A few weeks ago, at Forestrek Park, a group of 25 artists sat under the hot sun, giving natural geological wonders a touch of their artistic style and transforming them into powerful environmental statements. Titled Whispering Rocks: The Deccan Legacy, the initiative now continues through a photography exhibition — an extended vertical showcasing these contemporary artists working on installations, performances, and site-specific art among the breathtaking ancient Deccan rocks at ICONART Gallery.
In its earlier chapter at Forestrek Park, artists turned the Deccan’s ancient basalt formations into a living canvas. Through their creative interventions using thread, cloth, terracotta, and other natural materials, they raised thought-provoking questions about humanity’s relationship with nature. These installations challenged viewers to reflect on the silent stone witnesses of history and emphasised the need for preservation through aesthetic experiences. The current exhibition documents that four-day artistic journey through the photographers’ lenses.
“The current show is a photographic intervention to highlight the legacy of our Deccan rocks,” said Dr Avani Rao Gandra, curator at ICONART Gallery. She added that the exhibition is more than mere documentation — it’s a layered conversation between art, ecology, and heritage.
In her curatorial note, Dr Avani reflects on the project’s deeper philosophy — “This exhibition is more than documentation; it is an ode to the fragile yet enduring bond between human creativity and the natural world.” The installations — delicate as ikebana and profound as poetry inscribed on stone — use ephemeral, eco-conscious materials to remind us that life is sustained through reciprocity, and that art holds the power to honour this truth.
With 15 photographers participating, the exhibition is presented in two verticals. One of them features five photographers — Vishwender Reddy Kommidi, Viswanatham L, Srikanth Nippatla, Madhu Gopal Rao, and Ashok Vootla — who offer deeply personal and poetic interpretations of the Deccan rockscape.
Vishwender’s monochromatic images go beyond geological observation — they reveal a silent dialogue between earth and sky. Viswanatham brings a humanist perspective, capturing lives that unfold in close proximity to these ancient stones. Srikanth explores paradox through his haunting Stonehenge series, questioning both spiritual and material connections to stone. “If rocks can hold temples, why can’t they be temples themselves?” he asks. Madhu’s meditative frames capture tender moments — a woman resting in a boulder’s shadow, a shrine nestled in stone — emphasising the sacred interaction between human life and the land. Ashok fuses poetic intuition with scientific precision, documenting how natural light transforms rock: dawn gilds granite, monsoon clouds bathe it in indigo, and twilight sets it aglow like ember.
Photographers and filmmakers from the Telangana Photographic Society — 10 in total — joined as witnesses, not just capturing but participating in the sacred dialogue between artist and stone. Bhaskar Mallaram, K Jitender Hari, P Manikanth, S Prashant Manchikanti, Ramakrishna Rao Tanikella, Raghuram Logishetty, Srinath Logishetty, Vikramdev Rao, Venkat Kasturi, and Vijay Kumar KV caught the rhythm of ephemeral art born under open skies, from the first light of dawn to the hushed glow of twilight. The resulting body of work not only celebrates visual beauty but also inspires viewers to become active custodians of this fragile legacy.
“As the artists braved the scorching sun at Forestrek Park, pouring their passion into installations and murals, sweat and effort blended as their hands shaped beauty from nature, earth, and stone. Through my lens, I tried to capture their resilience — a quiet tribute to creativity and the will to preserve nature. Their dedication and determination to highlight the need for conservation is unmatched,” said Ramakrishna, one of the participating photographers.
The photographic exhibition is on view at ICONART Gallery until May 20. “With both the artists’ and photographers’ interventions, the true success of the project lies in its ability to transform passive observers into active custodians of this irreplaceable legacy,” notes Dr Avani Rao Gandra.