Arts_Illustrated_-_February-March_2016

DIGITAL COPY ON MAGZTER

G

R Iranna is a busy man.

His solo show, 'And the last

shall be the first', is on at the

National Gallery of Modern Art in

Bengaluru. He wanted to be a drawing

teacher, he says, but ended up being

a practising artist. A successful one at

that. And one of the people he attributes

his success to is an artist much older

than him – Atul Dodiya. ‘He is a close

friend and I have watched his artistic

journey over the past 25 years. His

work has always fascinated me, be it his

paper works, canvases or installations.

What is unique about his work is his

assemblage and transformation of a

wide range of subjects and ideas through

layering and connection of different

mediums, which, although complex

to execute, seem effortless.’ Another

aspect of Dodiya’s work that Iranna

admires is his representation of serious

sociopolitical issues in a simplified

light-hearted way. Dodiya is generous

and humorous as a person. Not only is

he witty but he also has the sensibilities

to partake in his own wit. This, he says,

reflects in his work. ‘His artistic and

technical prowess through which he is

able to translate his ideas into a visual

Atul Dodiya and GR Iranna

Untitled, G.R. Iranna,

Acrylic on Canvas, 54'' x 68'',

2005, Image Courtesy of

The Guild Art Gallery and the Artist

(^60) / arts illustrated / feb 2016 - mar 2016 /IAF - Delhi Connecting Art