Chi Su Krishna Setty: Golden Jubilee in Painting…

Chikkanayakanahalli Subbaraya Krishna Setty is popularly known as Chi Su Krishna Setty and is a well-known name in the field of fine arts. A tall, well built and handsomely dressed personality is unassuming despite being a veteran artist with a long-standing in the field. Looking back, the septuagenarian recollects: “Yes, I started painting during 1972 and in a short while from now I will be completing fifty years in painting. And I shall continue to do so”.

Chikkanayakanahalli Subbaraya Krishna Setty

Subliminal Excavations: He held a “Subliminal Excavations”, a solo exhibition of his paintings, recently at the main campus of Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishat in Rajarajeshwarinagar on the outskirts of Bengaluru. As part of the exhibition, he gave a lecture cum demonstration of his work and interacted with the fine arts students.

A unique occasion, rare opportunity: Prof Tejendra Singh Baoni, Principal College of Fine Arts, Chitrakala Parishat(CKP) campus, Bengaluru showered praises to the noted painter having developed mastery in various forms. He called upon the student fraternity to make use of the unique occasion of witnessing the working of a great artist, apart from the rare opportunity of interacting with him directly.

Maiden exhibition: Prof Babu Jattakar, Faculty Member-College of Fine Arts CKP explaining the significance of the maiden exhibition at the new campus informed: “In fact, this is the first such exhibition of a leading artist in the new premises of the Institute. The objective is to enhance students’ excellence by providing them with an exposure to aid their academic curriculum apart from enabling them professionally”.

Double milestones: “Incidentally, this year also happens to be the sixtieth year of Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishat while it is also the fiftieth year of College of Arts. Both, these events are milestones to the Organization and Institute. Yesterday, there was a visual presentation and today a live demonstration cum interactive session with the students is being held”, informed Prof Babu Jattakar.

Deeper understanding: Prof Prabhu Harsoor, Faculty Member of Ravindra Kala Niketan fine arts College in Tumakuru, after making a preview of the paintings felt: “Chi Su Krishna Setty being a student of literature apart from the foundation in fine arts has a deeper understanding of our multifaceted history and tradition. Probably the impact of such readings is reflected in his paintings”.

Reasons for being untitled: However, Chi Su Krishna Setty introspects his works in his own way: “Initially, I used several images as metaphor and symbols as a snake for unfulfilled sexual desire, hand for a political party, chair for power, dead fish for common man etc. But over the years, they surpassed their limitations and became generic to powerfully express multiple meanings. That’s why most of my works are untitled”.

No art background: Unlike many an artist Chi Su Krishna Setty admits: “I have no family background of artists in the family. On the other hand, I hail from a business family which had migrated to Tirthahalli in Shivaamogga district from Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumakuru district. I developed an interest in drawing during my childhood days. However, I failed in SSLC examinations. The reasons were not academic but for being preoccupied with the family profession, business. In fact, I was a brilliant student even then. Later, a few friends of mine suggested me join professional Art courses. In this way, I joined the Government School of Arts and Crafts (SAC) at Davanagere”.

Bombat life! Recollecting the bygone fifty years of painting Chi Su Krishna Setty becomes emotionally surcharged: “It’s a bombat (excellent, incredible, and awesome) life with enough of ups and downs. No doubt, it’s a wonderful journey”.

From jail to examination hall! Chi Su Krishna Setty’s college days were literally a real big struggle. While he was in the third year of the fine arts course at the Government School of Arts and Crafts (SAC) Davanagere, Emergency was clamped in the country during 1974-75. This fine arts student didn’t restrict himself to college and classes. He plunged into the Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) movement through the student organization Chaatra Yuva Sangarsha Vahini (CYSV) protesting against the draconian law imposed curbing fundamental rights of the citizens…

…The lad Chi Su Krishna Setty was arrested for being involved in the anti emergency movement. Initially, he was put behind the bars in Davanagere. Later, he was taken to Ballari and then shifted to Bengaluru central jail. He was imprisoned for 14 months. During this period were annual examinations for the third year. In order to attend the exams, he filed a habeas corpus petition. Thanks to late DM Chandrasekhar, then a judge of the state high court, Chi Su Krishna Setty was permitted to go to the examination hall in police custody. Since lakhs of students were languishing in prisons throughout the country, the new Janata Party government which assumed office after the 1977 general elections, accorded special permission to attend the exams.

Administrator, Central Lalit Kala Academy: After successfully completing the fine arts degree, he worked as a lecturer in the very college for three years. Then he moved to Bengaluru to join the Clarion Advertising Agency. After a brief stint, he joined the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and continued there until retirement. In between, he continued his passion for.

-Manohar Yadavatti