhi on canvas? Shankar shares, “I’d observe Mahatma Gandhi’s life through books and other materials, always amazed at how a thin, austere person in just a simple dhoti brought down the British Empire in the country and got its freedom? And as an artist, it was quite natural that I wanted to draw him.” He also used to collect photographs and illustrations of the leader. The sketches show him a bit too lean though despite aesthetically pleasing.
The exhibition opens on September 28 and is on till October 5.
— Saima Afreen
saima@newindianexpress
@Sfreen