THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is artist Gracy Philip’s quest to relive the works of celebrated poet P Kunhiraman Nair that begot ‘Thamarathoni’, a collection of her paintings, displayed at Durbar Hall Art Gallery.
Done in oil, acrylic and water colour, her paintings complement the works of the poet, many of which are an ode to the nature. And, Gracy Philip has managed to weave into her works the deep bond between nature and human emotions. The artist, through a number of paintings, has unravelled the gist of his works. Kunhiraman’s ‘Kaviyude Kaalpaadudukal’ (The footmarks of a poet), ‘Kaliyachan’ (Oriental dance teacher), ‘Thamarathoniyil’ (In the lotus boat), ‘Soundaryapooja’ (worship of aesthetics) and ‘Nithyakanyakaye Thedi’ (In search of the perpetual virgin) finds artistic expressions through her work.
“I always embraced trees, flowers, butterflies and dew drops since I was a kid. Now I am doing it through my paintings. I have drawn inspiration from the work of P Kunhiraman Nair,” says Gracy.
One of the striking works is her portrayal of ‘Kaliyachan’ which delves into the intense emotions of a Kathakali dance. “Kaliyachan’s farewell to stage is compared to that of a ‘Nilavilaku’ which might soon take a journey into darkness. Here, the dancer takes the role of Ravana (demon) instead of his usual Rama (god) avatar,” says Gracy.
She has also worked on the great poet’s autobiography ‘Kaviyude Kaalpadukal’, a painting which explores the emotional upheaval in his life when he finds himself alienated in the world, caught in the inner struggle between family and literature. A few other paintings portrays the likeness Kunhiraman Nair had for Kerala’s landscapes like Chandragiri river, Palakkad and even the Olavakode Railway station.
Her works also wafts of nostalgia, which she says depicts the sorrow of a damaged nature - the images of paddy field, a house boat, ‘kottavanchi’ and waterfalls- among other sceneries of places she visited around the globe.
However, the greatest appreciation for Gracy came in the form of critic and writer M K Sanu who said her paintings perfectly narrated the poets versatility in narrating the deep mystery behind human emotions and nature. “Kunhiraman Nair creates beauty through the magic of words. His works are enriched with images of nature. I feel that using different mediums, the soul of these poems is portrayed in the canvas,” says M K Sanu.