Spending three months at a place where the Madras art movement began almost five decades go, it was a dream come true for Aishwaryan K and Lokesh BH, who were here on a artist-in-residence programme. Cut off from reality, spending time pondering, translating ideas on canvas and paper and simply staring at the golden sands of the beach nearby, the two artists have come up with a series of work inspired by their stay in the Artists’ village. While Aishwaryan holds a Diploma in Painting from KEN School of Arts, Bengaluru (2008) and Post Diploma in Printmaking from Bangalore University (2010), Lokesh has a Diploma in Painting from KEN School of Art, Bengaluru (2008). Their recent residency programme was supported by KK Hebbar Artist Foundation, Bengaluru. Apart from the works that they had completed back home, the exhibition, which is on for two days —July 8 and 9—has a distinct flavour. While Lokesh captures the immediate surroundings and its essence, Aishwaryan portrays the same through an highly-internalised procedure. Talking to CE, Aishwaryan says, “I have been working on paper made of elephant dung and I have used the darker and lighter brown shades of the material as a deliberate medium to portray day and night in the exhibition.”
On the other hand, Lokesh’s works are on paper and canvas in acrylic and water colours. Aishwaryan adds that both artists have taken the symbolic route through figurative works. “Our approaches differ, but the thoughts— dreams and self portrayal— in the backdrop of multiple metaphors, take the figurative expression,” says Aishwaryan.
The works are on display at Viswanadhan’s studio in Cholamandal Artists’ Village.