Deccan Chronicle cartoon editor, Subhani Shaik's exhibition on Hyderabad captures not just the architecture but also its people
In our age of digital art, Subhani Shaik’s sketches create a conversation between the eternal beauty of the monuments and the people who surround them – as an exhibition hosted by JNFAU College of Fine Arts demonstrates. “Hyderabad Ku Line Maarroun” was a three-day exhibition, On World Heritage Day, featuring Subhani, the Deccan Chronicle Cartoon Editor’s 70 free hand line sketches and paintings.
The major focus of the exhibition, as seen in the title, is on the city of Hyderabad. Through his delicate yet intricate lines, Subhani captures the Charminar from different angles, bringing out fresh perspectives that preserve the monument’s magnificence. Each line expresses the vibrant energy of Hyderabad, which reflects not just the monument itself but also the stories of people in it. To depict these stories, Subhani mentions that he works in front of the monument space to encapsulateits spirit and all the rhythms of the crowd. With each work, he offers a fusion of culture, history, and art.
The exhibition also featured Subhani’s witty and incisive cartoons of the city, which presented life in a city where both Hindus and Muslims cohabited. With exaggerated characters, playful scenes, from rickshaw rides to street vendors, from politicians to tourists, he brings to the forefront the quirks of daily life in Hyderabad and its people. These cartoons balance the monument’s splendour while adding a layer of amusement to it.
Subhani’s exhibition also showcases monuments from different parts of the country and the world, like Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal or America’s Statue of Liberty. Through these pieces, he talks about the importance of travelling, which offers a relief from the everyday pressures of being a cartoonist. Subhani talks about how newspaper cartoons play an essential role as the “opposition” party in bringing attention to ongoing issues. Cartoonists are often left with the burden of portraying persistent societal and political matters in a humorous and satirical way to highlight the depth while making it digestible for readers unaware of it.
Through this project, Subhani fuels his creativity to bring the unshown stories of Hyderabad recorded in its monumental spaces to his audience.
The article is authored by Nikhila Kalla, an intern at DC from Christ University, Bengaluru.
