String theory in physics expounds the idea that the universe is made of strings, thus uniting all forms of matter and forces. The concept inspired the artist in B Jayasree and she translated her interpretations about the theory on to the canvas. It is this collection of paintings that are exhibited at ‘Theory of Strings’, currently on at Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum, Vazhuthacaud.
Jayasree says the paintings are not an exact interpretation of the theory. “I have worked around the theme, relating it with human beings, their relationships, identity, behaviour, conflicts.... The underlying fact is that we are all connected. I have brought what we see around us on to a unified field, that is several images in one frame,” says Jayasree.
A painting by B Jayasree
She cites the example of a multi-storied apartment. “When you look at it from a distance, it appears like a string. But as you go closer, you realise the diverse worlds in there,” she says.
The 31 paintings, all of them abstracts, touch upon present-day society at different levels: paintings depicting vignettes of city life such as clothes being dried in apartment blocks, buildings dotting a city’s skyline, polluted cityscapes and high-rises and climate change.
Touching human life
Human emotions and conflicts also come under the purview of the theme. If one painting captures the journey of the wheel of life, another reflects on the end of that journey. Man’s growing greed comes through in a work where a hand is shown grabbing things. A montage of faces hints at various perspectives and behaviour patterns of the human race. A combination of three paintings captures the flavours and colours of modern life, with cafés, computers, busy streets and the like. At the same time, a solemn face looking out from a frame hints at the gloom looming large over the present generation and the society.
A painting by B Jayasree
“The string doesn’t stand for just a thread. I have tried to link objects with each other or objects and thought,” she explains. Like the painting in which she conveys the angst of an individual when relationships fall apart. Or, the one in which she has shown a group of individuals caught in a net, “symbolising how some people are alienated in the name of caste or community”.
Women are not overlooked. While she powerfully conveys the extent to which women are abused and are tied down by societal restrictions, an image showing a woman trying to break free from a rope conveys hope.
Jayasree took voluntary retirement from her job with Life Insurance Corporation of India three years ago. Trained by artist Ravishankar, she polished her art under artist BD Dethan, especially in painting abstracts.
A painting by B Jayasree
A highlight of the collection is that she has employed drip painting technique in many of the works. “You can do it with acrylic or water colour. You drip or pour the paint on the canvas. It is challenging, but I am fascinated by the technique,” she says.
And one can’t miss out two unique pieces on display — sculptures she has made from scrap. “I enjoy the process of converting scrap into art,” she says. One is an image of Lord Siva, using metallic parts of a hoe, a piece of pipe and automobile parts. The other work, “a pet dog”, has also been created from scrap.
‘Theory of Strings’ is on at the gallery till May 11. Timings: 10 am to 6 pm. Contact: 0471-2320666
