This Hyderabadi artist captures emotions of women through their eyes and faces

Artist Krishna Ashok blends colours with a tinge of mysticism and philosophical perception on his canvas to narrate the stories around him

Hyderabad: They say eyes can speak a thousand words. Proving that to be true are the figurative paintings of Hyderabadi artist Krishna Ashok, who captures various emotions of women and the unspoken ‘conversations’ they make through their eyes and faces.

Over a course of his 40-year journey as an artist, Ashok has held several group and solo shows in various parts of the country and abroad. Opened on Saturday, his latest solo show ‘Conversations’, will be open for public viewing at the State Gallery of Art, Madhapur, till February 18.

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Along with his recent paintings, the exhibition also features his earlier series ‘Advaita’ and ‘Ornaments’, done in the last four years. The artist, who hails from Mangalagiri, Guntur, blends colours with a tinge of mysticism and philosophical perception on his canvas to narrate the stories around him.

“Having grown up with a lot of women around me, I might have a deep sense of understanding towards their lives — be it their divinity, love, desire, sorrow or the light they are in search of,” says the 56-year-old.

While ornaments do all the talking in his ‘Ornaments’ series, the ‘Advaita’ series revolves around universal oneness, has a swan-like ‘soul bird’ and lotus flowers as recurrent motifs. “The soul bird symbolises the bond between any two individuals, not just a couple in love,” he explains, and the pristine lotus flower symbolises ‘love’.

Ashok explains his perspective on love and godly adoration by pointing to a painting that appears to depict a woman dreaming of Lord Krishna, another recurring figure in his works. “Love is nothing less than godly adoration; if you love someone, they become your god, regardless of who they are,” he says.

While the eyes in the paintings project divineness in oneself, each arresting painting tells a deeper story that Ashok leaves up to the viewers’ interpretation. His deeper sombre hues not only depict the bond between individuals, but also the connection with oneself, having conversations with one’s soul.