Talent doubled
B.V. S. BHASKAR
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Artists Guvvala Kennedy and Padma want to do different things differently.
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Photo: S. Rambabu
Artist couple Guvvala Kennedy and Padma with their work on ’Sivarchana’.
When an artist recreated the temple backdrop of Sri Ranganatha (Periya Perumal) along with Goddess Godadevi on the sands of Marina Beach, artists from different parts of Tamil Nadu were inquisitive about who was the person behind the painting. Sen
ior artists and stapatis blessed the young creative artist. This had happened long ago.
A woman, which different creative sensibilities, conducted a show on International Women’s Day with her paintings that included caricatures of woman warriors, freedom fighters and role models like Durgabai Desmukh, Iron Lady Indira Gandhi and got very good response and applause from the top IAS and IPS officers and the general public.
The duo we are talking about is Guvvala Kennedy and Guvvala Kennedy Padma. The freehand artist Kennedy was born in Rajahmundry and got married to the national kabaddi player Padma, with whom he fell in love when she came to participate in a tournament.
Kennedy got first prize at the age of 11 in 1974 at International Art Exhibition, New Delhi and in 1977 he got the prestigious Damerlla Ramarao All India Art Exhibition Award.
A Tamil speaking artist, he has conducted many exhibitions in Andhra as well as in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in his 35 years of journey as free hand artist by creating wonders in portrait, landscape designing, temple elevation, interior art designing, sculpture and traditional painting.
“Sri Marunganti Seetharamacharyulu is my guru and who gave this ‘bhiksha’. Conducting art exhibitions, training young kids and giving tips to professionals has became part and parcel of the life. So, I decided to do different things,” says Kennedy, who’s father is also a professional artist. His father named him Kennedy after the former US president John F. Kennedy. Miniature painting with thin line, ornaments designing, model study, depth in patch work and more details in picture similar to photography are the specialties of Guvvala Kennedy.
On the other hand, woman is the focal point in Guvvala Padma’s paintings. She did 225 paintings (all are women) in 30 days span and created a record. Portraits, modern art, nature study, sculpture style with oil painting, pall of knife are her mode of paintings.
Dharmastala is their target.
The duos choose Siva Purana as their main theme and they decided to do `Sivarchana’ with their 100 huge paintings of Lord Shiva.
Both Kennedy and Padma spent sleepless nights to make this task successful.
“I started my career with writing banners and making political cutouts. But, now I am blessed with name and fame because of the art. So, Padma and me decided to present paintings of Lord Shiva with beard and moustache, which are not found in temples or in any art forms.
We will present these paintings to Lord Manjunatha in Dharmasthali,” explained Kennedy. He has completed about 70 paintings till now and rest will be finished in a month. Gaja Samharam, Tripura Samharam, Bhikshatana, Kalachakra Shiva, Shiva playing five instruments at a time and Shiva-Vishnu and Ayyappa’s birth are some of the pieces from 100 paintings.
“We studied and discussed Agama Sastras, where Shiva is depicted with moustache and beard. However, the acrylics, oils, paints, canvas and wood frames are so costly and it would take at least Rs.5 to Rs.10 lakhs to create these 100 paintings. We are searching for philanthropists,” say the duo.
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