The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Get a feel of temple murals of Kerala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 29, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Get a feel of temple murals of Kerala

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: For centuries, the temple murals of Kerala have withstood the vagaries of nature in undimmed luminosity. Many of these striking paintings, made of natural and vegetable colours, adorn the temple walls and ceilings and neither the rain nor sun has done them any disfavour.

Influence

These paintings, in their classic style, are immediately recognisable as belonging to the temple murals of Kerala. The animals and birds, and the unique facial expressions of the deities and their gestures depicted in the murals are said to have influenced the aspects of Koodiyattam and Kathakali dance forms.

A group of artists from Kerala, under the aegis of Craft India, have attempted put the murals — showing Hindu deities — on canvas and are exhibiting 30 of their paintings at the Chitrakala Parishat from Saturday.

The show will be on till July 9.

Up for grabs at Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 75,000 each, the exhibits are the works of artists Vinod Kumar N., B. Murali, Ramesh T.B. and Dileep Balan.

Mr. Kumar, who studied art in Davangere, said the wide open round eyes, elongated painted lips, exaggerated eyebrows, dramatic body postures and over-ornamentation are typical of the murals.

Awareness

Craft India aims at improving the awareness about the country’s heritage and has planned a series of exhibitions all over the country. The exhibition here will be inaugurated by B.K Chandrashekar, Chairman of the Legislative Council.

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