This 22-year-old is redefining Odisha's graffiti scene with a lot of vogue and colour. Check it out!

Radhamadhab Panda has always been attracted to art since he was a child. Today, the youngster follows many American, German, Slovakian artists on Instagram to refine his own graffitis
Radhamadhab Panda | (Pic: Radhamadhab Panda)
Radhamadhab Panda | (Pic: Radhamadhab Panda)

When financial burden started weighing the household down, Radhamadhab Panda knew that he had to step up. And stepping up meant dropping out of his final year (BA English Honours) which he was pursuing from JKBK Government College and contribute at home more substantially. He knew how to dance, so he started teaching at Funk Factory Dance Studio, Cuttack. The 22-year-old mastered dancing by attending several workshops by Odisha's very own and India's Got Talent fame Harihar Dash and, of course, YouTube. But when he watched Gully Boy, the Ranveer Singh-starrer Bollywood movie about India's growing hip-hop scene, it wasn't the dancing but the graffitis that caught his attention. So since June 2019, he has been leaving his 'art'print on various walls and officially, in dance studios like Vigoureux Dance Studio and in chai cafés like the Gabbar Cafe near Mahanadi Vihar.  

Gabbar Cafe | (Pic: Radhamadhab Panda)

But graffiti is an expensive art form. A good-quality can or spray paint can cost you anywhere between Rs 500 and more. But Radhamadhab, being the determined artist he is, saved up over time and purchased cheaper ones that cost Rs 100 from Amazon.in. "I even purchased nozzles because that's how you practise spraying lines of different thickness," explains the Cuttack-based youngster. Mooz, the popular graffiti artist from Mumbai, even took Radhamadhab under his wing. "I connected with him through Instagram and to date, when I send him the rough draft of my work, he gets back with inputs and for that, I will forever be grateful," he says.

His work | (Pic: Radhamadhab Panda)

Radhamadhab is also known to unleash his artistic abilities on the streets. Risky much? "It is but I've only received compliments, frankly. Even the police complimented me once," he shares sheepishly. He has done over eight graffiti pieces so far. You know what else this budding artist has started on the side? Painting on T-shirts. "The lockdown had me so bored that my brother gave me the idea of painting on T-shirts and selling them online," shares Radhamadhab. So, imagine cute motifs from the cartoon Courage the Cowardly Dog, his own graffiti and a few more designs. Though he has sold about three of them, he hopes that he will sell more as and when his popularity on social media increases. Future plans? "Represent India as a graffiti artist on an international level," he says ambitiously.

Another one of his works | (Pic: Radhamadhab Panda)

For more on him, check out instagram.com/radskull_graffiti

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