Art between worlds
KOCHI: A part from the tumult of colours, patterns and contours that may strike first, anyone viewing artist and filmmaker Cipin Valsan’s digital illustrations may notice recurring motifs. They form the mainstay of his art that is psychedelic, surreal, doodlish and even ritualistic at the same time.The self-taught artist renders works that are intricately detailed and comprises several repeating elements, often displaying precise symmetry in the frame furnished through digital reflection.
His use of colour is also striking, with a harmonious blend of earthy, bold tones with pastel hues employed generously. For that matter, Cipin is a maximalist artist. The many strokes, curves, dents and swirls he fills his designs with are reminiscent of tribal or ritualistic symbols.
Strongly influenced by the trippy art of the 1960, the 30-year-old doesn’t shy away from sketching evident emblems of the counterculture movement. One of the most recurring motifs in Cipin’s work is the conspicuous presence of mushrooms.
“I visualise my environment psychedelically. Even trees and leaves appear trippy to me, so this style of art comes naturally. I am fascinated by mushrooms, I find them beautiful. Also, I have come across different types during my travels. That prompted me to start a whole series,” says the Thrissur native.
An interesting aspect of Cipin’s art is the manifestation of aesthetic spirituality. His many illustrations featuring the Buddha, part of the series ‘More Buddha, less human’, are an unintentional cue to the traditional Buddhist Thangka paintings of Tibet which are similar in use of colour and ornate design patterns.
“A few years ago, I was in a bad state mentally. Buddhist philosophy helped me get out of it. I continue to believe in it which led to the genesis of this series.” Another series in a similar vein, inspired from the various temple festivals in Kerala, is titled ‘My temple of trance’ and foregrounds traditional folk performers at religious events.
Equally an artist and filmmaker, Cipin has worked for movies like Kohinoor and Djinn while also participating in three solo art exhibitions in Kochi, Thrissur and Kozhikode over the last four years. In 2018, he helmed a group exhibition of 11 artists in Durbar Hall, Kochi as curator. “Although I have been creative since my childhood, I took up art seriously in 2014. I initially started with pen on paper and upgraded to an iPad a couple of years ago. I work on the SketchBook app. Lately, I have also been dabbling with graffiti. Another exhibition is also on the cards,” says Cipin.