For its third edition, the Kalakriti Art Gallery explores Divine Narratives
An exhibition by Kalakriti Gallery at Bikaner House, New Delhi brings together two masters–Sachin S Jaltare and Rayana Giridhar Gowd–known for their strengths in figurative visual language and abstract artistry, to showcase mythological epics through a new lens.
A Contemporary Approach to Divine Narratives
The third edition of the ‘Windows to the Gods’–a contemporary art exhibition by Kalakriti Art Gallery–showcases the works of Sachin S Jaltare from Hyderabad and Rayana Giridhar Gowd from Garuvu Palem, Telangana.
Scheduled from March 7-12, 2025, the showcase at Bikaner House in New Delhi will serve as the perfect backdrop for artworks of the two masters–who have a conceptual commonality in their engagement with the interplay of male and female energies of the universe, including ‘Prakriti’ or ‘Shiva Shakti’.
But the similarity ends here.
Giridhar Gowd: Figurative Traditions Reimagined
Giridhar’s art, based on the Telugu translation of the Valmiki Ramayana, adopts a figurative visual language. In line with his signature strokes, he uses gestures, postures and glances to represent the concept of dynamic mobility, agility and hence, the inherent energy.
The nationally-acclaimed artist, who has previously worked on Dashavatar and Krishna Leela series, has gained a reputation for his interpretation of mythological epics.
Iconography Through Contemporary Eyes
This time, he explores the iconography of Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman, and the kingdom of Sugriva through diverse visual styles, drawing inspiration from India’s rich traditions of murals and miniature painting. His style draws from Surpur, Vijayanagaram and Tirupati schools of painting and stands as a testament to the fusion of traditional artistic methods with individual creativity, contributing uniquely to the contemporary Indian art scene.
Dedication to Traditional Craftsmanship
Giridhar–an advocate of everything natural–uses handmade paper, earth pigments and squirrel hair brushes, in his classical depictions of Hindu deities. His most stunning work is the ‘Vishwaroop
Sachin Jaltare: Abstract Interpretations of Divine Energy
On the other hand, Sachin’s thoughts and concepts come alive through quasi figurative and abstract visual language, with his concept premised on the elemental energies of ‘Shiva-Shakti’ or ‘body and energy’.
“In Shiva and Shakti, I find the perfect meeting of the form and the formless” says Sachin, which inherently is the duality of life’s existence that he capitalised upon.
Breaking Barriers Through Abstraction
For him, figurative language feels restrictive to convey the development and evolution of inwards looking imagery. He attempts to break the barriers of form through the language of abstraction, communicating through the elements of line, colour, textures, light and space.
Through his works, he explores cosmic connection, harmony of colours, and expanse of mystical landscapes.
About the Gallery:
Established in 2002, Kalakriti Art Gallery is a leading art space in Hyderabad, committed to showcasing a diverse range of artistic practices from South Asia. Renowned for its groundbreaking exhibitions, the gallery features established artists such as Jogen Chowdhury, Thota Vaikuntam, Orijit Sen, Avijit Dutta, and Vinita Karim, while also championing contemporary talents like Anupama Alias and Priyanka Aelay among others. Kalakriti has also introduced international artists to Hyderabad for the first time.
The gallery has been at the helm of major public art installations in the city of Hyderabad, including the MS Maqta street art project, IKEA India Underpass Mosaic Mural project, IKEA India Median sculpture project, I LOVE HYDERABAD installation, among others. Now at its new address, Kalakriti Art Gallery is among the largest private art galleries in South India.
Image Courtesy: Niranjana Mehta
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