Shyam Karri’s poetic watercolour canvas debuts in the region

This monsoon, the 105arts Art Gallery is drenched in the colours of master watercolour artist Shyam Karri, who brings his meditative and emotionally resonant body of work to Chandigarh for the very first time in his solo exhibition ‘Prana — The Breath of Life’.

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This is the first time Karri, also known as a master of watercolours, has brought his celebrated work in this region as a solo exhibition.

Curated by Mehak Bhan of 105arts, the exhibit opened on July 12 and will continue till August 12. It displays 70 nature-inspired paintings, each a fascinating experience in itself. “Shyam Karri’s art practice is less about spectacle and more about stillness, an invitation to pause, reflect and reconnect with the elemental,” says Mehak Bhan.

Mehak says that Karri’s paintings feel like visual haikus — deeply observed, pared down and poetic. “His art strikes a quiet conversation, have calming stillness to them and at the same time, a layered intensity that unfolds slowly. What I find compelling is the way he captures emotion without drama — through line, form and an almost meditative use of space. This exhibition is not just an art show, it’s a call to slow down, breathe and reconnect with the simple, essential rhythms of being,” she adds.

An architect and furniture designer, Shyam’s love for art goes back to his childhood, in the picturesque landscapes of Vishakhapatnam, its seashores, paddy fields and thriving biodiversity. Born with an artistic bent of mind, he would, as a boy, gravitate towards creative outlets, be it poetry, words, painting or creating things.

“I have always strived to search for harmony amidst the chaos, and I must’ve been 15-16 when I realised art strikes the most harmonious balance of them all,” shares Shyam.

The aim, however, was never to be an artist. “It was finding a path to exploration. When I started painting, it was a search for life and existence itself...I never thought of selling my work until a couple from Holland at the Bodhi Zendo in Kodaikanal, a retreat where I spend time and paint, insisted on picking my work. It was 2017, and I sold my first artwork. I still remember the joy and light on their face, and trust me, no architectural project has given me that kind of satisfaction of being valued, appreciated and respected.”

Over the past decade, Shyam has become one of the few contemporary Indian artists to centre watercolour as a serious, soulful practice — using it not just as a medium, but as a metaphor for life. It’s the Zen philosophy that resonates with Shyam. “Watercolour helps me practice Zen, to become attentive to ‘the presence’ and express the moment as it is,” he says. A challenging medium where water is the primary element, Shyam, who started painting watercolours nine years back, patiently walks the tightrope of ‘control and no control, mind and heart, rationality and intuition’. He believes the more time he devotes to an artwork, the more he thinks and as a result the fear trickles in.

“My philosophy is not to overthink. Just go with the flow...one has to be spontaneous with watercolours, allow the viewer to be part of the story and imagination, and for that I leave a lot of white space in my works,” says the self-taught artist, who is one of the few acclaimed artists who has been consistently teaching in India and abroad, building creative communities through immersive art camps in places like Hampi and Kodaikanal.