Art in the Elements

Srinivas Babu Angara’s painting and wall-art borrows heavily from mythology and godly figures, and translates divinely beautiful scenes and forms – in materials like stone and metal. Artists often work around a thought or an idea; mulling over it over a period of time. At that time the artist’s personal reflections manifest in all the creative outputs they produce – which we can call a theme.

This piece focuses on the artist’s creative outputs; around a single theme. Understanding this journey from concept to completion (in four different manifestations) can be a great source of inspiration. The first step is the when the idea is translated into sketches – with the idea emerging almost immediately after knowing the client’s brief or seeing the site. Step two is refinement of sketches, which is also an integral part; step three is material selection and the fourth and final step is execution.

The theme here is a depiction of five elements – Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Cosmos/Space in various ways; at times as the focused concept and at other times as the base idea.

Srinivas represents the five elements in an organic pattern for a home theatre. The mural as a whole fits perfectly in such a setting.  Fire is represented in the centre by a copper sheet which is embossed with a glossy finish to bring out its nature where as Water although represented in the same material alongside fire has a matt finish.  In the composition, Earth is represented as the inner circle. Air – an ephemeral medium is depicted by lighting the circle with a desired effect.  An aluminum sheet of 8mm thickness placed between the inner and outer circle, is punctured and lit from behind to illustrate the cosmos. Selection of materials and play of light together make a powerful impact. 

In this work of art, a single flower stands amidst lighting and thunders; illustrating adversities of nature. Fire, is shown in the form of lightening, blowing leaves symbolizes wind, heavy rain depict Water and Earth is represented by drawing undulating lines. The flower gives a picture of Life, although dormant surviving and having its own Space.

In a painting format, oil on canvas (42”X 30”) Srinivas shows a different side to the Elements. The art work in a cubist format illustrates how man has misused various essentials- air, water giving rise to various adverse effects. The only element that mankind is unable to corrupt is Fire; an element which has the ability to annihilate the whole human civilization and start a new beginning.