Telangana artist showcases art at ‘Museum of Memories’ in Delhi

Telangana-based artist Anjaneyulu Gundu talks about his ongoing solo show in Delhi, his humble beginnings and his opinion on online shows

You might have to take a second look at Anjaneyulu Gundu’s paintings because they almost look real. From mundane objects such as tape recorder and cycle to iron box and tea kettle, the Telangana-based artist’s works have a hyper-realistic finish with a surreal touch. The sharp shadows in his paintings are impressive.

Born in Garidepally village, Suryapet district of Telangana, the artist is currently showcasing about 10 of his works at a solo exhibition ‘Museum of Memories’ at the Art Alive Gallery in New Delhi. He spent almost three months on each of his paintings on display.

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“In a way, we all are walking museums of memories – bitter, sweet, indifferent, regretful or nostalgic. My pieces are exactly that – a sample of those memories. There is a hurricane lantern, a stainless steel onion basket, an old style coal burning iron box, a dented but bright water vessel, a tea kettle and a teapot. Most of these objects have now been replaced by other advanced versions. They now rest in the eye of my mind and, of course, on the canvas I stuck them to,” shares the artist, who feels Delhi is a good place to start for someone who is eyeing the international art scene.

This is Anjaneyulu’s third solo exhibition with Art Alive Gallery in Delhi. He says, despite his struggles with Hindi, his experience of Delhi has been positive, welcoming and enriching. Talking about how his journey into art began, he shares, “My brothers are all artists. So it runs in the family, I think. My parents never had any issues with my pursuit of art. I am not sure if my parents would have preferred me to be a doctor or civil servant, but they have never discouraged me from art or exhorted me to become a doctor or an engineer or a civil servant. They were not educated but always respected my choices,” shares the 44-year-old artist, who did his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from JNAFAU, Hyderabad.

Anjaneyulu, who loves the works of artists Brueghel and Hokusai the most, feels online shows are going to be the new normal. When augmented reality and virtual reality become more common and accessible, human interaction will move more fully into the virtual realm, he feels. “In any case, technological advances are inevitable, unavoidable and I think we need to accept, adapt and adjust to it. Those who do not will simply be left behind.

There is no escaping from technological advances,” adds Anjaneyulu, who find oils to be the most comfortable to use when he’s painting.

After his current show ends on February 20, Anjaneyulu plans on exhibiting his work in New York. So, what else does he enjoy doing in his free time? “I am fond of reading. I am fond of music too. Among the books that really impressed me are Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck and Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. I love listening to jazz and Mohammad Rafi songs,” he concludes.

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