KOCHI: Artists have their muse from which they draw inspiration. Vivi Jojo is one such artist who believes that everything in this world is just an illusion. His strong link with nature is reflected in his paintings which have been displayed at the ongoing exhibition ‘Mitya’ at David Hall art gallery, Kochi.
Vivi, who hails from Kottayam, says his passion for the arts started when he was only four years old. He says nature has always fascinated him so much that he believes nature to be the outlet of his happiness. His exhibition titled ‘Mitya’ is derived from the Russian word meaning ‘Earth lover’. “ I wanted to associate myself very closely with nature and it complemented me. I can attribute several positive changes in me such as benevolence, aspiration and affection from my close association with nature,” Vivi said.
In his younger days, this artist associated himself with only realistic paintings. He started exploring the abstract as he grew older. Vivi’s paintings represent his dedication and his love for nature. His paintings uphold a strong connection with nature where his subjects are leaves, insects among others which go unnoticed.
Vivi explains that his subjects are derived from day to day life. For instance, he has painted a fish, a jackfruit, tapioca, a moth, dragon fruit and leeches. “One of my paintings show me near a tree where I am being stung by leeches. I have painted the leeches in white to show that they actually help us suck out bad blood. I have not opted to show the image in a bad light,” he said.
There is even a picture of the artist himself relaxing behind his backyard. The artist has tried to enhance the boundaries of nature by adding bright and loud colours. “I want people to notice the obscure elements of nature,” he said.
Vivi is also well-versed in working in other mediums too. It has been two years since he is into art completely. He has completed his Bachelor’s in Architecture from SRM college. The exhibition will conclude on Monday.