“It’s generally believed that an artist doesn’t need to explain their work. However, as an academic I’ve learned that talking about your work takes it to a larger audience, and makes it relevant to someone who can’t visually understand what art is,” says Priyanka Elle.
Stardust, Moonshine and I, is a solo exhibition of the Hyderabad-based artist’s works created over the last three years, and is currently on display at the KYNKYNY Art Gallery in the city. “Everything I do now is something I learned as a process while doing my PhD.”
Talking about her journey as an artist, Priyanka revealed how her research on South Indian folk tales expanded her horizons. “I was looking at how stories travel across media, language, time and space, especially in the world of cinema. Classics like Bala Nagamma And Maya Bazaar Borrowed from plays, but the original story is seen in folk tales. It can be seen in most Indian languages, especially Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam.
Priyanka Ailey | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Priyanka says her childhood experience of the oral and visual storytelling traditions of South India plays a role in Stardust, Moonshine and I. “These works can be seen as my interpretation or as parallel representations of what these stories could have been after the centuries-old revival.”
Also, the artist says that the era we are living in cannot be denied. “According to lore, Bala Nagamma used to count the days based on the moon cycle. I am trying to bring this to the forefront of our generation who no longer look at the moon for the same reason, thanks to digital media.”
“In a way, my work addresses oral, narrative traditions and what we are going through in the present. The series also addresses time and space.”
Approximately 32 pieces of art, executed using acrylic on linen, depict “an imaginative landscape”, teeming with carefree creatures and exotic plant life thriving in a world untouched by worry. The brilliant colors and fantastical flora where birds and animals frolic fearlessly offer a glimpse into the artist’s world.
From Priyanka Elle’s show Stardust, Moonshine and I. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Irrespective of caste or community, I want the audience to connect with my work on a universal level. I want them to enjoy the locality and forget their busy lifestyle, worries and traffic, at least for a while.”
winding start
Priyanka says that the life of an artist came to her after trying her hand at other genres and she credits her father, artist Laxman Elle, for being the voice of reason in her life. “He never pressured me or my sister to do anything; instead, he always knew what to say at the right time.”
“We were exposed to the world of art from a young age. Apart from my father’s work as an artist and art director for films, he collected antiques and other objects of cultural value such as wooden and leather puppets, murals, books and more. We also come from a weaver community; I watched my grandfather make textiles, and I developed a fascination for handlooms.”
She recalls the time when she was indecisive about working in the dying handloom industry or becoming a full-time artist, with her father saying that it was easier to start as an artist and then move into the textile sector, rather than the other way around.
She adds, “He said that the time spent working on art is never enough; no matter how long you paint, you never feel satisfied. Art is endless and you have to keep doing it.” Priyanka says that his words meant a lot to her and she devoted her entire time to art.
Stardust, Moonshine and I will be on display at KYNKYNY Art Gallery, Bengaluru till December 26. Entry free, closed on Sundays.
published – December 15, 2025 03:35 PM IST