KOCHI: It’s like being at a lagoon. You’re lost in the various shades of the sea adorning the walls of Nanappa Art Gallery on Karikkamuri Crossroad.
T Kaladharan has captured the magic of the sea through his works titled ‘Nothing Is Lost, Series 1 - Water’.
It’s relaxing to gaze into the depths of the massive canvases flowing with water. Their sheer magnitude is mind-boggling, stretching on endlessly in different tones, portraying different moods. Pale turquoise plays hide and seek with deep aquamarine and sapphire as you gaze into the depths of each frame.
“It is not easy to work on 10x20 and 14x10 size canvas and they’re my biggest works,” says Kaladharan who has done many works earlier on this theme. Small sand bags hold the large canvas in place, an array of shells and corals, a wooden coconut grater and stool with colourful etchings made by Minicoyans sum up the installation. Water is awe-inspiring and he makes it a habit to collect water from various bodies during his sojourn. “Some have started changing colour with pollution but amazingly the water I collected from the Ganges is intact. And I was stunned to see people doing ‘arthi’ to the Ganges. I have seen my father paying obeisance to land and water and the commune with nature in solitude is invigorating just as I felt during my trip to Lakshadweep.” Kaladharan was bowled over by the depth of the crystal clear waters and the changing colours of water during the day. From sea green it changed to sparkling silver at noon and deeper hues of blue when it rained. The changing character of water springs forth from each canvas.
The movement of the waves and the patterns it creates depending on the speed of the wind, its changing rhythms and music have been delicately rendered.
A few glass paintings bring out the culture of Lakshadweep, especially of Minicoy island as they narrate many a ballad of the land.
Cool and captivating, the works speak a lot about water and environmental issues. The show will run through December 20.
surekha@expressbuzz.com