Artist Krishna Shetty on Art, Cinema & Colours | Loftyland
Some conversations stay with you long after they end. The latest episode of Loftyland features artist Krishna Shetty — a creative soul whose relationship with art, literature, and cinema runs deeper than most. Whether you are a practising artist, a curious learner, or a Kannadiga who grew up surrounded by stories and colours, this conversation offers something rare: a window into the inner world of a thoughtful creative mind.
Who Is Krishna Shetty?
Krishna Shetty is an artist whose work reflects not just technical skill but an intensely personal philosophy. Rooted in the cultural landscape of Karnataka, his artistic journey has been shaped by a lifelong dialogue with books, films, and the world of colour. In this Loftyland episode, he speaks with warmth, honesty, and a clarity that is both refreshing and deeply inspiring for anyone in a creative field.
Cinema as a Creative Teacher
One of the most striking parts of this conversation is Krishna Shetty's reverence for cinema — particularly Kannada cinema. He calls Samskara his favourite film, and it is easy to understand why. Based on U. R. Ananthamurthy's iconic Kannada novel, Samskara is a film that challenges, unsettles, and ultimately transforms its audience. For an artist, it is not merely entertainment — it is a masterclass in visual storytelling, moral complexity, and the quiet power of restraint.
"ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ನನ್ನ ನೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಚಿತ್ರ" — Samskara is my favourite film. — Krishna Shetty
Krishna Shetty's deep appreciation for Kannada cinema is a reminder of just how rich Karnataka's film heritage truly is. Films like Samskara, Ghatashraddha, and Chomana Dudi belong to a golden era of Kannada parallel cinema that explored caste, tradition, identity, and human dignity with extraordinary depth. These are must-watch films not just for artists, but for anyone who wishes to understand the cultural and social fabric of Karnataka.
Do Colours Really Influence Human Emotions?
This is one of the most thought-provoking questions explored in the episode. Krishna Shetty speaks about the emotional and psychological power of colour — a subject that sits at the very heart of visual art. Colours are not merely aesthetic choices. They carry memory, mood, and meaning. A particular shade of ochre might evoke the red soil of coastal Karnataka. A deep indigo might recall the twilight skies over the Deccan plateau. For a trained artist, working with colour is an act of emotional intelligence.
Research in colour psychology supports what artists like Krishna Shetty have known intuitively for years — warm colours like red and orange stimulate energy and passion, while cooler tones like blue and green invite calm and introspection. In the context of Karnataka's rich visual arts tradition — from the vibrant Yakshagana costumes to the intricate Mysore painting style — colour has always been a language in itself.
The Role of Books in an Artist's Journey
Krishna Shetty is as much a reader as he is a painter, and in this episode he makes a compelling case for why books are indispensable to an artist's growth. Reading, he suggests, expands the inner landscape — it feeds the imagination with ideas, images, and perspectives that cannot come from visual experience alone. Great literature teaches an artist how to look at the world with sharper eyes and a more open heart.
For Kannadigas and lovers of Karnataka culture, the literary tradition is immensely rich. From Kuvempu's Ramayana Darshanam to the contemporary short fiction of Vivek Shanbhag, Kannada literature offers a vast and varied world to explore. Krishna Shetty's encouragement to read widely is a gentle nudge to rediscover this heritage — to pick up a Kannada book, to sit with its language, and to let it reshape the way you see.
Must-Watch Kannada Movies for Artists
The episode also touches on a curated sense of cinematic taste — Kannada films that every artist should experience. Beyond Samskara, the canon of meaningful Kannada cinema includes works that are visually stunning, narratively daring, and culturally rooted. These films do not just entertain; they provoke questions, stir emotions, and expand the viewer's understanding of what storytelling can be.
Why Kannadigas in the Diaspora Should Watch These Films
For Kannadigas living abroad, films like Samskara serve as a bridge to home — to the landscapes, dilemmas, and human stories that define Karnataka's cultural identity. Watching these films is not nostalgia alone; it is an act of reconnection with a heritage that is profound, complex, and worth preserving. Loftyland has always believed that culture is not something to be archived — it is something to be lived, shared, and celebrated across generations and geographies.
A Conversation That Gives You New Dimensions
What makes this Loftyland episode with Krishna Shetty so valuable is its sincerity. There are no grand proclamations or rehearsed answers here — just an artist speaking honestly about the things that have shaped him. His love for Samskara, his belief in the power of books, his understanding of colour as an emotional medium — all of it adds up to a portrait of a creative life lived with intention and depth.
If you are in a creative field, or simply someone who cares about art, culture, and the life of the mind, this conversation is for you. Watch the full episode on the Loftyland YouTube channel, and let Krishna Shetty's words open up new dimensions in your own thinking. Because the best conversations do not just inform — they transform.