Born April 15, 1979 Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh
Education Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), Jawaharlal Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Born in Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh, in 1979, Ramesh Gorjala studied at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in painting. His work focuses on traditional Indian heritage and culture, through sensitive and detailed mythological portrayals of various Indian gods and goddesses.
Gorjala works with a delicate and intricate technique, portraying his spiritual take on the subjects of Indian mythology through both his imagery and his process. His use of a palette dominated by gold, red and green creates a very rich and natural feel in each of his paintings, and the moods that he is able to create and convey add an antiquated yet contemporary dynamic to his work. His subjects, mainly the gods, goddesses and mythical forms of the South Asian pantheon, include Hanuman, Vishnu and Buddha, and are all painted with great sensitivity and attention to detail. Gorjala does not necessarily restrict himself to a single, large protagonist in his pieces. Instead, he integrates subjects, mixing not only one figure, but multiple images all unified into a broader character. This is sometimes brought together by fragments of text, usually in the background of his surfaces, adding a new dimension to them. Another repeated element in his work is the checkerboard pattern of black and shades of white and grey in the background, adding a noel and modern twist to pieces that have a largely traditional and spiritual feel.
Gorjala’s work has won him various awards, including the 2000 Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Memorial Award from the Victoria Technical Institute (V.T.I.), Chennai, and the 2002 State Award from the A.P. Crafts Council. The artist has had many solo exhibitions and participated in various group shows in India and abroad. Some of his solo shows include 'Mythological Metaphor' at Chawla Art Gallery, New Delhi, in 2010; ‘Embracing Modernity’ at Mon Art Gallerie, Kolkata, in 2007; and earlier ones in Hyderabad and Bangalore. Group shows including his works have been held in Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai, Bangalore and London.
Exhibitions 2010 'Mythological Metaphor',... Selected Solo Exhibitions 2010 'Mythological Metaphor', Chawla Art Gallery, New Delhi 2008 Visual Art Gallery, New Delhi 2007 ‘Embracing Modernity’, Mon Art Gallerie, Kolkata 2007 Alankritha Art Gallery, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 2006 Renaissance Art Gallery, Bangalore, Karnataka Selected Group Exhibitions 2010 'Black is Beautiful', India Fine Art, Mumbai 2009 'Sacred and Secular', India Fine Art, Mumbai 2009 'Entity', MEC Art Gallery, New Delhi 2009 Gallery Space, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 2008 ‘Enchanter’, Art Panache, Gurgaon 2008 Samanvaya Art Gallery, Jaipur, Rajasthan 2007 ‘Art of Investment’, Ashvita Art Gallery, Chennai 2007 ‘Beyond Boundaries’, Mahua Art Gallery, Bangalore, Karnataka 2007 ‘Mother Tongue, Visions from South’, Visual Art Gallery, New Delhi 2007 ‘Memories, Myths and Images’, Gallery Space, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 2007 ‘Roots and Shoots: An Exploration’, organized by Mahua Art Gallery at London 2007 ‘Paper Love’, India Fine Art, Mumbai 2007 ‘Triptych’, Mahua Art Gallery, Bangalore, Karnataka 2007 MEC Art Gallery, New Delhi 2006 Samanvai Art Gallery, Jaipur, Rajasthan 2005 Tao Gallery, Mumbai 2005 ‘Turning the Wheel: Tradition Unbound’, Visual Art Gallery, New Delhi 2005 ‘Divine Inspiration’, Indian Fine Art, Mumbai 2005 Time and Space, Bangalore, Karnataka 2005 Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore, Karnataka
Participations 2010 Annual Exhibition, Chawla Art Gallery, New Delhi 2009 'Entity', Annual Exhibition, M.E.C Art Gallery, New Delhi 1988-99 & 2000-01 Participated in State Level Art Exhibition conducted by Telugu University of Andhra Pradesh Participated in Handicraft Exhibition conducted by Craft Council of Andhra Pradesh
Honours and Awards 2002 Received ‘State Award’, from Andhra Pradesh Crafts Council 2000 Received ‘Mahatma Gandhi Birth Centenary Memorial Award’, from Victoria Technical Institute (VTI), Chennai.