Abstract paintings redefine the world of the artist, which they have either witnessed or imagined. Paintings by Muppidy Vittal transport viewers to farmlands in Telangana, where he draws inspiration from. Being a farmer, Vittal's paintings present vignettes of scenes from his village and narrate a story of sorts from a farmer's life.
“I am an artist with a farming background. This makes my paintings stand out and carry a significant touch of agriculture and farmland," says the artist.
Vittal was born and raised in a region that was troubled by water scarcity, which had immense impact on him and his creations. His paintings are devoid of rich and bright colours. Instead, it is a pleasant mix of subtle earthy tones to portray ‘dry beauty’.
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“Usually we see greenery and blue coloured water depicted in landscape paintings related to villages and farms. However, my paintings don’t go with the common practice… Dry flowers, dry bushes, grass, lakes, muddy paths, and everything that surrounds the farm inspire my art. It adds a different shade of expression altogether,” he notes, while speaking about his style that adds a rugged vibe to his work.
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Vittal paints because he loves it and sales are secondary. However, he does advice artists to market themselves to achieve recognition amid the established ones.
Talking about value for art and art appreciation, the artist praises for Mumbaikars. “People here are interested in art and respect the artist. They value the richness and beauty of the work. Mumbai appreciates art like no other city in the country. At other places, people mostly see art as a decoration piece and some even bargain on the rates, which is discouraging for the artist,” Vittal shares.
The artist urges the government to encourage artists and facilitate their talents. "There is more exposure and fund allocation for those in performance arts today, and, comparatively, lesser focus on artists," he says. Vittal suggests the government must provide platforms like grand exhibitions and shows to artists, so that they can display their artworks and connect with art collectors.
Vittal has presented his artworks – made from grains produced on his farm – to eminent personalities such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, K Chandrashekar Rao, the former CM of Telangana, and former Indian cabinet minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
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Witness the artist's colourful artwork at his solo show, which is currently underway (on till June 15) at Gallery FPH, at Free Press House, Nariman Point, Mumbai.
