‘Art for resistance’ is how one could describe Ilayanakkangal , the exhibition of paintings by seven artists now on at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery in Kozhikode. Ilayanakkangal, ‘leaf movements’, is a representative collection stressing the need to recapture the indigenous lifestyle as a resistance against the evils of modern age such as globalisation and neo-capitalism.
The artists, Jinesh Babu K., Manesha Deva Sharma, Manoj Vishwambharan, Sacheendran Karadka, Sumesh Kamballur, Vinod Ambalathara, and Vipin. T. Paloth, come from different parts of the State with entirely distinct styles of art and mode of presentation.
Jinesh Babu captures the forgotten images of the aged amidst the splendour of nature using oil colours as medium. Manoj Vishwambharan has presented 10 small frames in tones of lilac while Vinod Ambalathara’s sepia images and miniature paintings are quite unique.
Vipin Paloth’s paintings dig out the nostalgic memories of the rural interiors represented by lush greenery, temple, and river.
Manesh Deva Sarma has come up with two installations, an untitled one made of PVC pipes and one titled ‘Nano God’ in mixed medium. His paintings convey the images of modernisation superimposed on nostalgic greenery. Sacheendran’s works are colourful with abstract images scattered all over while Sumesh Kamballur has come up with a unique way of incorporating words into the paintings.
The exhibition that began on April 12 will conclude on Friday.