"There is no civilisation that did not begin with art.”
The land of Tamil Nadu has a cultural history that dates back to almost 5,500 years. The region has witnessed the rule of monarchs, colonists as well as politicians of a free India, over the centuries. Art has made an immense contribution to this incredible history with its defining moments and here are a few of them that would certainly fill us with pride.
Designed by the dynasties
The three dynasties of Tamil Nadu — Pandyas, Pallavas, and Cholas — have played a huge role in aiding the artistic traditions of the region to reach its zenith. The spectacular gopurams that adorn the temples of south India, the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple built by the Pandyas serving to be the finest example, the exquisite bronze sculptures of the Chola period which included the Nataraja sculpture, and many more, are the cultural epitome of these periods.
However, in the documentation of the history of these powerful dynasties, it is important to mention those pioneering developments that changed regional artistic narratives. The Pallava period was one in which the construction of temples and sculptures transitioned from rock-cut to stone temples.
The earlier years of their rule were the rock-cut phase when rock reliefs like ‘Arjuna’s penance’ at Mamallapuram were carved on rock boulders. In the latter period, this method gradually gave way to stone structures, like the Shore Temple at Mamallapuram which was built with blocks of granite and is famously known to be the oldest stone temple in south India.
When the Cholas took supreme control of the region, art and architecture reached another unbelievable peak. The Brihadeeswarar Temple built by Rajaraja I remains a mystery to most of us.
In an age where the tools to construct were limited, the possibility of building a temple so colossal is baffling indeed. The 216-foot tall temple was built without using any binding materials. Made completely of granite which was transported from thousands of kilometres away, the construction of the temple is an awe-inspiring marvel, even with all the technological advancements we have made.
Nation’s first art school
Tamil Nadu takes pride as the state where the first ever art college in the country was established.
Under British rule, Madras (as it was then called) was thriving with artistes. The colonists decided to utilise the potential of these skilled artistes to make furniture and other artefacts which could cater to the needs of their countrymen in London, and thus founded the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Chennai in 1850.
Initially founded as an art institute, this iconic institution has shaped the course of the history of art in Tamil Nadu to this day. Artistes associated with this institution either as students or faculty, have all added to the glistening wealth of culture in the state. R Krishna Rao, a student who went on to become the principal of the college, designed the emblem of the newly created state of Tamil Nadu using the majestic gopuram of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple where he grew up, as his inspiration. Debi Prasad Roy Choudhury, the first Indian principal of the college, is credited with the creation of the famed Triumph of Labour sculpture, on the occasion of the commemoration of the first-ever May Day rally in the country which took place in Chennai on Marina Beach. And thus, this noted institution has been the breeding ground that produced some of the most celebrated artistes of India, whose path-breaking contributions moulded cultural inheritance.
Movement of artistic freedom
The Madras Art Movement which began in the 1960s against the backdrop of post-independence was born out of the need to create a regional visual language to break away from the strong Western influence in the art practised at the time in India. Spearheaded by KCS Paniker, the principal of the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, the movement encouraged student artistes to question the prevailing Western models and evolve a new artistic idiom that was deeply rooted in regional traditions.
The Madras Art Movement was unique because it deliberately distanced itself from the prevailing trends which were deeply influenced by international perspectives of modernism, and instead sought the foundation of regional aesthetics and sensibilities, a visibly clear departure from other movements in art. In 1966, the Cholamandal Artists Village was established on the outskirts of Chennai to further break away from the dependence on the gallery system and instead, strive towards self-reliance. Working together while staying in India’s first artiste commune, the artistes sold their works at permanent exhibitions in the community. Although the years that followed led to the disintegration of the group, the village continues to function and attracts artistes from all over the world.
Tamil Nadu rests on the envious history of defining moments that determined the evolution of Indian art and culture. Let us look to a future where the patronage of arts in the state is paramount, and artistes in the generations to come add to this rich legacy!
1960s Madras Art Movement was spearheaded by KCS Paniker, principal of Governmet College of Fine Arts
(Jitha Karthikeyan is an artist and curator, passionate about making art accessible to the larger public)