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Bringing alive a menagerie

An animated tribute to the animals around us

Anjani Reddy's Golden Parrot

The first images drawn by man in his pre-historic caves were the animals that he ate or feared. Now, animals are the subject of an exhibition called: Animals in Contemporary Indian Art at the Minaaz Gallery. No, they are not the tiger, tiger burning bright variety but the drab, domestic and the ordinary.

Of the 37 works by 13 artists, the works do not deal with the animal spirit but with more mundane and ordinary. The brightest spots are Anjani Reddy's acrylics: Golden Parrot-I and II.

Sharply etched with a rich palette, the painting is evocative of a simple life complexly rendered. The parrot is incidental to the piece. Aasha Redhika's untitled works juxtapose innocence with creature comforts. Using delicate colours and dull shades, Aasha lets the subjects speak about the unspeakable silence.

Some of the artists do need lessons in animal anatomy as a few animals look like some others.

It is not funny when a buffalo looks like a cow or a goat behaves like a sheep, would artistic licence justify it?

Instead of brush strokes, Gouri Vemula used delicate lines to draw a secretive world that is puzzling at the same time gives itself away.

Like childhood riddle, the faces blend into the ground, human forms blend into tree trunks while the animals and birds appear distinct.

If you are in the mood to bring animals to your drawing room, head for Minaaz in Banjara Hills before March 31.

SERISH NANISETTI

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