HYDERABAD: Have you ever had a dream that lasted long after you woke up because it felt so real? A recent show at Hyderabad’s Chitramayee State Gallery of Art, ‘Siren’s Lullaby - In a Forgotten Realm’, took you on just that kind of enchanting voyage. The collection, which was creatively curated by Premjish Achari, encouraged one to explore a fanciful universe where the real and the mythical collided to create a vivid visual experience that resembled stumbling through a dream.
Exhibiting a diverse range of well-established artists and up-and-coming talents, with each one contributing their own narratives, the show was organised by Gallery Dotwalk. It’s about entering a place full of mystery and magic rather than merely looking at art.
The title of the exhibition, according to Achari, emphasised our enduring interest with dreams and their complexities.
“Like the eerie siren songs that lured sailors off their paths, dreams draw us into hidden realms; they’re beautiful but elusive, frequently drawing us away from the reality we know,” he added.
The artworks delved deeply into the subconscious to reveal the vivid images and landscapes that dreams frequently leave behind as you explore them. “Dreams imprint on our minds in ways we can’t always describe. They’re like fleeting shadows that stay with us,” Achari stated. Every artwork in the show embodied this idea, evoking feelings and ideas that may or may not be relatable to your own experiences.
Local artist Ravinder Reddy, who is known for his playful use of colour, created an impressive sculpture that combined the commonplace and the extraordinary, featuring bananas surrounded by flowers. “Reddy transforms something so simple into a surreal masterpiece,” Achari observed, emphasising the work’s playful yet profound quality.
GR Iranna, an amazing artist and a sensation at the Venice Biennale, was also on display with his contemporary, quasi-abstract artwork ‘Sunshine Under the Clouds’ which stood out from the rest. Achari emphasised the rich tapestry of creativity on display, saying, “We’ve got a wonderful variety of artists showcasing their unique styles here.”
Browsing the gallery, we took a moment to consider our dreams—their beauty, their confusion, and the way they linger in our minds. We let our imaginations run wild and lost ourselves in these fantastic
settings. “These artworks have a way of staying with you, leaving a mark on your conscious and subconscious,” the curator added.
This thought-provoking exhibition was a fantastic opportunity to discover how artists interpret the elusive world of dreams. Whether one was an art enthusiast or simply curious about the mysteries of the mind, ‘Siren’s Lullaby - In a Forgotten Realm’ left them in awe.
