Krishna Reddy's prints return to Mumbai, reviving modern art's untold legacy

The Many and The One, Krishna Reddy, 1971. Pics Courtesy/JNAF

While he is best known for pushing the boundaries on printmaking with his use of viscosity printing, it is Krishna Reddy's constant pursuit to capture nature as process, rather than product that makes him unique. It is no surprise then that curator Puja Vaish, Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation (JNAF), hopes the exhibition, The Many and One, sheds light on ‘Reddy's work in the larger transnational history of art.'

Clown Dissolving, Krishna Reddy

Born in Nandanoor, Hyderabad, Reddy would study under the legendary Nandalal Bose, and find himself influenced by names as diverse as Ramkinkar Baij, Henry Moore, and later Stanley Hayter's famed Atelier 17 in Paris. "The title plays on a few aspects in the show: On printmaking itself - of producing multiples, and also at understanding Reddy's practice alongside works by Atelier 17 artists, prints by Indian artists who embraced abstraction and travelled to the West, and image reproductions documenting international artists Reddy encountered," Vaish adds.

Krishna Reddy

The exhibition also traces Reddy's arrival at form, the curator says, adding, "…and the way he drew from his own life, nature and what was happening around him, while engaging philosophies and the wider art historical movements and artists networks that he encountered."

Puja Vaish

The gallery placed the artist's work in the context of the works by his peers, many of whom spent their formative years in Paris between 1950 and 1970. Vaish adds, "We also feature prints by Indian artists who were part of a generation expanding the possibilities of abstraction. Further, several artists represented in the show crossed paths with Reddy directly, while others encountered his work or were influenced by him. By tracing these artistic relationships, the exhibition reveals how artistic ideas evolved through networks of dialogue, mentorship, and mutual influence."

TILL September 27; 10.15 am to 6 pm
AT JNAF Gallery, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Fort.
ENTRY Museum tickets apply