Jagadeesh Tammineni

 I come from a small village called Kottavalasa in Srikakulam district. Over the years, change and modernity have crept in silently, but the adage that the more things change, the more they remain the same still holds true.

 The idea of building notions - the notion of it as well as its history - has perhaps been part of my image-making exercise as a print maker for some time now, both consciously and unconsciously.

 There are images, especially that of Gandhiji, that have figured in my work consistently. I believe he was someone who could hold the nation together without it falling apart when we achieved independence. His ideas of non-violence and nation-building are still valid in the 21st century, racked as we are by sectarian violence. The act of building a democratic liberal nation has its own pitfalls and the path is strewn with difficulties, but Gandhiji still holds the key.