Artist Venkatesh Kandunoori’s work The Tears of the Womb
| Photo Credit: k BHAGYA PRAKASH

At a time marked by polarisation and conflict, Hyderabad-based artist Venkatesh Kandunoori has chosen canvas over commentary. His magnum opus, “The Tears of the Womb”, took six painstaking months to complete and now stands as a moving metaphor for humanity’s fragmented state.

Powerful depiction

The painting depicting a woman arched in labour, birthing planet earth, is a visual homage to a time when earth was revered as a mother, says the artist.

Around this maternal symbol, the painting erupts with religious flags, references to major global conflicts, and depictions of influential world figures. A wooden gun, ominously aimed at the earth’s core, serves as a brutal reminder of the destruction by man-made violence.

“Divided by caste, race, countries and religions we’re losing our humanity. The mother’s womb — earth itself — is being destroyed. The grief it brings will be unbearable,” Kandunoori said. 

To amplify his mission, Kandunoori has been gathering signatures from global cricketers and celebrities on his painting. So far, he has secured 185 autographs, just shy of his target of 196 — a symbolic nod to the number of recognised countries. 

A ‘signature collection’

His first signature came from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Of the 185 signatures gathered, 30 are from Indian cricketers and the rest have been signed by players from abroad. “It shows how people from across the world are more than willing to unite for a cause. We need more of that,” Kandunoori noted while thanking BCCI President Roger Binny and Rajeev Nannappaneni, CEO of Natco Pharma for helping to keep the mission alive. He was in Bengaluru recently to collect signatures of players during the IPL matches.

He also leans on a grassroots network of loyal friends. Sainath Bhodke and Lalit Gatla, his trusted companions, who travel alongside him across the country, collecting signatures and spreading his plea for unity. The artist now hopes to get football icon Lionel Messi to sign his work, which he terms will be the “golden signature.”