KOCHI: Right blues, purples, yellows, and greens fill Mibin’s canvases. However, colours can be deceptive, as the creatures within them warn you with their cold gaze. Titled ‘Figures in Void’, this solo exhibition at the OED Gallery in Fort Kochi is the result of Mibin’s artistic exploration over the past few years. When asked about his affinity for vibrant hues, Mibin laughs. “You know, colours can carry politics,” says the 33-year-old.
“There are caste, class, and ethnic differences associated with them. In Kerala, during my childhood, and perhaps even now, people say that some colours have no class; for instance, bright yellow and green. They were considered suitable for marginalised communities. Similarly, the colours worn by African-American people were looked down upon earlier. Shades such as white, pink, pastels and grey were socially accepted, considered ideal for elite or professional environments.”
Such colour biases motivated Mibin to fill his canvases with as much vibrancy as possible. Regardless of how dark the subject matter may be, his paintings burst with an explosion of colours.Mibin prefers not to explain his works. “That’s for everyone to interpret. Even I cannot definitively say what it means because my interpretation evolves with time,” he says.
The Guruvayur native, who completed his MFA in Santiniketan, West Bengal, is busier than usual with two simultaneous solo exhibitions in Kochi. ‘Occult’, his second show, is set to open on Saturday at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery.
Though Mibin insists that the name is unrelated to the theme of his works, one can’t help but sense the mysteries and magic within his art. Screaming faces of fantastical creatures, crocodiles with human-like smiles, and shapes that traverse the frame — all evoke a sense of the surreal within his psychedelic mindscape.
“Whenever I see someone, I imagine them as animals. A pleasant face I come across, I might envision it as a crocodile. Isn’t that wonderful?” he muses. “Some can even recognise themselves within the frames. If you look closely, you can discern hints.”
The violence and unsettling imagery in his artworks also reflect the political environment. “There’s violence in our everyday lives. A father’s love may be interpreted as violence by a child seeking freedom,” says Mibin.“A lover’s embrace might feel like violence to some. We may never truly know. And that violence is also present in my works.”