Three-day art and culture festival, Living Temple, begins in Hyderabad

Living Temple art festival in Hyderabad

Living Temple, a three-day festival celebrating heritage, architecture, and fine arts, began at T-Works in Hyderabad, on Friday. The event spotlights a multidisciplinary art exhibition featuring works by 30 artists from across India. It also includes classical dance performances and workshops on Vedic symbols and Kerala mural painting.

Curated by Annapurna Madipadiga of EkChitra and supported by Telangana Tourism, the festival highlights Indian temple architecture, iconography, and the cultural ecosystems fostered by these ancient structures

.The art showcase bridges traditional and contemporary expressions. At the entrance, paper sculptures by Vaishali Rastogi Sahni set the tone for the diverse artistic perspectives within. Temple motifs such as the yali, scrolls, and ornamental patterns are reimagined in modern sculptural forms. Titled Embracing the Light and Inner Alchemy, these works invite viewers on a spiritual and artistic journey.

Photographs by Amar Ramesh spark conversations with their vivid portraits of Yakshagana and Therukoothu artists. His lens captures the intricate carvings of the ‘mandapam’ near the Madurai Meenakshi Temple, while also highlighting the ornate ‘mogappu’ — the carved and painted entrance archways of Chettinad homes.

Anil Thambai’s installation, composed of multiple panels, creates the illusion of a journey into the sanctum sanctorum, guiding viewers through a series of arches and pathways.

Appam Raghava’s series of Hanuman masks pay homage to popular iconography, while Aryan Patil blends admiration for traditional craftsmanship with a commentary on labour rights and social inequality. His installation, featuring a temple pillar precariously inclined and supported by a working-class figure, serves as a powerful visual metaphor.

Charanjeet Singh’s art offers a layered commentary on history, architecture, and environmental concerns. He juxtaposes imagery of historic stepwells with vivid depictions of fauna sustained by these water bodies.