Every object in the world is an entity in itself. That thought runs through the collection of works showcased by Babu Namboodiri K. at his exhibition, ‘Small, small, several things, All beyond my control’.
“We believe human beings are supreme. But the truth is each and every thing in the universe has got an individuality and mankind has no control over anything we see around,” says the artist, who works as assistant professor at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady.
Through 40-odd works, he brings across the originality and identity of an array of things. Inspired by the mundane as well as the surreal, he tries to analyse the very existence of mankind and the world as a whole through his works.
Diversity is, perhaps, best portrayed on a 190x270 cm canvas where he has painted just about every object he can think of, in charcoal. Leaves on a stem that “create an order”, the fear which engulfed him when he looked out into the dark as a young boy, a mole on a face, a light and shade image, a hat, the glass in which he used to have milk as a kid… Babu finds inspiration from things that most people may consider insignificant.
“I enjoy the process of painting – splashing colours on a canvas and working out a lot of layers,” says Babu. Though oil paint is his favourite medium, the exhibited works are done in water colour, charcoal, ink and pencil.
Graphic prints and works done using dry pastel too have been showcased. An alumnus of College of Fine Arts in the city, Babu has also applied Japanese technique in some of his works, thanks to the training he had from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Japan. Besides exhibiting a couple of works he did in pencil while he was studying there, Babu has showcased a work in gold and silver hues, inspired by traditional Japanese and Korean art.
The exhibition is on at Kerala Lalithakala Academy Gallery, Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan. It concludes on February 21. Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
