TEAM DHARWAD

Goa Kala Academy is flooded with art shows with each one giving Goans an opportunity to understanding the perspective of the artists from other states of India. ‘Recent Perspectives’, an exhibition that has paintings, drawings & graphics by four artists from Karnataka, offered that perspective.

Shashidhar M Lohar, Kallappa Y. Chougale, Jagadish Kadur, Krishna K. M. and Manish Verma put up their recent creations that are executed in oils, acrylics, watercolours etc.

Varying perspectives gave this show an eclectic feel. Meticulous pen and ink works of Shashidhar contrasts with the casual looking yet well thought out lines of Jagadish. Kallappa’s fetish for perceived visual reality of the landscapes compliments Manish’s intent to search for the eluding peace and serenity. 

Shashidhar and Krishna are not new to Goans. Having exhibited their works in Goa, both have got some of their refined works. Shahshidhar’s large sized woodcut images, executed in multiple hues, are commendable. Graphics is a labour intense section with foresight and precision as the essential qualities. Shashidhar’s pen and ink works makes that obvious. He gives a complete fillip to the mundane scenes and items and goes on to blur the spatial divisions. The inside rush out and the outside overwhelms the man-made divisions called dwellings.

One gets transported to a dreamland. Surreal world with flying fishes, floating trees, decorated natures and such phantasmagoric images entice the viewers. Playing with black and white, Shashidhar blurs the line between the negative and positive space and presents an altogether unique work of art.

Kallappa’s landscapes executed in oils, acrylics and watercolours bring alive the rural scenes and village corners. A market lane, lakeside houses, community wells impresses Kallappa. He doesn’t stick to any single medium. He seems to have reasonably good control over watercolours. Early morning soft and mist filled atmosphere spills out to engulf the viewers in one of his works.

Village belle, goats, cows etc come alive in Krishna’s compositions. Fusing the traditional with the modern, he presents very interesting works. The paintings are commercially appealing yet they do not sacrifice with the aesthetic principles. Soft hues and contrasting shades and tints juxtapose to highlight the required forms. Lemon yellow is played with cadmium yellow; viridian green resonates with tints of cobalt blue and such combinations make Krishna’s paintings appealing.

Manish paints Buddha and does it very convincingly. Faces of Buddha gets framed with floral designs and juxtaposed against relevant imagery. ‘Memory of Sanchi’ is a case in point where the ornamental gateway of the stupa is subtly visible with the intricate inscriptions. He uses soft hues and employs minimal brushstrokes. ‘Dhyana’ will appeal to the spiritually inclined. It spreads the right aura of peace and serenity to facilitate relaxation and meditation.

Yoga fascinates Jagadish. He has displayed various asana and exercises from the yoga sutra. Most of his drawings are filled with linear texture with an isolated figure taking the attention. Few of his paintings were on display as well.

The show was on view till January 3, 2013.