Hyderabad’s Emerging Art Landscape: From Garage Studios to Street Murals

When you drive past the Telangana Talli flyover and spot a burst of colour spilling over its concrete, it’s easy to forget that, half a century ago, Hyderabad barely whispered the word ‘art’.

Veteran painter Laxma Goud, now in his late eighties, recalls a time when there were hardly any practising artists in the city. “We didn’t have an ecosystem,” he says with a chuckle, as if reminiscing about an old family story.

That quiet began to change in the early 1970s when three bold souls – Laxma Goud, the late Surya Prakash and Devraj Dakoji – rented a modest garage in Himayatnagar. What started as a cramped workspace quickly turned into what many consider Hyderabad’s first collaborative studio.

Guided, at first, by a fascination with batik – a wax‑based technique suggested by art historian Jagdish Mittal – the trio soon found themselves at a crossroads. A visit from the towering M F Husain, who criticised their batik attempts as “craft rather than art,” left a sting, but also a spark. “His words were sharp, but they forced us to look inward,” Goud recalls. The studio shifted focus, embracing painting and sculpture that spoke to the city’s own rhythm.

In those early days the city’s visual language was largely figurative. Artists like Goud and Thota Vaikuntam painted everyday life – the bustling bazaars, the traditional attires, the lingering monsoons – all drenched in the warm hues of Telangana’s landscape. Surya Prakash, meanwhile, tried to introduce abstract forms, a move that took longer to find an audience, especially when Mumbai and Delhi were already ahead in contemporary discourse.

Fast‑forward to today, and Hyderabad’s art scene looks nothing like its past self. Installations now pop up in repurposed warehouses, performance art finds a stage in tiny cafés, and video artists project looping narratives on the walls of former factories. The city’s love affair with public art is especially visible: the mural‑lined flyover, community‑led wall‑painting projects in the old city, and even pop‑up galleries in college courtyards.

What’s striking is the way these new forms coexist with the old. A street artist might sketch a silhouette of the Charminar in neon, while a gallery in Banjara Hills showcases a ceramic series inspired by the centuries‑old pearls of the Nizam’s court. This juxtaposition creates a dialogue, a conversation between heritage and modernity that feels very organic.

Beyond the walls, there’s a thriving ecosystem of workshops and cafés that double as informal art hubs. Young creators gather over chai to discuss concepts, swap materials, and sometimes just watch a video‑art piece play on a laptop screen. Such spaces, though unassuming, are becoming the beating heart of the city’s creative pulse.

And the momentum isn’t limited to visual arts. Dance collectives experiment with site‑specific performances, musicians collaborate with visual artists for immersive shows, and local poets are invited to read amid installations, turning exhibitions into multi‑sensory experiences.

All of this points to a simple truth: Hyderabad is learning to see itself as an artistic city, not just a historical one. The journey from a humble garage in Himayatnagar to vibrant murals across its streets shows a community that respects its roots while eagerly reaching out to a global conversation.