'A Visual Narrative': Manjunath Wali’s experiments with watercolour

He used shades of blue in all paintings in this series

A visual narrative

Manjunath Wali’s watercolour paintings, depicting Jodhpur doors and windows, leave much to the imagination.

Wali, known for his paintings on monuments and places of historical significance like Hampi, has been yearning to experiment with new themes and colour palette. “Earlier, I would use only brown, orange, yellow, red and black. This time around, I have used shades of blue,” says Wali.

Wali has been wanting to visit Jodhpur but the pandemic threw cold water on his plans. The paintings in his current series were inspired by photographs shared by his friends in Jodhpur.

'A Visual Narrative', his solo show will be on display at MKF Museum of Art in Bengaluru from May 6 to 22.

“Keep your doors and windows open. Enjoy the view, and help each other. That is the message I am trying to communicate through these paintings,’’ says Wali who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from Hampi University College and Masters in Fine Arts from Vijaya College, Gadag.

His previous show in Chennai that portrayed contemporary landscape and folk architecture won critical acclaim. So did his paintings on Hampi. “I spent around 15 days in Hampi,’’ he recalls. It was worth the effort; they were greatly appreciated by many, including Nalini Malaviya, a Bengaluru-based art consultant, curator, founder and publisher of Art Scene India. His exhibition titled ‘Once Upon A Time’ showcased some of India’s ancient architecture.

The 37-year-old started his watercolour painting journey in 2002. He won the Camlin award twice—in 2013 and 2014. A recipient of the Shenoy Art Foundation and Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy awards, he experiments with different mediums, but watercolour has always been his favourite.

Wali, like most artists, find it hard to make a living from art. “I also teach art,’’ says Wali who hails from Bijapur, not far from Badami.