MG Doddamani

MG Doddamani is a Bangalore-based artist, curator and well-loved mentor to many young artists. His work is predominantly figurative, with his figures rendered in a uniquely disinterested austerity, with ethereal features that are meant to elevate them to a plane higher than human. Dismayed by mankind’s greed and ravenousness, and influenced by the sublimity of Buddha and his teachings (which call for a surrendering of all desires), Doddamni attempts to illustrate a 'middle path' in his work. In a sense, the many shaved monks in his paintings may be seen as his alter ego, his better self. His distinct style is marked by his use of light and shadow to create sharp contours, along with elegantly rendered stylised figures, and soft, glowing colour palettes. In his double-framed canvases that couple his trademark otherworldly figures with symbols and motifs, Doddamani turns storyteller, focusing on issues of nature, power and dignity. He believes that, “Art is an expression of inner feelings. In a complex society, it is also a responsibility of artists to reflect on life and convey positive messages.”