The title of the exhibition “Line Maro” is as deceptive as the exhibition itself. Though there is flirtation involved, it’s not what comes to mind. The artist, Muniswamy, here is flirting with lines, literally.
The exhibition features a series of line drawings, largely profiles, of aristocratic men and women, families, rustic folk, and most popularly, of the Indian God Ganesha.
The figures appear somewhat stylistic, with the lines curving around themselves and making, it seems, multiple twists and turns to form figures that are intertwined, so the figure is not completely discernible. The stylisation is fascinating when it comes to his profiles of Ganesha, in seemingly everyday situations, playing an instrument or lounging.
Not until done
But the USP of the exhibition is that the drawings were all made with a single, however looping, stroke of the pen.
“Once I start drawing, I do not lift my pen until I am done,” says the Chennai-based artist. “I keep an image in mind and I straightway start on the paper. But my feelings influence my work because my feelings translate into the drawing. Though I have stuck to profiles here, I have made them abstract.”
Muniswamy plans to build a 1,000 drawings in this series, which he hopes will be a reflection of his artistic evolution. “I want this to be my style, as something I have developed like G.S. Shenoy with his metal plates or Balan Nambiar with his sculptures.” “Line Maro” will be on view at Gallery-g, Lavelle Road, until November 30. For details, contact 22219275.
