Line' with thoughts

“Drawing” has often been considered as a mere outline or the linear definition of a completed artwork. However, the intensity and content of drawings by many artists have excelled in granting it an identity as a pure and whole form of expression. Drawing is the prominently highlighted feature of expression in the works rendered by a group of six artists in the present show titled, “Linear Accents”.

Line it right: Artist’s Impressionistic drawing of a human with lines.

Abhishek Verma, an artist from the show, shares his connection with the art form. “To me, drawing is a beautiful combination of play and pleasure. Even a slight variation in pressure while drawing does wonders to the artwork. And I believe that the linear quality of a drawing unveils a lot about the characteristics and nature of the creator.” The Gouache and pencil drawings by Abhishek Verma are quintessentially detailed and realistic. And yet, they are far from being merely illustrative. The changed proportions of the elements, like the blown up potatoes and the box like closed geometrical spaces, accentuate the artist’s unique perspective in building up a personalised dialogue.

Reaching out: Artworks on display at the Dhi Artspace gallery in the city.

An impressive set of work by artist Anila Kumar is delicately detailed and contains intricate pencil renderings. An ambiguously massive twisted form containing multiple small, scattered images occupies the bigger section of the composition. At a glance, only the abstract bubble-like arrangement makes its presence felt, but on a closer look the dwarfed, delicately rendered images start becoming visible. With each symbol, a page from the artist’s storybook gets revealed.

Another artist from the group, Murali, brings forth the concept that the mind controls the fundamental existential aspects as well as the holistic well-being of a person. The work titled, “Frequency of thought x” symbolically reflects the impact of an intense, persistent thought in mind. The drawing depicts a tiny, concealed human figure, lost in the vicinities of a whirlwind created by a thought. The delicate strokes throughout the surface create a movement that controls and engulfs the figure in its stride.

Another artist from the show, Sanket creates mystical territories by his soft pastels on paper. The real and the fantastical elements merge and bring forth a well-knitted amalgamation. There is an undercurrent of allegory in these visual dialogues which makes them immensely intriguing. Similarly, the work by Srinivas Bobbili exemplifies his innate and well-versed connection with “line”. His work reflects his childlike innocence that contemplates about his surroundings and personal experiences. His art has an instinctual, unpretentious and deeply spontaneous essence to it. To enhance the spirit of his craft he distorts and simplifies his drawings into a single visual diction. There is a distinct streak of playfulness that grants his works a lively spirit. These talented artists reinstate the anecdotes and nuances absorbed from life by giving “Line” well-deserved importance and independence. There is an innate sense of liberation and freedom that runs as an undercurrent in these sensitively rendered drawings.