Telangana artist Hothi Basavaraj showcases 30 years of Basava-inspired sculptures

Artist Dr Hothi Basavaraj’s solo exhibition at the State Gallery of Art showcases sculptures inspired by Basava’s cultural and agricultural significance. The exhibition features diverse artworks, including tribal art, innovative sculptures, and a book documenting his 25-year artistic journey.

Hyderabad: Sculptor, painter, and installation artist D Hothi Basavaraj, whose works have significantly enriched public art and museum spaces in Telangana, is holding a solo exhibition highlighting the cultural and agricultural significance of the Basava at the State Gallery of Art.

Artist Dr Hothi Basavaraj has created a series of sculptures using different materials to highlight the cultural and agricultural significance of the Basava. Dr Basavaraj said he had been familiar with the Basava from his childhood, when his mother used to make small sculptures of it for worship. “I saw many people making such sculptures and developed an interest in creating them myself. I have been working on them for the past 30 years,” he said.

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Basavaraj said the Basava also has significance dating back to prehistoric times. Among his works is a sculpture depicting Bathukamma and Bonalu together. The work is part of a series of seven sculptures and took considerable time to complete, from sculpting to painting.

The exhibition also featured sculptures made from iron waste materials and works highlighting tribal art. Another highlight was his blindfolded sculptures of Lord Ganesha, Sri Rama and Goddess Durga, each completed within an hour.

On the occasion, the book ‘Baswarajeevam’ was released. It documents Dr Basavaraj’s sculptures and paintings created over the past 25 years, along with descriptions and rare photographs.

The exhibition curator, Dr Satyanarayana Dyavanapalli, said that artworks depicting the importance of Basava (the bull) in the evolution of agricultural civilisation, Saptamatrikas – Bonalu, Shivadhootha Basava, Punju Vijayam, Selfie, and several other sculptures and paintings reflect the artist’s distinctive style.