ByIANSlife Features

January 21, 2020 (IANSlife) An extensive collection of nude sculptures by world-renowned sculptor Ravinder Reddy will go on view here from Saturday.

Titled ‘Soma’, meaning ‘body’ in Greek and ‘nectar’ in Sanskrit, his exhibition will open at the Vadehra Art Gallery and presents his unique take on the nude female figure, an art subject that spans centuries, geography and artists.

Famous for his gilded female head sculptures that take inspiration from ancient temple idolizations while channeling the bold spirit of the contemporary woman, in this exhibition the Hyderabad-based artist turns to the undraped body with a similar intent, challenging interpretive depictions of women by celebrating their agency as well as their intimacy, the gallery said in a statement.

Revering the female figure as a site of vitality, beauty and power, Reddy, 64, undertakes an intricate exploration of the body, which for decades has not been considered important or an appropriate subject in the Indian cultural context. 

Reddy’s dalliance with the nude form began in 1979, and ‘Soma’ includes his consistent and controversial portrayals from the eighties up to the present, giving viewers the opportunity to track the artist’s developing oeuvre in response to ever-changing climes and contexts over the years.

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