For years my understanding of psychedelic art was based on my awareness of acid trips and a kind of ‘imagination unleashed’ and ‘out of body’ experience that resulted in an explosion of colours and an ocean waves kind of a rush.

When I heard about Malavika Reddy and her exhibition #withoutacid I didn’t realise that I was stepping into hugely uncharted territory. Even when I saw her prints on display at The Gallery Cafe the impact did not hit me.

That was because I just glanced at her work carelessly strung up on the walls of a Cafe that breathes art, music etc. in abundance. And I was preoccupied.

Supriya Lahoti advised me to take a look at the originals. With some hesitation (I don’t normally trip on Art. I’m more into Writing, Poetry and Music) I walked into the Inner Gallery.

And life has never been the same again.

In advertising I have seen art techniques. In digital art I have seen filters. But for the first time I saw the devil in the detail.

Little strokes of colour. Emulating shades by their juxtaposition and ferocity. A mesmerising display of a method in a madness discovered while looking beyond magic.

This was near hypnotic. As I explored the dimensions of the art, I found that I was getting drawn in.

The colours popped. The intricate patterns entwined with strokes of simplicity made up pictures that were clearly not the result of a wild, unbridled journey. But creations of someone who knew exactly where she was going, and someone who knew exactly...and this is important...knew exactly when to get off the bus.

The exhibition is on at the Kalakriti Art Gallery and I assure you…

It’s worth the trip.