Over the last 25 years, the Association of British Scholars (ABS) has been sponsoring artists here for a short residency abroad. The exposure to the works of pioneering masters enables many young, creative minds to think afresh as well experiment. Artists who've been sponsored are Achuthan Kudallur, A.V. Ilango, Ravi Shankar, Adimoolam K.M. (late), M. Jayakumar, Sajitha Shankar, Anamika, Kanayi Kunhiraman, M. Senathipathi, Asma Menon, Muralidharan K., B.O. Shailesh, R.B. Bhaskaran, S. Nandagopal, Thota Tharrani, Dakshinamoorthy, R.M. Palaniappan, Premalatha Seshadri, Valsan Koorma Kolleri, S.G. Vasudev, C. Douglas, Ebenezer Sunder Singh, N. Ramachandran, Ganesh Selvaraj and M. Ramalingam — a galaxy of veterans and emerging stars on the artistic horizon of Chennai.
In fact, artists such as Achuthan, Adimoolam, Kanayi Kunhiraman, Senathipathi, Muralidharan, Bhaskaran, Nandagopal, Douglas, Dakshinamoorthy, Vasudev, Palaniappan and Premalatha have played a seminal role in defining the contours of the Madras Art Movement, which emerged in early 1960s under the stewardship of K.C.S. Paniker.
In its silver jubilee year, ABS is showcasing the works of artists it has supported. Along with The Faraway Tree Gallery, it displays the works in the exhibition “Different Strokes”.
A passion for innovation
Among the stalwarts, the works of Achuthan, Vasudev, Bhaskaran, Ilango, Douglas and Muralidharan portray their passion for innovation. Achuthan, Bhaskaran and Douglas' pieces have become structured, bringing to it the silver years of their experiences, without losing their saliency. Vasudev and Muralidharan's colours have taken on a new brilliance and luminosity in ways that capture the spectators' interest. Ilango's creations display dynamic energy in the bovine compositions, enhanced by slashes of blacks and white pigments.
The new voices within this cluster are those of Ganesh, Anamika, Sajitha, Ravi Shankar, Ramachandran and Sailesh. Ganesh, Anamika and Ramachandran have worked on large scales, impacting upon the viewers' sensibility while Sailesh, Sajitha and Ravi Shankar have interfaced with their bodies in contouring their creative expressions.
The show is on at Lalitkala Akademi, Greams Road, till August 28.
