The Kerala Folklore Akademi is organising a four-day exhibition featuring the multi-media collaboration between artist Dhanaraj Keezhara and Diana Chester from the United States focusing on Theyyam ritual performances of north Malabar region.
The Akademi chairman B. Mahmood Ahamed said here on Tuesday that the exhibition will begin at the IMA Hall on December 26. The exhibition titled ‘Everyday Life: The Repertoire of Ritual and Performance’ would make use of recorded sound, painting, drawing, and photographs/photo art to give a visual and sonic experience that was the essential part of the ritual tradition, he said. The event also aimed to highlight the marginalised communities in the region involved in the performances.
Mr. Keezhara is an artist and photographer from the district now based in Bangalore. Ms. Chester is a lecturer in the Abu Dhabi Centre of the New York University.
Ms. Chester said that the joint exhibition project brings together photographs, paintings, drawings, and sound recordings of the Theyyam performances with the objective of exploring the rich culture and history of the ritual.
She said that her sonic storyboard highlights the aural aspect of the Theyyam festival. The work is based on her experiences in the district.
Mr. Dhanaraj said that the four-day exhibition would be a novel experience for art and Theyyam enthusiasts.
He said Ms. Chester and he had met in February this year in his native place Keezhara. They had participated in the local Theyyam festival and documented it with sound recording and photography.
The exhibition would be inaugurated jointly by noted Theyyam performers in the region by lighting lamp here at 4 p.m. on December 26.
