KOCHI: Completing the quirky and classy decor of Studio Pepperfry is ‘Soulful Sketches’ by Deepak Ambalaparambath. An art teacher at the Indian High School in Bahrain, Soulful Sketches is Deepak’s first exhibition. True to its name, his acrylic-on-canvas is illustrated around socially relevant themes in a sui generis setting.
However, Deepak’s introspection and cognitive understanding of the world and man’s actions would not have come alive on paper had it not been for his brother, Sanjay Ambalaparambath, former HR of UST Global, Bengaluru, and currently hosting the exhibition under the banner SAP Gallery. “This is SAP Gallery’s first exhibition. We aim to bring undiscovered artists to light. Talent is abundant, especially in rural areas. Unfortunately, their circumstances do not let them market themselves. SAP Gallery would provide the right platform to rising artists,” he says. Sanjay is also credited in encouraging his brother to exhibit his paintings. And how glad are we.
The paintings portray sheer originality. One titled ‘Cruel Shadows’ picturises a scarecrow sans head with the shadow of a wolf. “We have reached a point where women and children are afraid of man. The man has lost his face, his identity. He has turned into a wolf, preying on the weak. Hence the shadow,” Sanjay shares. Most of Deepak’s paintings, nonetheless, teem of religious themes. In an age where religion has chained men, his artwork is as appropriate as it could get.
The exhibition cum sale has received a good response, especially through social media. When questioned about the choice of location, Sanjay says, “The paintings are rather small this time. Studio Pepperfry is located in the heart of Kochi and the ambience is great. The paintings and the decor complement each other.” Sanjay is indeed right and the choice of location is rather clever. A symbiotic relationship is what one visualises in Studio Pepperfry.
Deepak’s abstract paintings are priced at a range between C20,000 to C40,000 while his realistic paintings are a notch lower at Rs 10,000. Soulful Sketches will be on at Studio Pepperfry, Panampilly Nagar, until October 7.