As you make your way through the century-old majestic Hill Fort Palace tucked away in Basheerbagh... you find artist George Martin P.J.
He’s standing in one of the huge halls, with a book in hand while talking to students who are there to help him with the art show, Inbox.
Currently on a “very tight schedule”, George is running from pillar to post to get everything set for the show, starting November 1. “I’m here for a very short period of time, but it is very exciting to be working on such a huge project,” he says.
George, whose artwork is famous across the world, was born in Angamaly, Kerala. “I’m the only artist in my family...and even as a child I would run to the nearby tiles factory, pick up some clay and create small sculptures. I remember creating figures for the manger during Christmas and people started noticing me because my sculptures were very unique,” he says. And as he grew up, George realised that fine arts was where his interest was so he moved to Kolkata to finish his studies. When you look at his artwork, the first thought that comes up in your mind is pop art, but George explains: “I wouldn’t call it pop art. Rather the use of many elements of pop art culture,” he explains. “I love to use bright colours in all my artwork and that’s where you see the similarity. But the subjects that I use are all based on modern life. For instance, I’ve been creating works based on people who have shifted from villages to cities and how their lives turn out,” he adds. As he walks you through the palace, you can tell that he’s really excited about hosting a show here as he says, “I told Lakshmi Nambiar (of Shrishti Art Gallery) that I did not want to host the show in an art gallery. I wanted an open venue where we could work with the space, and when we landed this palace I was quite happy,” he says.
The 100-year-old palace will then come alive with the artwork that has been put together over the past few months. And this will be the first time in at least two decades that the palace will see a crowd. “Parts of the palace will be cordoned off. Also, it will remain as is.”
One of George Martin’s works
Present at the celebration was Sushila Bokadia, who has been fasting for her husband’s long life for the past 25 years, and even Megha Aggarwal, an unmarried young graduate, who is also fasting.
“I am from Mumbai and I got married and shifted to Hyderabad where people don’t generally observe Karva Chauth,” says Sushila, who turned up in the perfect Karva Chauth attire, complete with a sieve that women use on the day to look at their husbands after seeing the moon. “Everybody, especially the women from places where the celebration doesn’t take place, were excited to see what I was carrying and they also had a lot of questions for me,” she added.
There were also quite a few South Indian wives. “My knowledge about this festival is restricted to what I have been seeing in Bollywood films,” says Srividya, who attended her first Karva Chauth party with her mother Rajyalakshmi. She adds, “I have never fasted, but it’s quite exciting to watch what women do on this day.”
