Impressions of Mahatma Gandhi

The image of Mahatma Gandhi clad in a simple dhoti, holding a stick and marching ahead has been imprinted in the minds of most Indians. Indeed, Gandhiji is one of the favourite subjects for many an artist such as Nandalal Bose, K. Adimoolam and Micky Patel.

On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, Telangana-based artist Shankar Pamarthy’s drawings and sketches are being displayed in Kalakriti Art Gallery. We speak to the artist about his love for the
iconic leader.

Now, on the occasion of 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi, Kalakriti Art Gallery has an ongoing exhibition titled Mahatma 150, with displays of sketches and drawings by Telangana-based artist Shankar Pamarthy. Curated by Ruchi Sharma, the show has a selection of 40 sketches and drawings that bring alive the unseen side of Gandhiji.

Drawing inspiration  
Elaborating his love for Gandhi and what made him come up with this set of work, the Nalgonda-born artist Shankar says, “I was interested in the persona of Gandhiji from childhood. As a child, I collected various pictures of the leader. I have filled a sketchbook with his drawings. As this year is the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, I thought this would be the right time to showcase my work.”

The artwork, drawings in pencil, pen, ink, and even colour pencils bring alive the mostly forgotten Gandhian philosophies. Each body of work is sharp and bold and has a unique story to tell, while always remain simple in its approach. In one of the drawings, the leader is shown in his most iconic poses of Dandi March, while in another, the iconic leader is seen reading a newspaper. “The present body of work on display has a few of my earlier drawings and a few recent ones. My aim is to create 150 artworks of Gandhi by October 2020 to mark the leader’s contribution towards building our nation,” concludes the artist.