‘My First Pain,' an ongoing exhibition of paintings by Balucharan U.S. at the Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum, is a collection of 14 works that attempt to capture the artist's abstract ideas about the cosmos, and depict metaphysics on canvas.
A student of Thrissur College of Fine Arts, Balucharan's untitled works in mixed media (charcoal and water colour) is filled with miniature figures, verses in Arabic, flora, fauna, religious symbols and so on. And why is his exhibition titled My First Pain?
“During my graduation, I specialised in applied art. However, I had this urge to paint and that is how this exhibition was born.”
Miniature helicopters, airplanes, men, women, children, goats, cows and flowers are etched in child-like strokes, almost reminiscent of tribal art. Helicopters and airplanes are regular features in his work. They meander among religious symbols, tombs, houses of worship, plants and humans. The human beings depicted are silent spectators or practising religious rituals of various kinds, including animal sacrifices.
His explorations of different religions also find expression in his works.
The artist describes his paintings as an attempt to portray the organism encompassed by a subject. For instance, the act of animal sacrifice is portrayed as an organism and a living system. His works dwell on man's conquest of animals and nature.
The tremendous amount of detail in the paintings makes each work a universe to explore. The exhibition is on till March 5.
