One could not ask for a better inauguration of an art gallery, as the versatile artist, illustrator, art director and special effects director, Trotsky Marudu, squatted on the floor and laid down the plywood leaning with his brush to the tins of paint of various hues that was placed near and began to draw a painting.
The art gallery-Varnam (Colour) had its formal inauguration on Wednesday and Mr.Marudu with his perfect linear strokes using a melange of colours drew the name of the gallery.
Fellow artists who were part of the gallery gathered around him and watched him work in a total silence.
Studio
The studio has a post modern table on its reception with the nearby wall having bronze metal frames fitted with lamps, just the bust portion of sleeping Buddha reclining human-shaped seats made in stone, fibre glass lamps in the shape of a white flower, the bronze and stone miniature artefact like a farmer riding a buffalo formed the oeuvre.
The sculptures were done by Syed Ibrahim and Masilamani and R. Shiva.
The acrylic paintings of landscape and yachts on sea by reputed senior artist K. C. Murugesan was a highlight in the gallery.
The bottle-series by M. G. Ramanan was philosophical in its content where he has put his own-self under question through dual tone of black and white constructing a binary of evil and good.
The dark layer of evil trying to suppress the white (goodness) of a man, an abstract image of dragonfly depicted the control of five senses and try to fly on its own but being a victim of desire the dragonfly cannot flutter its wings and stays still.
Presence
Artist R. Shiva’s obsession with Goddess Meenakshi was visible in his work where the fish-eyed Goddess marked her presence not only in the artefacts bit also on the paintings.
Though Lord Shiva was successful in marrying Meenakshi, still the latter rules the roost here in this Temple city and the images try to prioritise this, he said.
The paintings of Raja and Saravana were the other attractions in the gallery. The ubiquitous image of bullfighting, a street leading to the famous Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Temple Car, the steps in Three Dimension Effect are a treat to watch.
Close up paintings of everyday markers of the city like cycle rickshaw, the painting of leopard was different as instead of using black ink for its spots, it was left with holes and the available natural darkness still gave it a realistic touch.
Though Madurai has a glorious art history leaning back at least to two thousand years, there was a decline over the years both in terms of patronage and appreciation of art and artists and this effort could prove beneficial as artists from Madurai and down south could use this gallery as a perfect platform, said Trotsky Marudu.
Talking to The Hindu , he then said that painting was inspired by the infinite memories that travel between time and space and to have such an art gallery in Madurai is significant as it could provide an outlet for young artists.
“Though we are moving toward a post-modern era where physical gallery is not required as the cyber space provides the alternative space, we still need that physical space to have the corporeal experience.”
When asked, how an elite space like this gallery could endorse subaltern forms of art, he said that the classificatory regime is over and the availability of technical freedom has created a vast and democratic space and could be utilised by all.
Passion for films
Talking about one of his passions to do period films and the recent surge in that genre in Tami, he said that Tamil films are largely influenced by Parsi Theatre and artists belonging to that theatre migrated to southern parts and in most of the historical films during the earlier era and now, failed to portray the authentic Tamil culture and we need to erase those and show real culture and this idea forms his book titled Vaalor Aadum Amalai which talks about the bygone era and how it is recreated through costumes artefacts which does not depict our own culture.
The gallery was inaugurated by Mr. Marudu in the presence of Shobana Ramachandran, Managing Director, TVS Srichakra Limited, Karumuttu T.Kannan, Managing Director, Thiagarajar Mills and Mehalai Muthuraj, Chief Manager, Indian Bank.
