A Tale of two Artists 

HYDERABAD: The ‘Tranquil and Trance’ montage at Dhi Artspace, Ameerpet, has an impressive line of artworks by Anilakumar Govindappa and Krishna Trivedi. The exhibition mounts up the works of two  talented artists who represent the new wave of thinking and display innovative methods of execution as the curatorial note mentions: “A distinct departure from our traditional exhibitions, Tranquil and Trance is a study in contrasts: featuring the works of two artists who have the innate ability to submerge you into their works.”

Krishna Trivedi from Baroda is replete with energy. Her approach to work is – direct absorption of imagery. The wall installation is a classic reflection of her sketchbook which records mundane yet antiquated objects such as fans, a row of glasses, kiwads/jharokas (windows), niches, bags, cannons, gallons, sofas, campus, pots, you name it you have it. In fact, this wall installation is like a mini museum which has recorded drawings of aesthetic value. On the double check, the spectator realises that this is a manifestation of her visit to Rajasthan, precisely Shekhawat. 

While her wall installation portrays precision and a sharp approach to her environment, her paintings, on the other hand, exude notions of history fused with the contemporary. Therefore, the merger creates a unique visual that seems to have blown to us from a space as special as the imaginative mind of the artist.   

The artist is a post graduate from Maharaja Sayajirao University, “Krishna is one among that rare breed of people who can make the act of creating something from scratch and envisioning into a beautifully articulate work of art, without the concern of making a political statement”, writes her curator. Besides an imaginative and skilled person, the artist is consumed by the act of making her own organic papers from banana pulp, sesame seeds and rice. Unlike Krishna, Anilakumar Govidappa is an absolute expressionist. The spectator is greeted to a vibrant but a totally chaotic canvas.

As the title Tranquil and Trance suggests, Anilakumar represents the Trance. Majorly, autobiographic in content his work has innumerable layers that create a blend of forms in a multi-coloured palette. Says the artist, “I start with my self-portrait which eventually transits to my personal issues to other global issues, and ends up with a fusion.”

Urban life is a serious preoccupation with the artist. The physical disconnect of his birthplace to his travels to metroes have a deep impression on his notion of relationships as well. In fact, a painting titled ‘Give Me a Second Chance’ is addressed to his parents in the format of a letter wherein the painting is a narrative of his life in Mumbai. He plays with “dialogues and the images” which are celebratory in nature. 
Although, this show has his paintings on display he is fascinated by the aspects of drawing. But then, printmaking, sculpture, installations and multimedia get his attention as well. The shift in the medium is always welcomed. The show is on till January 10, 2018