Digital memories

The last time that artist Surya Prakash came up with a solo show was three-four years ago. Now, for the first time in his decades old career, the artist has come up with an exhibition of digital prints of 44 of his works in an exhibition at Park Hyatt on May 8.

The first question is very obvious, why a show of digital prints of his previous art? “I’ve created a few hundreds of paintings in the past few years and they are scattered all across the world.

I can’t get them all under one roof, so I thought that it was a much better idea,” he explains while adding, “You know, it’s also what people call affordable art. Not many can own my work, but there are people who like it, so for them, this proves to be a cheaper alternative. And you can’t forget that this reaches way more homes.”

The show is special for many reasons, one is because it takes you back to the time when Surya Prakash was a different artist. Back, then Surya Prakash was influenced by a different time and various artists, because of which he created art that is different from what he creates now.

“I remember, during my college days I painted the streets of Hyderabad, but I don’t have a single painting of those series. But after I graduated my work slightly shifted, I started painting more of rooftops and yes, landscapes too. Over the years I worked on my own style, slowly moving away from the influences of other artists,” he says.

The change in Surya Prakash’s work, whether it is in the kind of strokes, the colour palette or even the subject has been gradual. And you can’t really pin-point when and where the change began. “I’ve had a few different phases in my life as an artist.

The change has always been there but it has been a smooth transition,” he adds.The oldest work on display is a reprint of his work from the ’60s. “This was a time when I was just out of college and I was doing a lot of different work. So seeing all of these prints on canvas brings back a lot of old memories,” he says.

Despite the fact that these reprints will show some of his oldest and latest works, Surya prakash is sure that his clients will not feel bad about it. He says, “I have made sure that the prints are way smaller than the original paintings. That way the clients won’t feel bad. This is my way of giving back to them.”

The excitement in his voice is very obvious. “Yes, it feels great to be back and  to see works from a time that was long gone,” he says with a smile.