Masks — reminders of the bleak times

HYDERABAD:  In the world, under the doom of Coronavirus, it’s the human resilience that keeps everything moving, everything alive even though the time span may seem negligible under the threat of pandemic. Different responses from the art fraternity have come to make sense of it all, to understand the existence of being on this planet itself.

That’s how a group art exhibition of 50 artists ongoing at State Gallery of Art is solely dedicated to masks — an absolute essential during these ‘new normal’ times. “The theme itself is unique and represented by several artists in the state on the topic of masks as an object of safety used during these times.

It also generates awareness and is a constant reminder that the threat isn’t over yet,” says K Lakshmi, director of the art gallery. Says Ramana Reddy the curator of the exhibition, “It took me one month to curate the show.

My intention was to bring creativity not just through the mask, but also to convey some deep messages about human sorrow and resilience. It is the social responsibility of the artists to wake up to the situation around them. This show is a response in this regard.

I asked them to create opuses for this show. 60 artworks are from 50 artists. There are installations, photographs, paintings, and mixed media work on display. There are paintings done on masks that are put on display.” His work is on masks representing male and female. He put a mustache on the white mask to represent the male and jewellery on the other one to represent the female.

Interestingly, both the masks have goggles on. Another interesting piece is by artist Rama Krishna which depicts mask as a shield with a sword passing through it. Done in earthen-metallic tones, the artwork conveys the message of staying safe through wearing mask quite precisely.

The exhibition is on till January 10

— Saima Afreen  saima@newindianexpress  @Sfreen