Hyderabad’s art scene is finding new ways to get exposure
Hyderabad’s heart for art is growing and evolving beyond traditional galleries to embrace diverse narratives, forms of expression and new audiences. Installations, experimental media including performance and video art, non-conventional exhibition spaces, public art, cafe workshops and a growing wall art culture reflect its vibrant scene today.
Also Read: The Hyderabad That Was and The City It Is Now
But 50 years ago, Hyderabad was hardly bursting with art. “There was no art scene and hardly any practicing artists,” says 86-year-old artist Laxma Goud, as she traces the city’s artistic development.
Shared studio
Renowned Artist Laxma Goud | Photo credit: CV SUBRAHMANYAM
Pakhal Tirumal Reddy, aka PT Reddy, is considered one of the pioneer artists of the city, but he was not well known then. “Only Narayanguda, the area where he lived and worked, knew about him,” rues Laxma, who along with the late Surya Prakash and Devraj Dakoji rented a garage in Himayatnagar to start a first-of-its-kind joint studio.
Five decades, two landmarks, one developing city
The trio started batik using wax as an interest, at the suggestion of the late art historian and collector Jagdish Mittal. They discontinued it after MF Husain, critical of their efforts, urged them to be original and aspire to be artists rather than craftsmen. “His words were sharp, but they gave us direction. It felt like a new dawn and brought a sense of aliveness.”
Anjani Reddy paints on canvas at an art camp | Photo credit: KVS GIRI
Art in Hyderabad was creative, steeped in tradition and above all figurative. At the fore were artists like Laxma Goud and Thota Vaikuntam whose work was heavily influenced by the culture, ethos and people of the region. Surya Prakash was a pioneer in bringing abstract art to the city, but it took a long time to find its audience.
“Interest in contemporary art has been greater in Mumbai and Delhi since colonial times because of the prevailing social and cultural conditions, but we have been steeped in tradition,” says artist and founder of Iconart gallery Avani Rao Gandra. The idea of art, he says, was linked to the painting tradition of Lepakshi, which is known for its rich narrative style of wall art that helped with storytelling, community building and cultural preservation.
Kakatiya Kala Thoranam in Warangal Mural on Telangana Talli flyover near Secretariat highlighting regional heritage | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
“Many states do not have the beautiful traditions like Kalamkari, Nakash that we had in undivided Andhra Pradesh, which now continue to enrich the two Telugu states,” adds Avani.
Institutions like Lalit Kala Akademi and Hyderabad Art Society nurtured artists through their initiatives. “PT Reddy garu, Vidya Bhushan garu and Jagdish Mittal garu were the triangle that elevated the art world, but the driving force was LN Gupta, an administrator associated with the Industrial Exhibition Society, who was known for his love of art and innate sense of aesthetics.”
Renowned artists
DLN Reddy, (late) Vidya Bhushan, Syed Bin Mohammed, Kondapalli Seshagiri Rao, Gowri Shankar, Fatima Ahmed, Freny Behemen Shaw and Kavita Deuskar.
Artists today can showcase their work in galleries and alternative exhibition spaces, but earlier the options were limited to renting the Kala Bhavan at the Ravindra Bharathi premises or exhibiting at the Max Mueller Bhavan German Centre. “However, only marginal artists could hold solo exhibitions in the German centre,” recalls 70-year-old artist Anjani Reddy, who held her first solo exhibition at Kala Bhavan in 1991.
Challenges for artists
Avani Rao Gandra | Photo credit: Special arrangement
With almost no art buyers, it was difficult for artists to sustain themselves through their practice. “Art was only pursued by the passionate because the artists knew there was no means of livelihood. There were no private buyers in Hyderabad because art could not be bought at that time.”
Surya Art Gallery, started by artist Surya Prakash in the early 1990s, provided the platform and the gallery space gradually expanded. Anjani, among the first in the city to rent a studio in 1987 for ₹500, says the artistic landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation since then. Avani agrees, attributing the shift to a younger generation exposed to museums and galleries while traveling abroad. “Hyderabad’s growth in global outlook is palpable and reflected in its vibrant social life and openness to new ideas and experiences. This is a start.”
Hyderabad, Telangana, 31/08/2026: (for Metroplus) Art at the Telangana Thalli flyover near Secretariat in Hyderabad on Monday, August 31, 2026. Photo: SIDDHANT THAKUR/The Hindu. | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
As Hyderabad finds its place in the globalized art world, work reflecting regional identity is also gaining recognition. “People have a renewed interest in the aesthetics of local narratives and have understood the brightness of the colors, the distortion, the darkness of the face and realized that they all have their own charm,” says Avani.
The city as a canvas
Beautification projects have transformed its public spaces and overpasses into open-air galleries, but without care they face maintenance problems.
Public art played a vital role in changing the city’s visual identity. When the quiet neighborhood of MS Maqtha was transformed into a canvas for the St+art India project a few years ago, the open-air art district brought contemporary art into the everyday environment.
Artists like Swathi and Vijay work with graffiti and murals using public art as a form of social commentary.
Yet, as artistic activity flourishes, galleries continue to see low footfall. “There’s too much attention and instant gratification on social media, so the curiosity to go to galleries and museums is low,” he says. Still, he still hopes that in an increasingly virtual world, the desire for human connection will draw people back to the galleries.
As Hyderabad’s art landscape continues to evolve and flourish, a fundamental question is whether the city’s art ecosystem has expanded beyond galleries—into cafes, public spaces, neighborhoods, installations and other unconventional venues—and whether this has helped art reach people who wouldn’t necessarily visit a gallery. According to Avani, these interventions bring art into everyday life as casual encounters and enhance the space around, but do not create deeper engagement. “The gallery offers curatorial context, focused attention and a contemplative quality in its white cube spaces. In these spaces, the artist’s intention, process, material and medium can resonate with much greater intensity. Hyderabad needs to cultivate a sustained interest in critical art appreciation and a deeper understanding of serious artistic practice.”