Prahlad KV Acharya’s landscape paintings evoke a sense of timeless allure, ethereal beauty and serene composure. From the subtle washes on the paper to the bold, expressive strokes of the canvas paintings in oils and acrylics, the artist has arrested unfading spirit and suggestive appeal in a simple routine. It offers glimpses of boundless grandeur not only of nature and historical buildings but also in abstractions. Through the delicate understanding of water, pigment, and imagination, the artist blows life into his creations, converting mere paper and paint into portals to the sublime.
Landscapes embracing simplicity count on the purity of form and colour. By shedding away extraneous minutiae, the artist filters the soul of the landscape to its most requisite elements. With delicate strokes and subtle hues, the artist brings to life the fascinating splendour of nature, from rolling hills and river sides to quiet lakes and twisting pathways. Paintings of historical buildings carry viewers through time, capturing the spirit of architectural marvels with exquisite detail and nostalgic charm.
The drama of chiaroscuro accentuates the weathered façade, with turrets peeping through the water body. A sense of nostalgia and stillness pervades a watercolour painting of a trench, reflecting the castle’s imposing silhouette. The structures whisper the enigmas of bygone eras and windows to the past. The handling of light and shadow reveals the textures and patinas of aged surfaces, infusing these overlooked spaces with their history and melancholy- evocative vignettes that stir the imagination and suggest wistful exquisiteness.
The wet-on-wet technique ensures that soft, diffused edges and mixing of colour can be seen in the soft glow of sunlight filtering through foliage or the shimmering reflections of rainwater on wet roads. Various textures have been created by varying the brushstrokes’ pressure, angle, and course. Whether broad and gestural or gentle and defined, each brushstroke adds to the painting’s overall mood and visual impact. He smoothly transfers the mood and atmosphere on his paper. Whether it’s the soft glow of a sunrise or the gentle shade forming patterns among the trees at dusk, his landscapes masterfully illustrate nature through his spontaneous brushstrokes, echoing the pace of the ambience.
A steeply angled road, vantage points and playing with perspectives, Prahlad KV Acharya creates mesmerizing compositions that draw viewers into the scene. Converging lines and low and high vanishing points for depth and distance along the receding roads incorporate atmospheric viewpoint by altering the intensity of colours. He breathes life into these seemingly mundane subjects like a rotten wooden log, tarns, drying clothes, fruit markets, vehicles, reflections, ripples and shimmer, catching the transient nature of water and light, inviting you to pause and contemplate the beauty hidden in the most unexpected places.
Gel Pen and watercolour paintings testify to breath-taking fusion, the harmony between precision and fluidity, showcasing the unique interplay between two mediums. Each delicate line and controlled precision of pen drawing the trunks and entwined branches of giant trees lays the foundation for the pulsating bursts of colour, creating compositions that thrive with energy and depth. Watercolour paintings of puddles and neglected corners are a poignant tribute to the appeal found in the overlooked and the forgotten. Seeing how Prahlad permeates traditional art forms with his unique vision and creativity is inspiring.
A solo show of the watercolours, acrylics and oil paintings by Prahlad KV Acharya was held at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath Bangalore from 2nd to 31st March 2024.
Alka is an artist and art writer with a diverse career spanning teaching, e-learning projects with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and editorial work. An alum of the Government College of Art, Chandigarh (BFA) and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (MFA, PhD), she has been recognised with numerous prestigious awards and honours.
