V5 Group Show of Sculptures & Paintings in Jehangir Art Gallery

Mumbai: Five artists from Karnataka, Venkatachalapathi, Madhu Desai, Gayatri Desai, Venugopala. H. S and Dr Sridhar Murthy A have come together under the banner of V5 Group Show of Sculptures & Paintings to showcase their works at the reputed Jehangir Art Gallery here from tomorrow, Tuesday 04 June to 10 June. Here is a self-introduction of the participating artists along with their journey so far and accomplishments.

Venkatachalapathi

Venkatachalapathi“An organic seed, an indication of life, growth, love, and intimacy, has been a rudimentary motif for my muse, reflection and expression,” the artist cites. A constant engagement and dialogue with nature and the surroundings since childhood, has induced him to unleash his creativity that comes out richly into visceral abstraction through his works. A series, Harmony and Growth, conceived on these lines for the last two decades, is notably simplified and stylized, with a blend of conventional and contemporary sensibilities. These symbolic abstractive works executed in stone, bronze, and fibreglass are beautifully composed, refined, and interactive, adding serenity, depth and grace simultaneously. 

Venktachalpathy, a veteran artist, with decades of art practice, shifting from the Hindu Pantheon to contemporary abstraction has worked in different mediums like fibreglass, terracotta, ceramic, bronze, granite and metal and his job experience at the museum has also complemented his creative expression greatly.

Born in 1948 at Devanahalli, Bangalore District, Karnataka State.

Qualification: Obtained Govt. Diploma in Painting and Sculpture-from Kalamandir School of
Art, Bangalore.

Participation: Participation in Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Exhibitions since 1969,
National Exhibition of Art 1980, 1984 and 1996, Karnataka Lalitakala Academy organized
Exhibition, Karnataka Kala Yatra Exhibition 1997-98, and participated in many major art
exhibitions.

Camps: Participated in many National Sculpture Camps, including Central Lalitakala
Academy Camps, and International Sculptors’ Camps organized by Kannada Visvavidyalaya
Hampi and Karnataka Shilpakala Academy, since 1980-2004. International Sculptors’ &
Artists’ Symposium organized by Tumkur Siddaganga Architecture Department, International
Sculptors’ & Artists’ Symposium organized by “Varnabhumi” Sri Guru Vidyapeet, Gulbarga

Awards: National Award for Sculpture-1996, Karnataka Lalitakala Academy Award for
Sculpture-1980 ; 1983, Kannada Rajyothsava Award-1997, and Shilpakala Academy
Honor-1997. 2010, Prestigious Jakkanna Chari Award by Karnataka Government, 2021
Karnataka Shilpakala Academy Fellowship for contribution in the field of Sculpture.
One Man Shows: At Ramneel Art Gallery, Bangalore-1981, Exhibition-1987 organized by
Youth Writers’ and Artists’ Guild.

Collections: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, Central Lalitakala Academy, New
Delhi, Karnataka Lalitakala Academy, Bangalore, Cholamandal Artists’ Village, Madras, and
many Private Collections in India and abroad.

Commissions Executed: Bust and life-size statues of B.M.Sri and Thi.Nam. Sri, Basaveswara
for Basavapeeta, Ex Chief Minister Sri Devaraj Urs, Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Sri Kondoji
Basappa, Sri A.N. Subbarao, Sri Ramana Maharshi, K. N. Guruswamy, Kittel & Bishop
Commissions Executed: Bust and life-size statues of B.M.Sri and Thi.Nam. Sri, Basaveswara
for Basavapeeta, Ex Chief Minister Sri Devaraj Urs, Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Sri Kondoji
Basappa, Sri A.N. Subbarao, Sri Ramana Maharshi, K. N. Guruswamy, Kittel & Bishop
Cotton Statues in Karnataka and outside the State.

Activities And Work Experience: Directed Sculpture Workshop in Fiberglass, Clay Modeling
and Other Media for different schools and art institutes’s students, Ex-member of Lalitakala
Academy & present Member of Shilpakala Academy. Positions Held: Member for Karnataka
Lalitakala Academy 1995-1998, President of Karnataka Shilpakala Academy 2005-2008

Residential Address: VENKATACHALAPATHI

No. 70, 10/3, Ittamadu, 1st Main Road, 3rd Cross, Banashankari 3rd Stage, Bengaluru-560

085 Phone: 080-26727366

Madhu Desai

Madhu Desai’s tryst with Monsoon has continued for a decade. The coming of the monsoon is

awaited every year with fanfare as it brings in a lot of changes. With the musical rain arrive a

hoard of new guests like flies, frogs, snails and blooms-our friends, adding beauty and charm to our

everyday experience. Day by day, urban development projects becoming more ambitious and bigger,

and we are very rapidly losing our eco-friendly environment. To save our natural environment, we need

to forego our overpowering greed for modernity and urbanization. Big and small canvases capture

the moods of monsoon with monsoon guests, with a bright palette. Madhu simplifies and represents

the forms in three dimensions against the flat two-dimensional space. The body of work is very

alluring and symbolically significant in the present scenario.

Born in 1960 at Hire Bannigol Village, Koppal Dist, Karnataka

Qualification: Studied A.M., G.D. (Fine Arts)

One-Man Shows: Held 25 one-man shows in Hubli, Dharwad, Mysore, Bangalore, Delhi,

Chennai, Mumbai Since 1981-2000

Group Shows: Held shows in major Cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata,

Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kolhapur, Pune, Dharwad-Hubli.

Participation: Participated in Lalitakala Akademi Annual Shows., Karnataka Lalitakala

Akademi Annual Shows. Lalitakala Akademi Regional Center Shows.

All India Annual Exhibition Organized by Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishad, Bangalore.

Camps: Attended several Artist Camps Organized by State & Central Lalitakala Academies.,

also by various Art Institutions, Dept of Culture, and other NGOs.

Shows Abroad: Cuba, Germany, France, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, & Prague, UK.

Served as a member of Lalitakala Akademi, New Delhi.

Served as a member for Karnataka Lalita Kala Akademi, Bangalore.

Served as a member of various Art Organizations and Universities.

Art Travel: Visited Germany, France, Korea, and Japan on invitation.

Founder Secretary of Kalamandala Trust, Dharwad.

Curated several Shows in India and abroad. Conducted several National Artists’ Camps. and

International workshops in Dharwad.

Produced Several Telefilms and Documentary films

Address: Madhu Desai

Kalamandala., #3, Ist cross, Keshava Nagar, Dharwad-580 007. Karnataka.

Cell no: 9448022952. Resi/Studio-0836-2445474

Email: kalamandaladwd@yahoo.co.in or madhukalamandala@gmail.com

Gayatri Desai

Today’s news turns into history tomorrow. History is replete with the narratives of invasion and

establishment of empires across the world. Globalization has connected the world, compressing

time and space and cutting-edge technology has enabled us to connect with each other instantly. Despite the modernity and progress, unrest and displacement have spread across the globe. Power

shifts, hierarchies, and ambition – are the main driving forces of unrest, resulting in altering the

maps and narratives. These altering maps are impregnated with the narratives of brutality, disgrace,

and displacement – total devastation of the fabrication of civilization built over centuries. The

words Border, boundary, and Space are really hallucinating and morbid. Conceived on this topic, the

works try to bring out the predicament of mankind, through the fusion of various styles and

mediums.

Born in Bijapur on 19th Dec 1953, Karnataka state

Qualification: B.A. with English Literature, Diploma In Drawing and Painting, Art Master

Diploma, and M.F.A with Art History

One Woman Shows: Held shows in Dharwad, Hubli, Bangalore, Panjim, Mumbai and Madras.

Participation: participated in State and Central Lalit Kala Academy Annual shows and

regional centre exhibitions and other exhibitions organized by private art organizations

between 1980 to 2016,

International Exhibitions: Germany and France

Camps: Participated in many State and National Art Camps organized by Karnataka Lalit Kala

Academy, Bangalore, Kerala Lalit Kala Academy, Regional Centre, Madras, Karnataka

ChitraKala Parishat, Bangalore, Chamrajendra Academy of Visual Art, Mysore, Mysore Sales

International Limited (MSIL) at Hampi and the camps organized by private organizations

Awards: Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy Award.

Chitrakala Samman, Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore.

Drashyabhushan Sanman, Ideal Fine Art Trust, Gulbarga.

P.R.Tippeswami Prashasti, P.R.Tippeswami Pratishtan, Mysore.

Sarvavarnatimika Prashasti,

Kunchabrahma Dr. M.V. Minajigi Art Gallery Samiti, Hubli.

Varnashilpi k.Venkatappa Award, Govt of Karnataka.

Collection: Govt. Institutions, Private Companies, and renowned personalities, both in India and

abroad.

Positions Held: Founder Member & Past President of ‘Kala MandalaTrust’, Dharwad.,

organized First Woman Artists’ Camp in Karnataka State – 1993,

Jury Member for Annual Art Exhibition, Kerala Lalit Kala Academy,

Chairman for Board of Examinations, Kannada University, Hampi-2006,

Member for Board of Studies Kannada University, Hampi-2006,

Rtd as Principal of JSS Halbhavi School of Art, Dharwad.

Address: Smt.Gayatri Desai

#3, 1st Main, Keshav Nagar, Dharwad- 580007

Email: gayatridesai2art@gmail.com Mob: 8762102674

Venugopala. H. S

“The main inspiration for my creativity comes from my surroundings,” says Venugopal candidly.

Daily visuals, especially the landscapes, imbibed while travel-ling has enriched Venugopal’s

experience and visual lexicon. Observing plants, trees, trunks, roots and rocks, and ruminating on them,

he gets creative ideas. Taking a metaphorical stance, trees and roots express the connectivity to

social, cultural and spiritual aspects of life in the works. Trunks whispering and sending messages to roots and leaves—a humanizing experience, is beautifully conceived and executed with perfection.

The landscapes rendered in brown, yellow ochre and with a touch of green present a mystical world,

untouched by human existence. The limitless expanse of the landscape, the receding planes and

the serenity spread over it give a sublime touch, turning the visual into a mystical world. The delicate

handling of watercolours gives a touch of ephemeral quality. Panchabhutas—the five elements air,

water, fire, earth and akasha, the basis of cosmic creations, interact harmoniously creating a

sublime world here.

Born on 20-12-1958 at Vidyanagar near Bengaluru.

Qualification: Art Master and Govt. Diploma in Drawing and painting,

Ken School of Art, Bengaluru. Joined Faculty of Fine Art, MSU, Baroda and obtained

a Diploma in painting with first class.

Participation: National level artists’ camp at Dharwad- 2016. Painting camp at Hasan -

2010. Golden Jubilee celebration camp at Bengaluru -1998. Graphic artists’ camp at

Bengaluru in 1995 and 1990. Participated in several annual exhibitions - by Karnataka

Lalitkala Academy. National Lalitkala Academy and Kalamelas, “Trans-formative legacies

and studio stories”, State level exhibition conducted by Arthouz, Bengaluru - 2023.

Participated in the International exhibition “Art Bengaluru 2019”, at UB City -2019. “Perspective

of Karnataka Modern Art” at NGMA, Bengaluru -2017. 3rd and 4th “Egyptian International

Print Trinale “ at Cairo in 2001 and 2003.

Fellow Ship: Honored with jr fellowship in Graphic -2011

Awards: Karnataka Lalitakala Academy Award.

Served 30 years as an art teacher in secondary school.

Address:

Gurudhama’ # 20, 1st Road, 14th Cross,

Krishnananda Nagar (Near: Yoga Dental Clinic)

Malagala, Bengaluru 560 091, Karnataka

Mobile: 90191 04238, 92427 57286

E-mail: venugopalahs20@gmail.com

Dr Sridhar Murthy. A

Dr Sridhar Murthy’s works rendered in pleasant blue and brown monochromatic colours take the

viewer into the depth of magical space, bridging the gap between reality and illusion subtly. By

opening a portal to the hidden and mysterious forces of nature, and with calculated subtraction and

addition, the artist individualizes the realities seen and felt consciously and subconsciously and creates a unique world unparalleled. Natural elements and the cosmic energy play in unison rhythmically and harmoniously, creating a feeling of spirituality. Simplified forms like leaning or floating stone pillars, huge hovering boulders, and faintly painted swirling water bodies—all thoughtfully juxtaposed create a dramatic world with the artist’s freedom, using fantastical elements as a subtle layer over reality, and arbitrary elements of the unconscious taking a meaning. The selective blue and brown hues applied transparently and fluidly give a sublime effect to the landscapes. Time seems to be moving and freezing at the artist’s command. Stillness and force, natural and man-made elements, and the binary oppositions heighten the beauty of the works.

Born on October 28th, 1965.

Qualifications: B.F.A (Painting) College of Fine Arts, K.C.K.P, Bangalore- 1988. M.F.A

(Graphics) Faculty of Fine Arts, Vadodara- 1990.

Ph.D. From Mysore University, Mysore- 2011.

Exhibitions & Camp; Participations: Solo Exhibition of Paintings at Easel Art Gallery, Chennai-1998.

Two men show at K.C.K.P, Bangalore- 2002. Participated in the International Exhibition of Art

Organized by “VAM ART” Inc., Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala- 2007. Participated in Group show

organised by Alive Jincheon Printmaking Museum Korea-2015. International Artist teachers’

Camp, College of Fine Arts, KCKP, Bangalore-2018. National Printmaking Workshop

organized by Lalithakala Academy, Delihi, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S University, Vadodara-

2019. Participated in Artist Camp organized by Pandicherry Fine Arts College and South

Zone Cultural Center- 2022. Solo Painting Exhibition Sponsored by “ART HOUZ” Gallery.

Bangalore. Participated in National Painting Camp at KG College, Combatore-2023.

National Printmaking Workshop organized by Lalithakala Academy, Dehli and Chandigarh

Lalitakala Academy. Group Painting Exhibition at ART MAGNUM gallery, New Delhi-2023.

Recently retired as a Professor from the College of Fine Arts. K.C.K.P, Bangalore.

Address: Door.No- 76, 3rd Main Road, Sachitananda Nagar, Rajarajeshwari Nagar,

Bangalore- 5600 98, KARANATAKA.

(Opposite Shivashakti Sannidhi Apartment.)

E-mail:sridharmurthy36@gmail.com

Mobile: 9945170378 (WhatsApp number) 8296629666

Inputs and Photos Courtesy: V5 Group