A solo charcoal art exhibition titled “Charcoal Stories” by 12-year-old child prodigy Ricky Tej officially opened at the Lamakaan cultural space in Hyderabad. The two-day exhibition was inaugurated by acclaimed Indian film director and artist B. Narsing Rao, drawing art enthusiasts, journalists, and cultural figures from across the city to celebrate the remarkable young talent from the Kalwakurthy mandal of Nagarkurnool district.
The exhibition showcases over 100 intricate charcoal artworks created by Ricky Tej, a Class 7 student and the son of government school teachers Katta Koteswara Rao and Samatala. What makes Ricky’s artistic process extraordinarily unique is his ability to sketch highly realistic portraits completely without the aid of standard grid lines, a tool typically used by artists to maintain facial proportions. His collection spans a diverse range of subjects, blending deeply expressive, realistic portraits of everyday rural life—such as an old, wrinkled farmer detailed with sweat drops—alongside sweeping mythological themes featuring figures from Sri Krishna Arjuna, Jhansi Lakshmi Bai, and the Kurukshetra war.