What is the meaning of land, farming and forests to an artist raised in a village? An exhibition by artist Rajasekar starting from today captures the highlight of the three elements. “Having been raised in a village in Thirunelveli, I have been attracted by the fields, farmers, what rains mean to the crop and varied perspectives on aspects related to the land. That has been translated into paintings,” says the artist. In the exhibition, titled ‘Root is Springing’, shades of green dominate the canvas, depicting fields, forests and metaphorical portrayals of the connection between women and farming. For instance, Rajasekar speaks about a painting in which he has portrayed a woman farmer as the one, who completely transforms a parched land into a lush green meadow.
Villages apart, there are paintings of forests as well, says Rajasekar, whose related paintings are inspired by his visits to Thalakadu, a forest close to his home town. This series also has paintings depicting a woman as an important figure. ‘Women Forest’ has an outline of a woman filled with paintings of trees and mountains. The artist says that it is the symbolic representation of how a woman is an all-encompassing entity.
There are also paintings depicting the role of birds helping in pollination, ponds and how various aspects of nature are interconnected. “I have also travelled with famous artistes such as Chandrasekaran and Natarajan to various forests across the country and observe the lifestyle of people there as well. The essence of my visits can be found in the exhibition,” says the artist who is also a professor at Loyola College. The expo is on until August 8 at Arthouz, No 41, Kasturi Ragan Road.