‘Steel’life on canvas

Hyderabad based artist Anjaneyulu G. aims to break the clutches of tradition through his paintings by creating limitless impressions and his latest exhibition, currently on display in Mumbai aims to do just that. Astonishing Expendables features 14 still life paintings of a variety of stainless steel objects in acrylic and oil, on multicoloured geometric and dotted tablecloth.Youngest of five siblings, Anjaneyulu was always drawn to art.

After helping his brothers paint signboards from a very young age, he decided to pursue a formal education in arts. “I took admission at the JNTU college of Fine Arts. With the extensive use of the library and the course pursued, I completed my studies in the year 2000. I have, since, continued to live in Hyderabad, pursuing drawing and painting, full time,” he says.

He paints still-life by singling out objects that are inconspicuous and don’t catch our eyes. A jar, a canister, a kettle, a milk can — all predominantly in stainless steel — a material which particularly occupies middle-class households. “After my bachelor’s degree, I spent most of the time in my room drawing whatever I came across. I was studying great masters works then. I used to experiment a lot in a trial and error fashion. My insight broadened its horizon to the point that any or every object in my room looked artistic. Every object was like a separate and unique entity blazing with life. From then on, there was no stopping at anything. I didn’t find the need to search for objects of my work. Every object in the world can become the subject of my work and experiments,” he says.

His current artworks on display took rigorous hard work over two years, he says. “Once I decide on the object of my work, my inner eye visualises the final outcome on the canvas. Then I arrange all the objects of my painting in front of me in my studio and after that my hands and fingers work on the canvas as they keep listening to the silent inner voice within me.”

The artist’s earlier works used white backgrounds and plain clothes. In his present exhibition he has tried experimenting with a different. “Usually, I try to portray my object as its own self in a distinct and unique way on a plain white background in a realm that transcends place or time. But this time, I’ve used backgrounds with various geometric designs and dotted ones. I feel these will have a much deeper impact on the audience,” he says.

Till December 3, 11 am to 7 pm At India Fine Art, Film Center Building, 3rd floor, 68, Tardeo Road