Art for humanity

KOCHI: A bleeding human face suffering from pain is one of the striking images featured at ‘Sign here’, an ongoing painting exhibition at Suryakanti art gallery. The universality and free nature of art is what the artist Pushkin E H has tried to convey through his work. Most of the paintings on display portray humans who are victims of alienation and social injustice. The artist appeals to fellow humans to put their faith in art without considering differences of  colour, gender, race or religion. 

In Pushkin’s opinion, life without art would be filled with violence and grief. By taking a leaf out of history, he mentions an instance of how German dictator Adolf Hitler was denied by his father from learning art during his childhood which made him the gruesome man he came to be. “History would have been different if he had got an opportunity to learn art.

The language of art considers everyone as equal and that is why fascists are scared of artists who are not afraid to question their authority,” said Pushkin. According to him, everything. including music, dance, literature, philosophy and painting, should be taught to children from a young age. “Students resorting to violence is a common sight on campuses.

Art helps to develop compassion in humans,” said Pushkin. Some of the images on display are an attempt at conveying this message. ‘Portrait of night’, one of the images exhibited, shows art as a shadow which has the power to overcome even the darkest periods in history. All the frames in the exhibit, done in ink and watercolour, were completed by Pushkin in three months. Apart from painting, the artist also spends his time making wooden sculptures and writing short stories. One of his recent sculpt

ures was showcased at a solo exhibition held at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan in December. “The physical involvement of the artist is greater while making sculptures compared to painting,” he said. Pushkin works in his studio named ‘Art farm’ located at his residence in Kuttichal. “The money I earned from painting enabled me to set-up the studio. I also have plans to convert it into a gallery in a year where the works of my fellow artists and mine can be displayed,” added Pushkin.