‘Lonely Planet’ exhibition in Hyderabad conveys a stark message

Eleven artists present the tale of our times through paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations

“Did you ever wonder how desolate our planet Earth is becoming by losing its green cover?” ask Hyderabad-based artists in their ongoing art show, ‘Lonely Planet’, at the State Art Gallery. The 68 works by 11 artists comprise paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations and video art - conveying a stark message on the effects of urbanisation on cities/villages and the environmental pollutants’ impact on the biodiversity and ecological processes.

Focus on environment

Harsha Kancharla’s 28 feet (diameter) X 16 feet (height) installation like a chandelier hanging from the ceiling at the entrance, presents the perceptions of the young . The exhibit features 2,000 cotton masks connected with red wool threads, with students’ opinions written on them as text, drawings, poems and paper clippings. “This is an attempt to know the viewpoints of future generations,” says Sriharsha, pursuing her Masters from the University of Hyderabad. Students of Class VI to X from 11 schools including Kanya Gurukul school, Sister Nivedita, Triveni School, Hyderabad Public School, Slate The School and Unison International School participated in this exercise.

Sayam Bharath Yadav’s work ‘ Jeena yahan marna yahan, Iske sivaay jaana kahaan’ focuses on the animal world. “We are getting disconnected from Nature. Rural areas getting urbanized is leading to deforestation.” He adds, “We use helmets to protect our head, why not them,” pointing towards an animal sporting a helmet on the canvas.

Also curating the show, Bharath shares, “I have been living with this idea for eight months now. The other artists were more than enthusiastic to join me on this journey.” His installation - geometrical iron blocks in glossy Duco paints of gold and black on a wooden cart placed on a tree stump highlights the ‘development’ seeping into rural areas.

Jaya Prakash Doma’s video art depicts the impact of depleting open fields on livestock. “Cows and buffaloes used to feed on the grass in open lands or fields. Now with these spaces diminishing, these animals feed on garbage; the results can be seen in the hazardous milk we consume,” he says.

Sabita Lakshmanan’s poem, narrating the story of a peepal tree, leads to her exhibit — a papier-mache lung-shaped sculpture placed on a tree trunk, with dried leaves strewn on it and a bunch of roses placed in front. This work is close to Sabitha Lakshmanan’s heart. “I could save only the tree trunk left on the road and used it for the installation,” recalls the artist who collected 17 bags of dried leaves from KBR Park for the exhibit. “We are not seeing the huge loss that we are creating by cutting a tree. If we don’t provide a future for plants, there is no future for humanity either.”