KOCHI: Onattukara was an ancient Buddhist village with it's own agricultural practices and lifestyle rooted in Buddhism. There were many kavu and pools there. Arattupuzha Velayudha Panikkar, the leader of the renaissance who led the peasant strike Mookkuthi Samaram and dedication of temple to the backward classes, lived here.
N Balamurali Krishnan's paintings featuring in the 'Lokame Tharavadu' exhibition organized by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) reflect these memories of Onattukara.
After taking voluntary retirement, the school teacher came back to Onattukara anddedicated his whole time to painting. He said after his return to the village, his painting style even took a creative turn. He adds that these paintings are the historical researches of an artist who lives in Onattukara.
"I found all the research materials in this place that will influence my artworks. So I titled this series, 'Memoirs of Onattukara'. Here one will find a lot of festivals and kettukazhchas. Buddhism influenced the language and agricultural tradition here.This was a land of so many kavu, pools and canals. But now the topography has changed so much which is deeply disturbing. That led me to the first painting of this series," Balamurali said.
He said the Lokame Tharavadu exhibition is a historical art effort. "When the curator of the exhibition Bose Krishnamachari discussed with me about featuring the artworks of Malayali artists across the world in a single platform, I was sure that it will do wonders," he said.
"All the artworks are excellent and they are very serious about their works. Only Bose Krishnamachari can bring all these artists under a single platform. He has travelled and studied in many countries and has his own assessments on art. That is the success of this exhibition," he said.
The Kochi Biennale Foundation, with the support of the Kerala government, is organising this large-scale contemporary art exhibition titled 'Lokame Tharavadu'. The show features 267 artists in seven different venues in Alappuzha and Durbar Hall, Ernakulam. The art show was first inaugurated on April 18th, 2021 but had to be closed in early May considering the rise in Covid cases in the country. It was reopened for the public on August 14 and will last till November 30.
The core idea of this exhibition, the world is one family, is drawn from the verses of a Malayalam poem written by Vallathol Narayana Menon, which appeals to the universal spirit of humanity, especially in these times of the COVID pandemic.
The exhibition invokes the power of art to revive and resurrect the dejected human spirit. Bose Krishnamachari has conceptualized and curated ‘Lokame Tharavadu’.