In the ’80s, artists struggled to sell their work, and sculptors barely figured in the art scene, recalls 70-year-old legend Ravinder Reddy. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has witnessed it all: Modest beginnings where artists survived by teaching, the gradual evolution of Indian art, and today, commanding astronomical sums for his sculptures. His works now grace prestigious museums worldwide, cementing his status as a modern icon.
Born in Suryapet, Reddy stumbled into art by accident. “I studied at Keshav Memorial School in Chikadpally, where we had two very good art teachers. Since I wasn’t into sports, I dabbled in art and realised I was good at it.” A chance remark — ‘If you want to become an artist, you should go to Baroda’ — led him to study under stalwarts like Krishna Chhatpar and Raghav Kaneria. It also introduced him to sculpting, which he would go on to redefine.
Crucible of creativity
“I never touched clay in my life until I went to Baroda. Also, hardly any schools taught sculpture back then; most focused only on drawing,” he says. “I went intending to paint, but I was told to try sculpture as I was good at drawing. I felt I wasn’t strong at perspective but better in modelling, so I took sculpture.” The art-rich environment of Baroda shaped him profoundly. Interacting with legends like KG Subramanyam and Ghulam Mohammed Sheikh, and soaking in a liberal atmosphere where students could attend classes in painting and photography, he honed skills that would make him a master of his craft.
In 1981, while still a student, the distinguished Ebrahim Alkazi selected him for a show in Delhi where Reddy presented three works — one of which was acquired by the National Gallery of Modern Art. The show also introduced his iconic muse, now known as the ‘Ravinder Reddy woman,’ in a sinuous drape. Reddy laughs, “Even our teachers couldn’t sell their works. It was mostly big names like Husain and B. Vittal. So my focus was on perfecting and learning.”
A two-year scholarship to the UK broadened his horizons. Studying at Goldsmiths College in London, he visited art galleries, museums, and churches across Europe, while the feminist ethos of the institute began influencing his work.
Trailblazer in Indian art
The iconic ‘Ravinder Reddy woman’ took shape over time. When he began working, many artists and schools from Madras to Delhi produced stylised Indian art that missed the essence. He explains, “That’s when I started exploring folk, tribal, Indian, and classical art, along with the Mathura style of sculpture, and began fusing them. What you come across is not a portrait but capturing a spirit.”
Despite advice to focus on Western art, Reddy — working across mediums from fibreglass to terracotta and bronze — demonstrated that the Indian figurative style is timeless.
His palette prominently features gold, red, yellow, and blue. The women’s gaze is arresting: eyes meet the viewer’s directly, exuding boldness, sensuality, strength, and vulnerability simultaneously. Often life-size (up to 15 feet), these mostly nude sculptures are even more striking.
Reddy is credited with many firsts. Among them, he was one of the earliest artists to experiment with fibreglass in sculpture — a medium not widely accepted at the time. His work earned recognition from the Lalita Kala Akademi, securing him the National Award and helping Indian art gain global visibility with a New York show in 1995 that showcased his ingenuity.
Two of his works are part of ‘Deep Interiors: A Return to the (Un)Discovered Self’ at Gallery Dotwalk, State Art Gallery, which also featured a short film on his craft. Asked how his art has evolved, Reddy concludes, “As you grow, you understand your deficiencies and absorb new ideas while discarding old ones. This helps you to rebuild.”
