Her canvases speak of myriad hues. From painting women, who are a blend of the east and west, to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and a host of other celebrities, to cause-based works of art, Anjanna Kuthiala's repertoire of work spans a gamut of paintings. The Delhi-based writer and painter, who transitioned from being a homemaker to a well-known artist, brings to Bangalore a body of work that boasts of incorporating the city's inherent character in each of her 20 frames.
"Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore have always been closest to my heart. Delhi is where my career took off, Mumbai was where I showcased a series of 20 paintings depicting Shah Rukh's various avatars and Bangalore, because the city's greenery and beauty inspires the artist in me," says Kuthiala. A former Miss India winner, her art works have found place on walls of film personalities, politicians and industrialists among others.But among all her works, it is her work on Shah Rukh that holds a special place in her heart.
"There are thousands of artists in the country. But somehow I was destined to capture Shah Rukh in my paintings. He was so benevolent and gave me complete access to himself," she says of her SRK exhibition in 2005, titled A Poem of Art in Cinema.
"People were surprised that he never demanded a royalty or fee or anything, to be a part of the exhibition. All he asked was 'make me look like a man'," laughs Kuthiala, explaining Shahrukh Khan's apprehension, because of her women-based art works. "Women have always been an emotional anchor in my life and I love to paint them in different forms," she adds.
Her show at Bangalore, titled A Tribute To Bangalore On Canvas, is a mix of frames that capture the city's inherent characteristics.
For Bangalore's exhibit, she is poised to showcase the city in all its glory. A hub of the IT and wellness industries, the city where pub culture began, the starting point of Save The Girl Child campaign, to being a golfer's paradise, are themes which have found their way into her paintings. "Through my exhibit, I want to give Bangalore its due. It was here that people first began going to pubs, the quality of spas and medical facilities here, are terrific, the campaign for the girl child took off here and no other city offers great golf courses that Bangalore does," she laughs, adding that one of her work is a tribute to this craze. The artist, who has over the years visited the city, however maintains that Bangalore still retains its old charm, a fact that most Bangaloreans lament as a loss.
"Though Bangalore has grown in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, it has still managed to keep intact its inherent culture, its trademark qualities, as compared to other growing metros in the country. The city combines the best of both worlds," she remarks, adding that her paintings aim to capture this very unique paradox.
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