Perspectives: 50 Contemporary Artists Light Up Hyderabad’s State Gallery of Art

When you step inside Hyderabad’s State Gallery of Art this week, the first thing you’ll notice is the sheer variety – a hundred‑plus pieces, each whispering a different story, all gathered under the umbrella title Perspectives. Curated by Satya Gannoju, a name that’s been buzzing through the Telangana art circuit, the show is a collaboration with the local studio known as Appam Raghava Art Studio (the article sometimes shortens it to Appam Art Studio).

The exhibition runs until July 21, 2026, giving art‑lovers a narrow window to soak in the eclectic mix. Fifty contemporary artists – a blend of emerging talents and seasoned creators – have been invited to lay their visions bare, using everything from charcoal and pencil to acrylic, bronze, stone and even textile scraps.

One of the first things that catches the eye is a massive three‑dimensional Hanuman mask perched at the entrance of the Chitramayee gallery. The piece, a mixed‑media installation, feels almost like a silent guardian, setting a reverent tone for what follows.

Moving deeper, you’ll find Anjiya Naik’s devotional tableau titled “Divine Expression”. Shiva, rendered in bold blues and shimmering gold, is surrounded by traditional symbols that pulse with a contemporary energy. Just a few steps away, Bhairu Raghu Ram offers a tender slice of rural Telangana life – women engaging in everyday chores, their silhouettes rendered in soft charcoal that feels both intimate and timeless.

Priti Samyukta takes a different route, stitching together narratives of women, identity and even pets using denim scraps and corduroy appliqué. The tactile quality of her work invites you to run your fingers along the fabric, reminding you that art can be as much about touch as it is about sight.

In the centre of the gallery, a bronze sculpture by Keshav Rao commands attention. Titled “Shiva‑Parvati”, the piece has been painstakingly patinated to an almost teal‑blue finish, then sanded to reveal gold‑tinged highlights – a play of light that seems to echo the mythic relationship it portrays.

For those who favour the subtlety of watercolour, the weekend‑only side show Light at: The Edge of Perception by Angali Raghavender sits alongside Perspectives, offering a quiet counter‑point with ethereal washes that explore perception itself.

Thematically, the exhibition is as diverse as its media. Identity, culture, memory, nature, spirituality, mythology and the rough edges of rural life all find a place. It feels less like a catalogue of isolated works and more like a conversation – a dialogue between the past and the present, the sacred and the mundane.

Overall, Perspectives succeeds in what it sets out to do: it shines a light on the vibrant pulse of contemporary Indian art while grounding that pulse firmly in the soil of Hyderabad’s own artistic heritage.