A woman captures a man in a black shirt, blue jeans, and a gambler’s hat observing the strokes of silence around him. This photo is on Uma Nair’s blog, and it was displayed recently at Lalit Kala Akademi to appreciate the lifetime works of Akkitham Narayanan. Uma, an author and a critic, says, “The man sitting in silence and looking at Akkitham’s works is the most beautiful image of Chennai reacting to Akkitham. When you want to sit and look at work in the silence of your heart, I think it is the greatest compliment to a master (artist).”
Akkitham, expressed his interest in geometric abstractions and pursued art at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai. His journey, started in Chennai, has reached Paris. Bringing him back home after 40 years is the exhibition titled ‘A Thousand Universes’.
The 120 paintings on display now at Artworld, take the audience through a journey of Akkitham’s art evolution throughout the years.
Anahita Daruwala Banerjee, director at Artworld – Sarala’s Art Centre, spent a year with Akkitham at his hometown, Kumaranellur in Kerala, and in Paris, where he currently resides, to document his life and the growth arc in his paintings. “Akkitham had cubism (a style involving geometric shapes and multiple perspectives) in his work, which slowly moved into abstraction. Initially, they were less detailed, and as he evolved his style, the lines and geometrical patterns changed. They went from simple geometric patterns to more complicated ones, including movement of shapes and elements such as snakes. He discovers truths inside him, which are expressed on canvases. He has evolved as a human being, and his work has evolved with him,” she explains, adding, “All of these points are important to show because an artist is constantly moving.”
Stories in strokes
Akkitham’s abstract works draw deeply from the language of sacred geometry. One can notice many triangles, squares, circles, lotuses, and snakes in his paintings, which suggest kundalini energy. “He is a yogi. His works have a spirituality — in every painting, there is a vedic verse written in Malayalam. He has created his own visual language of abstraction within the Indian ethnic context,” Anahita points out.
Expanding on the thought, Uma says, “There is something so deeply Malayali about him, but there is also something so deeply Parisian about him. So I call him the Kerala dweller in Paris.” As a curator, she shares that Akkitham’s paintings create moods as if the viewer sees the olden days. For instance, the fires in the kitchens are all wood fires. “I look at his works and I remember the old kitchens of Kerala,” she says. “The charcoal greys are the vessels from a kitchen. The beautiful maroons and the gorgeous reds, and you think of Malayali rituals. There is a cultural fabric when you look at the works on the walls. They speak to us.”
For Uma, the greens and blues resemble the trees and skies, respectively. “There is beauty in thinking of one’s own land. Akkitham creates symbolism and within that (painting’s) silence, you can hear the hum of a raga.” These nostalgic feelings erupt when an artist goes to his inner roots and is able to bring out that authentic expression.
Shapes of solitude
The paintings convey something different to each individual. “It is the experiences in our lives that define universes for us, and his works are born of so many experiences. That is why I took the title ‘A Thousand Universes’ from Akkitham’s brother, Achuthan Namboothiri’s poem. The most beautiful thing about an abstract artist is that they actually silently celebrate the beauty of the earth. And I felt this phrase wraps all the works together,” she shares.
The exhibition aims for younger artists to imagine and interpret his universes and walk a similar path. Uma says, “The exhibition is for younger artists to realise that your journey has to be your own. It has to be born in the solitude of your own existence. And your journey must define and bloom and grow within that silence that you have learned to love.”
Beyond the exhibition, art lovers can own a book on Akkitham’s life, his style of work, and all the paintings displayed, which was launched at the exhibition. “It is easy to collect an artist’s works and do a show. But what’s not easy is to really know who this human being is. The man behind the strokes, the journey he has had, and the impact created,” concludes Anahita.
‘A Thousand Universes’ is on display at Artworld till May 10.