CHENNAI: As I entered the hall at Lalit Kala Akademi, Regional Centre, the array of vibrant paintings on the wall caught my attention. Four painters form Kerala exhibited their artistic take on traditional paintings based on current issues in an exhibition titled ‘Layam’. The exhibition struck a perfect balance between the contrast in medium, canvas, and evolution of style. Each canvas had a striking identity, noticeable by any art novice.
“I am the only contemporary painter here. The others are mural painters from Kerala,” smiles Saleesh Cherupuzha, one of the artists. He left his job as a pharmaceutical professional six months ago, in pursuit of his dream, art. Layered in colours like blue and red (Roudrama) or green (immersed in nature), and from being inquisitive and scared to being dreamy and satisfied, Saleesh’s paintings portrayed the various shades of expressions in women. One of his paintings that caught attention was ‘The ocean in her’ which shows a woman moving ahead in life while facing a strong emotional turbulence.
“I am inspired by recent events in the society. Listening to the news and reading books helps me to sketch my thoughts on a canvas. But as an artist it is always difficult for me to choose the right medium of colours and tools that will allow others to comprehend my thoughts,” he says.
Remesh Kovummal, a mural painter, finds that choosing subjects which appeal to a larger audience is tough. “As mural paintings are based on Puranas, it is tough to zero in on a theme that will appeal to the modern audience and will also help to revive the art. This time I decided to paint some real-time events in mural style,” he says pointing towards his painting that shows lovers from a middle-class background. He defies the usual elements of murals like rich ornamentation and uses outlines to give a 3D effect in his modern mural canvases. He is also concerned that despite the best efforts of mural painters to save the art, it is slowly fading away.
Kovummal’s batchmate and fellow exhibitor, Girish Malayamma believes that a little bit of experimentation will bring back the lost glory of mural paintings. “I have experimented with colours and textures in my creations and used knives for giving an unusual touch to the mural art. I would love to do more such experiments on a bigger scale,” he says.
Artist Prince Thonnakkal’s murals are in bright blue and green. The colour scheme involved in mural paintings inspired him to learn art from Sri Mammiyur Krishnan Kutty Nair, a doyen of mural art. His painting ‘An apsara playing with swans’ and ‘The mermaid’ reflects the feminine elegance and softness. “Most of my students are women. It is from them whom I drew my artistic inspiration. The rich ornamentation in my paintings symbolise their eternal beauty,” says Thonnakkal.