Ecological protection and preservation have long captured the imagination of artists, many of who have expressed their concern for the future of the earth and all the beings who call it home, in a variety of hues and perspectives.
‘Urvi’ (meaning earth, open space, landscapes…), an exhibition of paintings by 10 contemporary Malayali artists at La Gallery 360, is an in-depth and multi-faceted look at the earth in all its connotations, with each artist striving to point out his/her idea of a better world. It captures on canvas how development has lead to widespread displacement – of spaces, people, the environment; how mindless exploitation of nature and natural resources is “accepted and permitted in equal measure”; and how eco-friendliness is gradually being politicised.
The beauty of the collection is undoubtedly its simplicity. Yet, it’s a simplicity (some paintings even border on minimalist) that is deceptive, one that goes beyond the obvious, reaching into the depths of the minds and souls of the artists.
“It was a deliberate choice to make the collection look as simplistic, as silent, as subtle and as mild as possible. Take sculptor-painter A.P. Anilkumar's 'Holy Box', for example. On the outside it appears to be an iron box at work on a saint's robes. Think deeper on it and the heat scalds,” says Anthony Karal, a Varapuzha-based artist and lecturer at RLV College of Fine Arts, Tripunithura. He is coordinating the exhibition with artist Shijo Jacob, and has three of his works from his ‘Portrait’ series on display. “The thoughts and ideas behind the paintings are not necessarily activism. They are a reflection of how our character is moulded by the environment,” he adds.
Shijo’s canvases are perhaps one of the best examples of simplicity redefined. At first sight, his untitled work, of an expansive, luscious wetland populated with egrets, seems just like another pretty picture of rural Kerala. However, when a hand-sketched, development plan is stamped on the landscape, with blocks such as ‘international airport’, ‘convention centre’ and ‘multi-speciality hospital’ clearly demarcated, it harks back to a current socio-political situation in Kerala that has environmentalists up in arms. Another painting of the same series, meanwhile, has a dense woodscape, again stamped with a plan for development. “I am experimenting with the conflict and relationship between two spaces. The works were inspired by my return to my native Changanassery after a long stint in Delhi. Simply put, a lot of familiar places had all but disappeared in the name of development,” says the artist, who works as a lecturer at Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikkara.
Kochi-based artist Aji Adoor’s three paintings, all landscapes inspired by his travels across the country, explore the beauty – and ferociousness – of nature. Take his huge landscape, ‘Parunthumpara’, for example. “I search for reflections of spirituality in my travels. In Parunthumpara, near Thekkady, there is actually an outcrop that looks like an old man with a beard, called Sanyasi para or Tagore para. Therein lies the spirituality.”
Thrissur-based artist Shaju Nellai, on the other hand, looks at contemporary violence and evil through the iconography and ideology of Buddhist philosophy. He has exhibited two paintings and eight miniatures – all of which are strikingly minimalistic, in predominantly red, black and white. “It’s a departure for me. My paintings are usually multi-hued. This combination of colours heightens the intensity of the violence,” he explains.
Manoj Vyloor, meanwhile, has exhibited three of his works, namely ‘Daphne’, ‘Salabhanjika’ (on the Yakshi myth), and ‘Kama’ from his “sporadic” ‘Reverberations of myths’ series that he began in 2006. It explores the relationships among man, myths and nature. Jyothilal Govind, head of the department of art, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, has exhibited two paintings and two drawings from his ‘Organic Decorations’ series. “The series looks at the interplay between the so-called technological world and the natural world. Technology is nowadays an extension of life and not a separate entity as such. It has come to a point where we cannot exist without it.”
Dodsy Anthony, K.T. Mathai, and Sateesh Kumar K.A. are the other artists.
The exhibition is at La Gallery 360, Museum Bains compound till May 16, 10.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
