Painting Event

Dunedin artist Sudhir Duppati painted music at the Otago Museum on Sunday 18th Oct 09.The Otago Polytechnic School of Art painting and drawing lecturer painted a eight-metre canvas in response to a trio of musicians playing guitar, digeridoo and electronica effects.The show was part installation and part performance and crowds gathered at the museum through the day to watch his progress.``I'm painting in response to the music, and the musicians are playing music in response to what I'm painting,'' Duppati explained.Children seemed particularly fascinated by the spectacle, as the artist almost appeared to meditate to the music at times before making his next movement. He completed the canvas in eight hours. Duppati has exhibited extensively in New Zealand, India, and the United States over the past three years, in galleries ranging from Peter Ray Art Gallery, Blue Oyster Contemporary Space, Salisbury House Gallery in Dunedin to the Tamarind Museum and Gallery in New York. He is also an accomplished performance artist, gaining national media attention during the 2009 Dunedin Fringe Festival for his ``Critique of Civilisation'' performance.

By NIGEL BENSON Arts EditorOtago Daily Times