It is not often that a painter puts poetry in a context that heightens it. But then V Ramesh isn't your average artist. His muses are unusual: three almost forgotten saint poets. The all-woman cast includes Karaikal Amma, a fifth-century poet from Tamil Nadu, Akka Mahadevi, a 12th-century poet from Karnataka and Lal Ded, a 14th-century Kashmiri poet. The three poets were separated by centuries but they shared an intensity of devotion and a refusal to conform to the conventions of the day. Their words resonated deeply with the 53-year-old artist who breathed new life into their lines with his brush.
"In the last four to five years, snatches of poetry have been coming back to me. I just couldn't resist, " says the bearded artist who has been using text in his work for the past few years. But his new exhibition at Delhi's Gallery Threshold which showcases luminous oils and delicate watercolours is more like a visual tribute to verse.