THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Colours splashed on a canvas can some times define who you are. Artists Krishna Janardhana and Dr Sreekala believe that they also have the ability to explain entangled relations and discover the untrodden realm of a person’s mind. According to them, their collage of paintings and poetry which have been exhibited at the Russian Cultural Centre in the city are not only an expression of the ‘self’ but also an exploration of the unknown within the self.
The paintings belong to the expressionistic and surrealistic genres and have the ability to arrest the mind of the viewers while stirring their long forgotten memories.
Krishna’s untitled work ‘Leopard died of consuming rat poison’ is a humoristic expression of a local news story. “I completed the work sitting in a tea garden surrounded by a pine forest in Ootty,” he recollects.
The birds, deer and the forms of leopard beautifully captured on oil paper canvas has received appreciation from art buffs.
Taking inspiration from Oscar Wild’s ‘Selfish giant’, Krishna has created another expressionistic work titled ‘Naraa- come’.
The ‘Aham’ series by Krishna has already established his mastery in the realm of art. The surrealistic depiction of the evolution of mankind may seem complicated in his efforts to stitch together the links in the chain of life. The artist has presented a diverse view of life- from animals which have ceased to exist to the modern complicated man.
However, the Rust series is the highlight of the show. “The nostalgic roots of my boyhood days, the intricacies of the life in a joint family, memories of old forgotten days, endless reminiscence of childhood in solitude come together in the Rust series,” he said.
The Human animal series is the artistic expression of the deep wounds he had sustained on his body and mind. The unsteady posture of the animals standing on one leg tells volumes about the earthly stay.
The borderless paintings explains the breaking of the concept of bringing human life into a particular frame. The ant series noted for the cubical evolution speaks about the evolution of the artist as a young man. The brown coloured ants series materialised through mixed medium is also a cerebral exercise for the onlooker.
Dr Sreekala’s paintings are her sojourn into her innerself. The artist’s entangled emotions, dream home and Tear of Trees have painted her heart on the canvas with deep emotions in a tranquil state. “ My paintings are my exploration into my soul. None of the paintings are pre-meditated. It gets a form during the process,” she said. Her work ‘Soul of Tree’ is the highlight of the show. Dr Sreekala serves as a doctor at the Government Fort Hospital. The exhibition will conclude on Friday.