During the course of the interview, artist Rajeswara Rao pauses for a minute to think of a synonym for the word ‘Life’. “Manaku batukicchina sthalani inka emi annachu?” he ponders and admits there is no life for him beyond his studio. In the quaint lane of the bustling Radhakrishna nagar of Hyderguda, the artist is at home in his studio. A certain calm envelops the vast space and a red chair sits pretty near the entrance. Pointing towards a striking portrait of his mother and sister, he states his father Antyakula Pydiraju painted them sitting on the chair. “This chair was gifted to my father by famous Bobilli artist Bobbili Raju; it is a beautiful memory,” he smiles. Many such memories hide in the nook and corner of this studio which came into existence in 1998 when Rajeswara fell in love with Hyderguda and its village setting.
The expansive space was indeed a huge advantage for the artist and his artist-cum-teacher wife Padma (printmaker) which was initially their house. “As artists we needed a big studio. We constructed our house with a small kitchen and bedroom and left this space in the centre to be our studio,” he adds. While the kitchen has been converted into a storehouse, the couple now live on the first floor with their son. His temple series was inspired by the many small temples he saw in the vicinity.
A revolving book shelf, a cane basket with two jute plaits and huge works hang on the walls. As one looks around, the ambience feels like a gallery. Rajeswara states, he enjoys being in such a set-up.“When I constantly look at my paintings, I learn not be monotonous. I have created a gallery inside my studio and surrounded by my works.”
A favourite spot where he paints lies in a corner and his parents’ portraits watch over the room from two opposite sides. “The speciality is that one can paint as many works. My children would do their school and college projects and the place reverberated with different kinds of art ,” he recalls.
Aesthetic appeal
Three plaits, an installation made of jute, adds to the aesthetic appeal. The door opens to a small portico surrounded by trees. Padma recalls their early days and calls it a vibrant village “There were no window panes and with greenery all around, cool breeze was constant. There were grasshoppers, snakes and monkeys in the neighbourhood. Once my younger son ran around with a stick when he spotted a cobra. Once we spotted a rare chameleon.”
Rajeswara rarely goes out and spends most of his time in the studio. Recalling how the space witnessed his struggles and growth, he states, “It inspired me and is now building the creative zeal of my children.” He shares an incident to endorse the ‘studio forever’ statement. “Once we were in London for a show and later my wife asked about my feelings when we went around for sightseeing. I replied, ‘My studio makes me happy.’ Even today they joke that even in London, I miss my studio.”