Bhubaneswar, Sept. 7: Nearly 200 works of artist and scholar K.G. Subramanyan are being displayed at the Rashtriya Lalit Kala Akademi here at an exhibition titled 'Sketches, Scribbles, Drawings' from today. The exhibition is being jointly hosted by the Akademi and Calcutta-based Seagull Foundation for the Arts.

Art connoisseurs of all ages gathered in large numbers at the gallery on the inaugural day. Subramanyan's study of people, nature, mythology, landscape and even wildlife and many of his abstract water colour paintings, pen and ink sketches and drawings are being displayed in the gallery.

Born in 1924, the multifaceted art exponent from Kerala earned fame as a painter, sculptor, muralist as well as illustrator and writer of children's books. He was actively involved in the Quit India Movement and then became an art scholar at Kala Bhavan in Santiniketan and Slade School of Art, London. The Padma Bhushan receipient now resides and works in Baroda and Santiniketan.

The sketches, scribbles and various works by the artist at the exhibition are mostly made on card or paper. The works vary from being brightly coloured to being black and white and the expressions of his subject stand out in almost all sketches.

"He is a pioneer of the Indian art scene; he has tried his hand at so many ideas. He has not only created sketches and drawings but also designed for weavers, made soft toys and plays with anything that is based on creative elements," said veteran artist and regional secretary of the Akademi, Ramakrishna Vedala.

Even young art lovers draw inspiration from Subramanyan. "He is such a versatile artist. He is in his nineties but I heard that he still works actively. He is such an inspiration," said Rupali Kar, a young artist.

Apart from the art show, Subramanyan's children's illustrated books are also on sale. A documentary film on the artist will be screened everyday at the Akademi. The exhibition will conclude on September 11.