CHENNAI: Art is the spirit of nature. There’s no separation between art and nature, according to Telangana-based 74-year-old artist Surya Prakash. For him, nature is his first love. “Painting is both my passion and profession. I have been painting for the past 45 years. My forte is oil on acrylic,” he says.
His canvas pieces do not tell any specific story. But, you can’t miss admiring the pristine shades of scintillating deep blues, browns, reds, blacks and greens on canvas that speak to you.
Titled ‘Romance with Nature’, his 18 paintings (acrylic on canvas) depict his relationship with nature. According to Prakash, a self-confessed lover of landscapes, “I am an avid observer of nature’s behaviour and mannerisms. My paintings reveal the kind of relationship I share with nature’s harmony. I revere the nature and get so much satisfaction and happiness in return,” he says.
Prakash explains that beauty of art is open to interpretation. “I have titled a few of my works, the rest I haven’t. I want viewers to understand my works. They can get it right or wrong. That’s up to them,” he says.
The artist tells us how colours and forms are important to him. “I have captured the essence of flora, trees and ponds with a subtle touch. My heart always remains close to the sound of birds, animals and the rustle of leaves. Environment in a big city doesn’t appeal to me. I draw my inspiration from whatever I observe in my life. I discover and rediscover the beauty of life when I travel,” he says.
Prakash engages with the theme of nature to recreate slices of it. There are collages of his memories and experiences rendered in photographic manner. “I paint different shades of colours on the canvas from different angles. As I continue my work, I identify shapes of tree trunks, water bodies and flowers, which I develop further. I take care of the starting. The rest, my brush does,” he says.
Prakash has always wanted his paintings to be simple and straight. “Be it the subject, form, theme, technique, mood, emotion or expression for that matter. There have been days where I painted for five hours at a stretch. Some days, just a few strokes,” he says.
Prakash feels that he could have learnt a bit of technology, which today helps artists enhance their work. “There have been artists who work on digital arts and multimedia. You see, technology is limited, but human mind isn’t imprisoned by anything. It has no limitations,” he says.
“Look at the nature’s beauty and the transformation it has made through different seasons. For an artist like me, what else could be a better inspiration,” he says.
The exhibition is on till September 24, at Gallery Veda, Nungambakkam. Contact 3090422