M.G. Raffic Ahamed’s latest painting that adorns the wall of Preethi Multi Speciality Hospitals captures the city’s transition over a century. The huge 18x7 feet painting features Madurai’s prominent landmarks. From the temple towers to the Palace, hillocks that house Jain rock cut beds to camels that were part of the Meenakshi Temple festival, Minars of mosque on West Masi Street, Vilakkuthoon, the utensil sellers of Pudhu Mandapam, the Kamadhenu statue opposite the Tirumalai Naick Palace, Jallikattu bull, the house on West Masi Street where Gandhiji stayed, nothing has escaped the eyes of the painter.
By juxtaposing heritage and modern structures, the painter has effectively brought out the time difference. It took him 45 days to finish the painting. A collage expert, Raffic uses magazine covers and photographs as base. He works his ideas around them in oils, pastels and crayons to create stunning pieces. He first did this in miniature and then replicated it on a bigger canvas. He did the painting in three card boards of 6x7 feet and then joined them.
The painting is a fusion of Western perspective art and Indian miniature drawing. Raffic has effectively created the depth of the field with his perspectives and simultaneously portrayed the landmarks in detail. The strategic placement of the four temple towers on top of the concrete structures gives the effect as seen while crossing the Albert Victor Bridge.
As it has different layers to it, the painter has preferred acrylic on mixed media than oil painting.
The painting has a texture to it as Raffic has used palette knife to slather colours on the canvas. It gives a three dimensional effect to the painting.
