TIRUNELVELI: In an epoch where people are drawn towards spatial installations rather than flat canvasses, colours still seem to rule the roost. Is it not natural for us to be drawn towards colours and patterns out in the open? If you’re walking past the Palayamkottai Bus Stand, you are going to want to stop and click a photograph of its walls.
S Kaveri, a 26-year-old artist from Tiruvallur district, has let her imaginations run wild on the six walls at the bus stand that served as her canvas. The project is yet to be unveiled by the corporation. Tasks like painting, cycling, and swimming might seem trivial to some, but for Kaveri, they helped her express herself and gain confidence after a mishap when she was in Class 9 resulted in her undergoing multiple surgeries and losing an arm.
“The first skill I learned after that was cycling, which earned me confidence, and later, I learned swimming without any guidance, by jumping into a well,” said the artist. In 2013, after she completed her Bachelors in English Literature and teacher training, she gained laurels and recognition for her art through a ‘kolam’ competition. Now, Kaveri specialises in wall painting and colour-sensing and holds a degree in Fine Arts from the Government Fine Arts College, Chennai.
Kaveri got into the college again for another Bachelors degree, when she was 23, without quota. “My mother and two brothers have been my major support after my father’s demise five years ago. I learned to paint with one hand from painters, and modified the techniques according to my physique. My friends also helped me learn and guided me to understand art better,” she said.
Kavin Art Gallery’s founder, Ananda Perumal, who invited her to paint, said such opportunities for artists are on the rise, and youngsters should be encouraged to gain recognition through such projects. The Tirunelveli Corporation Commissioner, Vishnu Chandran, has given Kaveri an opportunity to express her art through a government building, he added.
“While losing my left arm was a big blow to my routine, I took everything as a challenge and chose not to be treated differently. I wanted to shine for my abilities,” said Kaveri, whose only limit is the sky.