36 x 36 in
Acrylic On Canvas
Whenever dharma declines and the purpose of life is forgotten, I manifest myself on earth. I am born in every age to protect the good, to destroy evil, and to reestablish dharma. – Krishna (Bhagvad Gita)
Is it not magnificently striking to see mythology depicted as illustrations inscribed on the body of renowned Hindu God Krishna on the auspicious day of Krishna Janamashtmi? Painted by Ramesh Gorjala, the artwork boasts of fine brush strokes speaking of the passion and skill in every single span of this painting. He perpetually uses the blood red background to freeze attention on his work; the checkerboard background as well as the floral (reminiscent of Kalamkari Motifs) is typical of Gorjala’s work. With colours Gold as Sun, hints of black, and white, he incontrovertibly integrated distinctiveness and heritage of the folk art on the canvas.
The most engaging visual, however, is the multitudes of smaller figures painted within Krishna, a visual re-telling of a larger narrative with no single protagonist. A viewer may spot Mata Yashoda and Krishna at the bottom of the painting, the tale of Kaliya-mardhana told on the right, the presence of horses and chariots alluding to the Mahabharata and the narration of the Bhagavad Gita as well as the gopikas repeating as an important motif in the story of Shree Krishna. The sacred Kamadhenu beautifully symbolises purity with non-erotic fertility, sacrifice, tender nature, as well as sustenance of human life.
Gorjala, born in 1979 in Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh, a town famous for the art of kalamkari holds a degree in Painting from JNTU, Hyderabad, and this is where he switched from using Vegetable Dyes, traditional in kalamkari, to Acrylic Paints. His distinct style of painting coupled with the religious themes he explores, makes him an extremely sought after South Asian painter all over the world and he has had solo and group exhibitions in Chawla Art Gallery, New Delhi, Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai; Hong Kong and London to name a few.
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