CHENNAI: Every rebel has been called paithyam in whatever language they speak, says artist Aadhi, explaining the name behind Thiruvizha Chennai’s upcoming art exhibition at the Amethyst. The artist says the exhibition — organised along with mental health organisation The Banyan and NGO Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI) — demonstrates that unfiltered expression is encapsulated with the word paithyam.
As the poster announces, the event is “an opportunity to lose oneself in the beauty of expression” via the works of 12 painters including Jagath Ravi, Ram Moorthi, Sakshi, Akshita, Selvam, and Kamal. This is the second time the exhibition will be displayed; the first was at the Madras Literary Society on May 27, 2022.
Curated by Halima, Muhil, and Shreyasi, these paintings will delve into different themes, one detailing what the human body means to them or the meaning of love, and another their many trysts with society. Much like the Irascible 18, explains Aadhi, these artists cannot be boxed into a singular school of thought or theme such as expressionism or impressionism.
Redefining madness?
The word paithyam — though absent in dictionaries — is often associated with the fury of fuming mothers and a certain Yuvan Shankar Raja song. This art exhibition aims to reclaim the word and redefine its meaning for the future. As author William Shakespeare once wrote, there is a method in his madness and Paithyam hopes to also create madness and nudge out some expression.
According to Aadhi, “Paithyam can be something that we don’t understand yet. It could be so new, so different. We are yet to accept it. A new perspective could be anything — it could be a person dancing on the street because of joy or dancing on stage or for anything. More than to normalise things, it aims to show how similar rebels, new perspectives, and accepting yourself can be in one word.”
As for Aadhi, his work deals with “pure conversations with time and it is like continuing with the poem”. For instance, one of the posters he is bringing will further a dialogue first initiated by French artist Paul Signac in the painting ‘In the Time of Harmony’. Originally titled ‘In the Time of Anarchy’, the work — a pioneer in the style of pointillism — captures seemingly cheerful crowds in a meadow at first glance. “He (Signac) was trying to show his rebellion towards modern society and norms. Only when you have anarchy and such a beautiful world, people can express themselves. I’m planning on furthering the conversation of censorship today.”
Aadhi hopes the exhibition will jolt crowds into thinking more and expressing themselves fearlessly. “I would want them to start painting — it is to understand that a painting or singing or dancing does not have to be good. It has to be done.” Paithyam, also a fundraiser, will be on display at the Folly at Amethyst on White’s Road from April 13-15. Entry is free.