Sunil Linus De’s paintings take the viewer back to a time and place he (or she) has probably forgotten. The pristine landscape that features in almost all the paintings leave a lingering sense of nostalgia. Of quiet countrysides and simple lives, the paintings are inspired by the artist’s childhood in Mundakkayam, Kottayam. The greenery he grew up seeing left a lasting impression on Linus.
“These are fading sights. Many of the elements in my paintings are now missing from our lives. The quietude of Nature, the peace and simplicity of life,” he says. The paintings communicate directly, the artist’s intent is clear.
An exhibition of Linus’ watercolour paintings is on at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery, the tenth in his ‘Living Room’ series.
Linus has been working with watercolour for over 25 years, the medium holds a special appeal to him. It is a tough medium, which demands absolute precision with no scope for reworking. Right from his days as a student at Raja Ravivarma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikkara, Linus has been painting with watercolour. “It was the cheapest then. But now it has become expensive,” he says. Though he paints in acrylic too, Linus feels a special connection with watercolour.
The paintings explore the relationship between light and shadow—the different qualities of light as it dims and brightens with the passage of time. “There is light even at night, but it has a distinct character and beauty. I have dwelt on the varying moods of light in this series,” he says.
The works capture life, too, in all its spontaneity—an ageing couple on their evening walk, a buffalo grazes surrounded by a flock of birds. The transparency of the medium enhances the artistic emotion in each work.
Linus works during day time, at his studio in Vazhakkala, as he prefers to paint in daylight. He also has a gallery adjoining the studio. His works, more than 50 on display, come in varying sizes. “The size and the composition of a painting are important elements. I usually have a clear idea about the size of a work before I start painting,” he says. He does not take more than three hours to finish a half sheet, including the intervals. “This is a medium that demands intense concentration. Even a phone call in between can disrupt the creative process.”
Linus has exhibited his works in the Watercolour Biennale held in India and Bolivia, organised by the International Watercolour Society.
The show, titled ‘Lights in Life’, is on till May 13.
