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Damerla Rama Rao Art Gallery in a state of complete neglect
Many valuable oil and water paintings, along with pencil sketches, are in damaged condition in Damerla Ramarao Memorial Art Gallery in the grand city of culture. The government has kept the gallery under the control of Technical Education department, instead of Department of Cultural Affairs.
Rajamahendravaram: Many valuable oil and water paintings, along with pencil sketches, are in damaged condition in Damerla Ramarao Memorial Art Gallery in the grand city of culture. The government has kept the gallery under the control of Technical Education department, instead of Department of Cultural Affairs.
Damerla Rama Rao is a world renowned artist of yester years who made a significant contribution to the enrichment of art forms during the period of Revivalism of Indian Art. The great personality died at the age of 28 years and he had named to his last painting as 'Death" on way back to the city from Tirupati on February 6th of 1925. He was born in the year 1897 in the historical city, Rajamahendravaram.
The State government is giving only a nominal amount for its maintenance and ignored measures to preserve the valuable paintings. Many people are visiting the art gallery and many paintings are still kept aside due to lack of space. Government Advisor for Communications Parakala Prabhakar and Deputy Speaker Mandali Budda Prasad recently visited the gallery and assured to take steps to conserve the paintings. The gallery is located in the heart of the city, without any development.
When contacted, Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage (INTACH) East Godavari district convenor N Seshu Kumari underlined the need to conserve the paintings immediately. Earlier, INTACH estimated that an amount of Rs 87 lakh needed to conserve the paintings which would take at least 10 months time.
As many as 10 staff members of INTACH from New Delhi should stay in the city until the completion of the mission. Computers also can be used to restore faded and spoiled paintings by scanning and feeding into the computer and prints can be taken on paper or on canvas.
Rama Rao produced many paintings between 1922--1925 and his paintings were exhibited at British Empire Expo Wembly and then at Canadian National Expo in Toranto.
Rama Rao had his formal education in JJ School of Arts Mumbai in the year 1916--1921 who was admitted directly in the third year of five years course because of his excellence.
His paintings also exhibited in Madras in the year 1988, in Hyderabad in the year 1988 and in New Delhi in the year 1991. His wife Satyavani also is painter and Rama Rao had drawn some paintings making her as a model.
There are as many as 14 oil paintings, 76 water paintings and pencils sketches of Rama Rao and 21 water paintings and 134 pencil sketches of his wife Satyavani available in the art gallery.
By S S Chary
