City-based artist Ajayakumar is on a high. Five paintings from his ‘Wealth of Nations' series is on display in the United States as part of an art expo in New York.
The artist who is Principal of College of Fine Arts says: “M. Sasidharan, a fellow artist and friend, sent a slide of our paintings to Tamarind, a New York-based art gallery that is a forum for Indian contemporary art too. They liked our works and asked us to send them. As they are huge canvases and transportation and expenses incurred a problem, I sent just four select pieces from this collection and one fresh work that forms a part of this series.”
Eleven paintings
‘Wealth of Nations' comprises 11 paintings; a compilation of works by Ajayakumar on the same theme from 2007 onwards. A preview of this series was held in the city in 2009 at the Museum Auditorium.
The title, says Ajayakumar, is derived from Adam Smith's book of the same name in defence of the free market. “The title came to me when I was working on my fourth or fifth painting in this collection,” says Ajayakumar, an economics graduate.
“However, I'm using this title allegorically. It can be a positive or negative look on what is wealth and nation building. My paintings make a statement on the impact of market globalisation and geo-politics. It addresses the development of the land, its effect on the environment and the relation it has with the nation. For instance, one of my paintings has a ship. For centuries, ships have sailed the seas for trade and in the process bringing a bit of their nation with them. So does my ship, it has a nation on board,” explains Ajayakumar.
According to Ajayakumar, the response to the exhibition is encouraging. In fact, the organisers have requested he send more from the series and a couple of his earlier works to them. “I'm sending five more from the ‘Wealth of Nations' collection to them.” His paintings will be on display in New York till May 24.
