KOCHI: As an artist, Joseph Roy has always pondered on the human tendency to see the grass on the other side as more greener. As he puts it: “In whichever era a man lives, for him the other side will always be greener,”. It is this thought that prompted him to delve deep into human psyche and come up with ‘The Other Side’, an exhibition of 13 oil paintings that is on at Durbar Hall Art Gallery.
In the words of the artist, ‘The Other Side’ is a reflection of our society and the contemporary issues that define it. His works basically mirror the human character and how they get along in society. “In a way, the paintings express my feelings and reactions to various instances that came across my life,” says the artist. Through his works, Joseph has also tried to expose the other side or the ‘reality’, as he puts it, of different life situations.
From ‘Original Sin’, a painting based on Biblical concept of Adam and Eve, to the work titled ‘Where Are You ?’, that touches on ‘Karvachauth’, a North Indian ritual, Joseph takes a peek into the hidden facets of mankind.
The painting were done over a period of one-and-a-half years. The works of the artist are heavily influenced by religious symbols like ‘Betrayal’, that draws inspiration from Bible, and ‘Home Coming’ that takes a leaf from Ramayana. Another striking work of his is ‘Labyrinth’, that portrays the deep-rooted superstitions that are injected into a man even before his birth. ‘Wedding Blues’, which depicts Baraat, is a retrospection to the custom of marriage prevalent today.
However, it is his choice of hues that makes Joseph Roy’s works even more unique. His works blend of myriad hues, the light colours merging effortlessly with darker hues.
He has also brought in symbolic representations on his canvas. While lotus, peacock and hornbill stand for goodness and hope, the crow and hounds speaks of the evil side.
Joseph Roy, an employee with the Punjab National Bank, says he finds time to balance between painting, his passion and obsession, and banking, his career.
This is his first exhibition in Kerala, the earlier one titled ‘Uneven Reflex” held in New Delhi.