Hyderabad’s heart for art is growing bigger, evolving beyond traditional galleries to embrace diverse stories, forms of expression and new audiences. Installations, experimental media including performance and video art, unconventional exhibition spaces, public art, café workshops and a growing wall-art culture reflect its vibrant scene today.Also Read: The Hyderabad that was, and the city it is nowBut 50 years ago, Hyderabad was hardly buzzing with art. “There was no art scene and hardly any practising artists,” says 86-year-old artist Laxma Goud, tracing the city’s artistic evolution.Collaborative studio
Renowned artist Laxma Goud
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While Pakala Tirumal Reddy, aka PT Reddy, is regarded as one of the city’s pioneering artists, Laxma Goud along with the late Surya Prakash and Devraj Dakoji, rented a garage in Himayatnagar to launch a first-of-its-kind collaborative studioFive decades, two landmarks, one evolving cityThe trio began with batik art using wax as a preoccupation, at the suggestion of the late art historian and collector Jagdish Mittal. They discontinued it after MF Husain, critical of their efforts, urged them to be original and aspire to be artists rather than craftsmen. “His words were sharp but gave us direction. It felt like a new dawn and brought a sense of vibrancy.”
