KOCHI: Art can be expression and reflection at the same time. An artist paints, sketches or sculpts the world around him, and what inspires him to create. But ultimately, it is all about finding beauty in the ordinary, use for the unused and meaning in the absurd. The ongoing exhibition called ‘Carnival of the bold’ at Kerala Lalithakala Akademi in David Hall art gallery, by father-son duo Joshy John and Samuel John Joshy portrays a spectrum of affairs—from the wonder of creation to the politics of existence.
City-based artist Joshy John, the founder and creator of fOg generation and LA school of Arts, has always wanted to bridge the gap between communities and art. With over three decades of experience in advertising, page designing, poster making and illustration, Joshy has exhibited his works in USA, UAE and many other parts of the world. Every corner of this exhibition has been built to transform you into a different train of thought.
A bizarre installation, containing six canvases with digital creations—including data cables, iMac mouse, and knife and fork set—is bound to pique your interest but when you turn around, you are greeted by colourful elements of the nature—falling brown leaves, a farmer walking home with firewood, trees, floating snails across a surreal sea of reds and greens, and an endearing lamb just peeping at you from the other realm. But Joshy’s answer to this contrast is simple. “I don’t see the point in differentiating when creation in totality has just one source. Everything from nature and animals to us, to my talent and the technology I use, is part of God and his creation,” he says.
Another noteworthy piece named “Oru indian pouran”, is a striking depiction of India’s current political emotion. Made by placing plastic threads, a lock and Joshy’s cap and T-shirt across an empty campus, it speaks volumes about the helplessness he feels as the nation is bursting at the seams. “People ask me why I used a plastic thread and not chains. That is because chains are harder to break. It makes liberation and freedom a target hard to achieve. But in reality, whatever is binding us now is as easy to break as a plastic thread is, as long as people decide to stand together and spark an effort,” he says.
Samuel,13, has showcased his version of this idea too, named ‘an Indian citizen’. Interestingly, this eighth-grade student at Choice School, Tripunithura, has upcycled airconditioner packaging to make it look like an octopus that is swallowing a doll—he has thoughtfully chipped out details from his little world to portray grown-up emergencies. Samuel, who has an envious collection of dinosaurs and toys at home ,has used some of them to create ‘beasts in my town’—a Godzilla-like world where law and order run astray and engulf the common man. “My class teacher is an artist and she helps me a lot with balancing studies and art. My classmates were here for the exhibition too,” says Samuel, who is a keen observer of nature and animals.
This inspirational father-son duo stand out in our career-obsessed world where children aren’t allowed to follow their passion and talent. “Other artists who visited told me that Samuel’s strokes are even better than mine. That makes me the happiest father alive,” Joshy laughs. Despite running an art school, Joshy has decided against giving Samuel formal education in art. The exhibition started on January 2 and concludes today.