KOCHI: An artist, poet, filmmaker, musician and doctor, Curly Cosmo is a man of many talents. Having donned multiple careers and creative roles over the years, Cosmo changed his name as many as 10 times to match each of his personas. His first solo exhibition in India is going to be held at Durbar Hall Art Gallery, Ernakulam. The artist will be featuring 89 of his old and new works, urging visitors to ‘Touch them, feel them’, in tune with the exhibit’s title.
“Texture is an important part of my art. Usually, when you visit a gallery, you are not allowed to touch the artworks. I want my viewers to participate in a tactile play with my creations. I am not overcautious about my work getting damaged. It is fine with me. I will make more. Another crucial aspect is that none of my painting is framed. You could call them naked as there is no artificial decoration,” says Cosmo.
Cosmo’s journey as an artist began a little over a decade ago, during his stint as a practising physician in New York. Well acquainted with art history, he tried his hand at creating abstract paintings, a style which has informed his artistic ethos throughout. Thick blots of acrylic paint on textured canvas create an impasto effect, the paint almost seems like they’re peeling off the surface, making each stroke and imprint evident. “As an artist, I am not patient. So, I paint with whatever medium I can find around me. I don’t necessarily use the brush, I work a lot with my hands, fingers and feet,” says Cosmo.
Cosmo, who places his art in the school of abstract expressionism, uses methods similar to that of Jackson Pollock’s oeuvre. Like Pollock, Cosmo works on huge canvases, creating works that are larger than life, often consuming the entire wall. Cosmo also claims to be an instinctive and spontaneous painter, usually throwing paint on blank canvas laid out on the floor. “I am an action painter. I don’t have a specific subject or matter in mind when I start painting. Colour is my main focus,” adds Cosmo.