HYDERABAD: India has a rich tradition of storytelling — from our ancient bards who travelled with nothing but stories in their quivers, to our potters and weavers who adorned their craft with re-creations of their daily lives, to dancers who told us of the love and beauty and anger of the gods — we were spoilt for choice. The solo art show titled 'Katha Kathan' by Mumbai-based artist Vishakha Hardikar, curated by Hyderabad-based Annapurna Madipadiga on display at Chitramayee Art Gallery of Hyderabad, Madhapur till January 29 is on a similar journey of storytelling.
“Keeping with that same tradition of balladeers and puppeteers and master craftsmen, this exhibition is yet another foray into the art of storytelling. The exhibition is divided into 10 sections, each section narrating a different part of the artist’s world and a different part of her soul. Love, anger and mischief express themselves differently in different stories and in different worlds. And so, with some familiar characters, a fresh perspective and a unique style, these works of art vibrantly add to the glorious tradition of Katha Kathan (storytelling).
Vishakha Hardikar has been a painter for 20 years, an artist for 41 years, but a storyteller forever. I found her when I was researching for another show related to narrative painting. I loved her work and wanted to plan a solo show with all her works, as there are only a handful of artists who work with narrative painting. Shortlisting works took time and finally we are showcasing more than 100 works done in different mediums — canvas, collages, sculpture, fibreglass and ceramic. Even though her style of work is pop, it has an Indian touch, mostly a folk touch. This will be her first solo show,” shares Annapurna, the curator.
Oil and acrylics detail her canvases, but each one of them isn’t just an image, it is a story. And although all her stories have a hero, every character in her paintings is the hero of their own stories. They each demand the same time and space as the more recognisable hero. It is not just Durga that demands her attention, but also the little cubs of Dawon, Durga’s vahan. It is not just Ram that demands her attention, but the apsaras that attend his coronation, completely consumed by their own beauty.
“Vishakha’s art is a premise to create parody and humour. She mirrors our experience of the mass media, capturing visual noise in a framework of ironic allegories ways the internet and media culture has crept into our lives. This makes Vishakha a force to be reckoned with. As a creator, she understands the world which she uses to create her own verse through deep listening, storytelling, and narration. There is a mature acceptance of personalities, trends, and the fast pace of time,” concludes Annapurna.