By M.B. Pavan Murthy

Despite the prevalence of swift communication through digital technology, painting remains an age-old tool for communication that continues to attract many enthusiasts across various forms of art.

Dr. Vittal Raddi F. Chulaki is a passionate patron of art who uses his deft hands to create beautiful artworks with strokes of his brush.

Born on July 20, 1969, to Fakeera Raddi and Padmavathi in Kagadal, Saundatti taluk, Belagavi district, Dr. Vittal Raddi received guidance from his father’s friend, S.M. Hoogar, to pursue fine arts. He completed his Art Master Diploma at Government Arts College, Dharwad, in 1991, followed by a Diploma in Painting at Shri Vijaya Mahantesh Lalitakala Mahavidyalaya in Hubballi in 1992 and Master of Visual Arts from Hampi University 2007. In 2017, he earned his Ph.D from Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi.

Dr. Vittal Raddi began his career as an Arts Lecturer at Mahesh Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya in Jamkhandi and excelled as a faculty and traditional painter. His passion for the art form has only grown stronger over the years.

His painting, ‘Tragedy of Woman,’ is a powerful representation of the pain and suffering caused by addiction to liquor, particularly in women within families. His skilful use of acrylic on paper earned him a gold medal at the second National-level Art Exhibition organised by Kalankan Prayas in Jharkhand in 2002.

Evolution of modern art

Reflecting on the evolution of painting as a medium of communication, Vittal Raddi notes, “It has been an integral part of human culture since ancient times. In the past, when education was not accessible to all, art served as an effective way to convey ideas and messages. Today, painting has evolved into different styles, including traditional styles like Mysore Style, Tanjore Style, Vijayanagar Style and modern styles like computer art and graphic art.”

The British established four art schools in various parts of the country and encouraged modern art, resulting in the Navya Shayli (modern art) becoming more popular than traditional styles of painting, he reveals.

Vittal Raddi, who had a passion for creative painting, later moved to the cultural capital of Mysuru, which flourished as a hub of arts under royal patronage. He joined Sri Kalaniketana College of Visual Art in Vijayanagar, Mysuru, as a lecturer and found equal support from his colleague artist Shivakumar, which further motivated him.

He gained attention for his traditional paintings and creative artwork. He continued to fine-tune his painting skills by participating in art camps on portrait painting and watercolours held at Hampi in Vijayanagar district, a lithograph camp in Mysuru, and Southern Zone All India Traditional Painting camps.

One-man show

Vittal Raddi’s talent as a painter gained notice through a solo painting exhibition held by the Kannada and Culture Department at Kochi, Kerala from June 4 to 8, 2011. The exhibition featured a total of 26 artworks in acrylic and oil painting mediums that caught the attention of art enthusiasts.

In addition, Vittal Raddi has also exhibited his artworks at the Suchitra Art Gallery, Kalamandira, in Mysuru in 1999, Shaiva Gandharva Hall in Pune, Maharashtra in 2013, Narayana Art Gallery in Hubballi in 2015, and a recent solo painting exhibition in Dubai.

Awards, fellowship

Vittal Raddi has also received recognition and awards for his contribution to the field of art. In addition to the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy Award, he received in 2005, he was also awarded as the ‘Best Artist’ by the Department of Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare in 1999. He has won the Camlin Award in 1992 and the College Annual Award in 1999.

He has also received the Mysuru Dasara Awards multiple times, in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2017. He was honoured with the seventh Karnataka Kala Mela Award in 2003 and the 76th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana Award at Gadag in 2010. In 2016, he received a fellowship of Rs. 1 lakh from the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy. His contribution to the field of art has been widely recognised and celebrated. It has been 26 years since Vittal Raddi started working at Sri Kalaniketana College of Visual Art in Vijayanagar, Mysuru, and art continues to inspire him.

‘Painting is a powerful medium’

No amount of money can bring the happiness I get from working with colours. Painting has given me everything in life — contentment, fame and money. I find great satisfaction in painting. During the COVID-19 pandemic when many were struggling to find ways to pass the time, we artists found that there was not enough time to indulge in honing our painting skills further, said Vittal Raddi.

“Painting is a powerful medium that can convey emotions more effectively than words. I believe that a single painting can express what would take several pages of written text to convey,” he said.

He has a strong foundation in traditional painting and has shared his expertise as a guide at various painting camps. He has also studied the works displayed at Jaganmohan Palace Art Gallery and Museum in Mysuru. In recent years, he has been more interested in Modern Art, which he feels is at the forefront of the art world. He cites M.C. Chetti as his mentor.