Colombian artist Lydia Ramirez completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam this year
Colombian artist Lydia Ramirez completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam this year
Artist Lydia Ramirez’s works tell stories from rural India: a woman sitting with a basket of fruits and vegetables, looking forward with her son. Another depicts a little girl leading a flock of sheep along a winding road in the countryside. A little boy stands awkwardly while one bird sits comfortably on his head and another sits on his stick while a cat is watching.
Inspired by the ways of people living in harmony with nature, Lydia derived most of her artistic sensibilities from the tribal settlements of Andhra Pradesh. “The villagers live in harmony with the environment and there is so much beauty in rural life,” says Lydia.
Colombian artist Lydia Ramirez’s work in Visakhapatnam | photo credit: special arrangement
The Colombian artist, who completed her graduation in fine arts at Andhra University this year, recently showcased her work at a three-day art exhibition at Hawa Mahal. Around 90 works including paintings, sculptures and prints done on various mediums were on display.
Colombian artist Lydia Ramirez at the AU Fine Arts Department in Visakhapatnam. , photo credit: special arrangement
Lyda first came to India in 2016 as a tourist and fell in love with the culture and rural landscape of the region. She returned in 2018 to pursue her childhood passion of learning fine arts.
Having spent a large part of her childhood in the Colombian countryside, where she grew up watching her parents and grandparents work in the coffee-growing fields, Lydia was drawn to rural life in India. “There is a charm in the simplicity of rural life, which is reflected in my works. I loved traveling to the villages near Srikakulam and witnessing the daily life of the men and women there. It made me feel connected to my childhood when I assisted my father in the fields in Colombia,” says the artist.
Most of the works on display are inspired by the surroundings he experienced during his stay in India. Some of his works are stylized like tribal art and reflect how people go about their work. One of her wood carvings depicts the wrinkled face of a tribal woman. There is an amalgamation of his impressions on the tricolor in another leno cut medium.
The work of Colombian artist Lydia Ramirez in Visakhapatnam. , photo credit: special arrangement
Lydia’s works include pencil drawings, paintings on leather, watercolor paintings, sculptures in terracotta, fiberglass and resin, paper and bronze castings, wood carvings and palm leaf structures. His art also reflects his love for the scenery of the coastal city of Visakhapatnam, its shoreline and the fishing colony of Jalaripeta.