Venkatappa Art Gallery has undergone a comprehensive renovation under the Brigade Foundation and has been reopened to the public since June. (Express Photo by Jitendra M)The Venkatappa Art Gallery, alongside the Government Museum and Visvesvaraya Museum in Bengaluru, has long been a fixture on Kasturba Road, ever since former Karnataka chief minister S Nijalingappa laid its foundation stone in 1967. But considering the calibre of the artworks housed within, the building itself had seen better days. It has since undergone a comprehensive renovation under the Brigade Foundation, which had previously worked on the Indian Music Experience Museum, and has been reopened to the public since June.K Venkatappa’s sculptures, toolsThe first floor of the gallery houses the work of the artist who gives the gallery its name – Krishnappa Venkatappa. Walking clockwise through the exhibit, one is left with a remarkable impression of Venkatappa’s life and how his art progressed over the years, beginning with simple botanical decorative motifs. Visitors can also get a close look at Venkatappa’s thought process and inspirations through a series of sketches on display, such as the one on Ajanta caves. A beautiful collection of veenas also bears testament to his skill as a musician. K Venkatappa’s collection of veenas on display at the gallery. (Express Photo by Jitendra M)While he is most known to the layperson for his work with plaster-of-Paris sculptures and reliefs, the gallery also houses a fascinating collection of landscape paintings by Venkatappa, depicting the countryside and mountains of places like Ooty and Kodaikanal. Also on display are the tools that artists of Venkatappa’s time would have used, from bone and ivory carving tools to a large collection of old paints, dyes, and brushes. Perhaps the most striking displays are the sealed glass cases housing Venkatappa’s relief art in plaster of Paris, depicting scenes from Hindu mythology.K K Hebbar’s paintings on serpent worshipThe works of K K Hebbar, another doyen of art in Karnataka, are to be found on the second floor. Many of his works here focus on the lives of rural people, in scenes ranging from Kashmir to Dakshina Kannada. Several excellent oil paintings by him are also on display, foremost among which is a work symbolising the Nagharadhane or serpent worship custom of South Karnataka.Other works take a more mystical tone, representing elemental forces such as flame and sky. Also of interest are sketches from his visits to Japan and Bali, accompanied by some of his written thoughts at the time.The building now also includes three extra galleries on the ground floor intended to host temporary art exhibits. The corridors outside the main galleries currently host a series of wooden sculptures by the late Major C P Rajaram.Brigade Foundation trustee Vineet Verma, in a statement to The Indian Express, said they decided to take up the renovation of Venkatappa Art Gallery when its chairman M R Jaishankar’s attention was drawn to the place’s dilapidated condition. “After receiving the required approvals from the government, we hired domain experts to redesign the spaces in keeping with the high standards required of a prestigious art gallery. Valuable inputs were also taken from senior artists who have for long been an integral part of Venkatappa Art Gallery,” he said.Story continues below this adBrigade Foundation has renovated the gallery and handed it back to the Department of Archaeology, Museums & Culture which will be responsible for its operations, maintenance & upkeep, Verma added. “They are conscious of the fragile nature of some of the works and have already appointed two curators to take care of the gallery and all the art. They have also retained INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) to help take care of any art that may need restoration from time to time.”Telling a story that even kids can connect toSandeep J of Architecture Paradigm, the firm which worked on the project, said they felt that the public area surrounding the gallery could also be utilised. “The building was originally erected in several phases and had its own set of problems, including a lack of maintenance and weathering. The way Venkatappa’s story was told was very matter-of-fact.”“I have seen school kids during our initial study walking right past the paintings. They weren’t told anything about them. That was a real issue – how the story has to be told, how the idea of it being a state gallery had to be represented,” Sandeep said. The rear courtyard of the gallery, which had earlier been completely cluttered, was cleared. (Express Photo by Jitendra M)As part of the changes, the rear courtyard, which had earlier been completely cluttered, was cleared. He added, “Our intent was that outdoor spaces can also function like galleries or informal spaces, from the idea of what a public space needs to be.”Story continues below this adVisitors to the Venkatappa Art Gallery can enter by paying a fee of Rs 50 at a counter outside the building. Photography is permitted.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd