A constant struggle

“I had to sell my property, studio and even become a ghost artist for a few eminent artists,” reads a post by Guntur-based artist Vinod Chowdary Raparla’s on Facebook.

If you thought this was just another rant by an artist, then you should read further. Lack of opportunities, funding and recognition, especially for artists from smaller cities, is not just something young artists deal with. Vinod’s post reveals that even after 25 years of being an artist, things are not easy for artists who do not belong to a bigger city.

For someone who has been an artist for so long, Vinod’s journey is still riddled with troubles. “There is hardly anything done for artists from places like Guntur, where I belong. From lack of facilities to lack of funding there is absolutely nothing that gives an artist a reason to stay back in his hometown,” he says without mincing words.

Vinod’s family was primarily into farming and did well for themselves, but his love for art made him drift away from agriculture. Today, after selling 13 acres of his property, his studio and even becoming a ghost artist, Vinod is still struggling. “The Culture Department in AP needs to be more pro-active. After the bifurcation, the condition of many senior artists remains the same — negligible.

Take for instance the recent art show Buddha Purnima, that took place in Amaravati. “At the show, there were many delegates from various countries, but hardly any seniors. The Culture Department ignored them. People from the department know me well, but they did not invite me. Shouldn’t senior artists, who have been here for so long, get their due recognition?” he asks. Every month, Vinod makes a minimum of Rs 25,000, just enough to pay off the rent and bills, but for the rest, he has to work extra. “Nobody wants to be a ghost artist. I have done a few paintings for some of the biggest artists. I paint these works, they just put their signature and sell it for lakhs. I get a cut in that sale, that extra money helps run the house, but at the cost of what?” he says while adding, “The government doesn’t always have to help monetarily, but why not at least help us get the recognition,” he rues.

Another problem artists like Vinod face is that there are hardly any galleries in their hometowns. They have to travel to far off cities and end up spending much more than they earn. “If I want to exhibit my work I have to travel to Chennai, Mumbai and other cities. There are no opportunities to display work in my hometown because there is no place to do so. I spend so much money on the art and then as an artist I don’t even get a decent place to display it. The cultural department needs to look beyond dance and music and give artists and sculpture a chance...,” he rues.

Every year, thousands of students study art and many stick to it as a profession. “But if there is such a dearth of opportunities even at the district level, how are we supposed to survive on art? Not everyone can move to the city and make money,” he says. Vinod’s troubles are not just his own; in fact, these are a reflection of the art world. He says, “People tell me to get a real job and make money. Why would I want to ‘make money’ by doing something other than art? My post was not to complain, but to enlighten people about the struggles of an artist.”