The Expendables: Artist Anjaneyulu Gundu's hyper-realistic works

When you walk into artist Anjaneyulu Gundu’s studio at Begumpet in Hyderabad, you will do a double take when you find an image of a dented steel pot. It’s not a photograph... it’s oil on canvas and it takes the artist over a month to make one of these.

Gundu is one of India’s few practicing, mainstream hyper-realist artists. And he’s now all set for Mumbai with a solo show titled Astonishing Expendables at the India Fine Art Gallery. “I will have 14 paintings on display — it took me nearly two years to finish them,” explains Anjaneyulu, who is originally from Nalgonda.

Most of his works consist of realistic paintings of objects you find around — lanterns, pots, flasks. “I’ve changed my work a little. In this series, I have focussed on steel vessels,” he says.

While it sounds very simple, one glance at his work and you’ll know it’s not. “I look at the object and memorise its dimensions. The reflections and   light play come from my imagination. These are aspects that are the most difficult parts of these paintings and that is why it took me a minimum of 30-45 days to finish each work.  A realistic painting is not just about copying an object. ” he says.

The largest artwork in the exhibition is a 6x6 painting, while the smallest is a 4x4. Compared to his previous works which were done on white backgrounds, this time, Anjaneyulu has added colour and geometrical texture to his works. “Working on a white background is very simple, what is difficult is working on a coloured surface, because then the reflection on the vessel changes,” he says.

Anjaneyulu will be busy the rest of the year and the next year too. “In August this year, one of my works was auctioned at the famous Asta Guru auction house. This is an honour because it is the first time my work was auctioned and I was featured alongside artists like Bose Krishnamachari and Subodh Gupta to name a few.

Before the upcoming solo show, I’m also taking part in a group show in Delhi, so yes... it’s going to be a hectic schedule for the next few months. And at the start of next year I will be at the Indian Art Fair, Delhi, where my artworks will be on display. So yes... it will be a very busy year,” he says.