Have you ever seen saint-poet Andal without any facial features? Andal, without the mesmerising eyes and the dawn breaking smile, but just the tilakam; it is far beyond our imagination. But a city-based artist Sujatha Narayanan poses a question, “Who can draw a soul?” She adds, “We can only draw the form that carries the soul. For statues in temples, it is the face that the sculptor gives.”
Challenging the visual cliché, Sujatha has created an art collection, ‘The Andal Series’, displayed at the Focus Art Gallery in Alwarpet. A creative producer and media entrepreneur, Sujatha began her journey with colours during the pandemic. “Before the pandemic, my office was a gallery space where I curated works of South Indian artists, especially from Tamil Nadu. I am used to curating events from other artists,” she shares. What began as a pastime, later led Sujatha to discover herself through art. “Many of the artists for whom I have previously curated events gave me the confidence and encouraged me to continue.” Fascinated by artist Keshav’s ‘Krishna for Today’ series, she embarked on a journey towards seeing divinity beyond religion. “I look at God as a limitless ocean of love. That’s the kind of gods and goddesses that I would like to bring forth. I discovered the spirit of Andal was calling out to me,” she says.
Andal, the only female Alvar among twelve in mythology, is central to the artist’s work. As distinguished as the goddess, in Sujatha’s work, Andal is faceless. “Who has seen God?” she questions. “So I leave the face to the viewer’s imagination. I always tell them to see themselves or see someone dear to them. You can even go beyond gender.”
Following her first exhibition last December at the Lalit Kala Akademi, where she displayed her works of Andal and her lotus pond, the artist has now included a couple more paintings from her new collection in the display. Taking inspiration from temples and cultural figures across Tamil Nadu, Sujatha chose to explore the verses of Thirupaavai through her art. She took on a project to create 30 Andals for 30 verses. “Even without a face, each one is unique. I don’t know how it happens, but I can’t paint the same Andal twice,” she says.
This uniqueness is part of the experience she offers. If a customer finds inspiration in one painting but seeks customisation, they can leave a note and she’ll create a custom piece just for them. She adds, “I can guarantee that when someone purchases one of my artworks, it becomes entirely theirs and a one-of-a-kind piece.”
Andal as an alpha female
“For me, Andal is one of the original feminists,” Sujatha says, explaining how Andal stood her ground in a world dominated by patriarchal figures, both divine and mortal. “She went all out to get what she wanted. She navigated love and surrendered on her own terms,” she notes. In a world where the concept of feminism is misinterpreted, the artist brings a Tamil lens to the conversation. “There’s a lot of struggle for women even today. In my own industry, I’ve seen how women have to work twice as hard. So I see Andal as a powerful muse to the generation.”
Sujatha also wants to remind people that art is not confined to the puja room. “Earlier, it used to be only Raja Ravi Varma paintings or frames in homes. But I don’t want my Andal to be locked in the puja room anymore,” she says. This intention of the artist also explains her artistic choices. “The very fact that my Andal does not have a face that you can connect with any one person. It makes her very contemporary and modern.”
Sujatha believes that she is still learning through her creations. “I have only just begun my exploration of Andal,” she says. “I want to see where she takes me.” With that, the artist is planning to introduce three paintings each month to her display at the gallery.
‘The Andal Series’ by Sujatha Narayanan is displayed at Focus Art Gallery, Alwarpet for sale.