From carpenter’s workshop to global canvas, Telangana artist’s rooted journey finds international acclaim
HYDERABAD: The scent of wood shavings was his first inspiration. The patience of a carpenter’s hands became his unwitting training. Today, artist Purnama Chary Kagithala transforms those early lessons into surreal canvases. From a carpenter’s workshop in Mummadivaram village, Warangal district, to a prestigious gallery in Sao Paulo, he has carried the textures of rural Telangana across the world, proving that the most rooted stories often travel the farthest.
Kagithala grew up watching his father shape timber into everyday objects. That early exposure to craft, patience and form unknowingly laid the foundation for a life devoted to art. Born in 1990, he began drawing seriously around the age of six. Encouraged by a government school drawing teacher whose paintings left a lasting impression, Kagithala made an unusual decision for a rural child — he shifted from a private school to a government school purely to pursue drawing. “Art was never a hobby for me. It became my language very early,” he tells TNIE.
The journey was far from easy. After completing basic drawing certifications and a teacher training course, he faced his biggest hurdle: formal fine arts education. With limited finances, his father borrowed Rs 15,000 to secure his first year at college. Determined not to burden his family further, Kagithala worked night shifts at a Domino’s Pizza outlet while pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting at a college affiliated with Osmania University.
By day, he attended classes and painted. By night, he earned just enough to cover rent, food and art materials. Alongside, he began teaching drawing to children — starting with one student and growing to over 50 within a year. “That was my first real success,” he says with a smile. “Not money, but the feeling that art could sustain me.”
His academic journey continued with a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Hyderabad, a highly competitive programme with rigorous theory and practical examinations. Working primarily in acrylics, charcoal and mixed media, Kagithala’s practice evolved into a surreal, figurative style. His works explore identity, dreams, displacement and movement, often symbolised through wings, human forms and objects drawn from memory.
Deeply rooted in rural Telangana, his paintings reflect traditional occupations, tribal life and cultural practices, rendered through a contemporary lens. “I don’t recreate tradition as it is,” he explains. “I translate it into today’s visual language.”
After a brief stint as a graphic designer, Kagithala opened Click Art Studio in Hyderabad with his brother, a photographer. The space became a hub for teaching, creating and exhibiting — until the pandemic forced its closure.
‘A lifelong discipline’
A new chapter opened in 2022 when his wife pursued higher studies in the UK. Relocating once again, Kagithala faced fresh struggles, taking up warehouse and part-time jobs while rebuilding his art practice from scratch. Today, he teaches art in the UK, conducts workshops, runs his studio practice and participates in international exhibitions.
His recent selection for a prestigious group exhibition in Sao Paulo, Brazil, marks a significant milestone. Two of his works were chosen through an international open call, placing his Telangana-rooted narratives on a global platform. “I never imagined my paintings would travel this far,” he says. “It’s humbling.”
Despite growing recognition, Kagithala remains grounded. For him, art is not about instant success but lifelong discipline. He actively mentors young artists and encourages students from small towns to pursue creative careers, while adapting to new technologies and evolving mediums.