A group show of art in Hyderabad focuses on socio-political realities

Varied perspectives on culture, spirituality, food, Nature, nostalgia and more make the works inclusive and engaging

With as many as 22 artists showcasing more than 40 works, the exhibition ‘Whose Memory? Whose Archive? An Empirical Survey’, curated by Om Soorya has an interesting variety of visual and creative engagement. “I didn’t want to give any theme; I want the artists to express in their own unique way,” says Om, adding, ”The works are empirical; a long process has gone into it like a farmer who toils in the land but has to wait for results.”

The exhibition originated from a discussion over the widening gap between empirical and theoretical-based practices and is an attempt to blur the line between them to make it inclusive.’

Om’s works are also on display at Kalakriti Art Gallery. Other participating artists include Balaji Ponna, Debosmita Samanta, George Martin, Gipin Varghese, KL Leon, KP Pradeep Kumar, KT Mathai, Madhu Venugopalan, Manas Naskar, Murali Cheeroth, Pradeep Mishra, Pradeep Naik, Pradeep PP, Puja Mondal, Rachana Nagarkar, Sanam Narayanan, Subrat Behera and Sujith SN.

An appetising platter of samosa and chai, steaming hot vadas, pazhampori (banana fritters) and the steamed delicacy ela ada adorns KN Leon’s canvas. Though the artist painted beef too as part of this collection, it is not displayed here, informs Om. While representing the diversity of food and culture, Leon makes a statement: ‘Food is an individual choice; how can anyone question the food we eat’.

Sumesh Kamballur wants his landscapes to be experienced. The artist, who lives in Munnar, reinterprets the hill station experience in his own way. Glitter dots the canvas and adds to the tranquil atmosphere.

Umesh PK’s landscapes metaphorically represent friction between nature, animals and man. Known for his works on people affected by the Endosulfan tragedy in Kerala, Jibin Verghese uses an opaque medium to convey that Earth belongs to all. The canvas shows people scattered in different directions and doing their own thing but in the end, they are part of one Earth. If Balaji Ponna’s painting of a cow show with flags symbolises the intolerant times we live in, Sanam’s old buildings take viewers on a nostalgic trip. The effect of dry pastels and colour pencils on rice paper creates textures that feel serene and fragile.

Rachana Nagarkar is inspired by architecture and her muse from two cities - Mumbai and Chicago. “I have spent my whole life in Mumbai and did a residency in Chicago. My painting is a mix of cultures, architecture and people in both the cities,” she says. She began visualising the cities’ architecture to create an abstract landscape. “It could be either beautiful or disturbing; it can have both sides.”