A pyre burning in a dark mountainside flanked by a couple of long-tailed macaques — this piece by artist P. Subhash may seem ordinary at the first glance. But the vivid brush strokes have more to them than what meets the eye.
Using landscapes and animals from his native place of Marayur in Idukki, Subhash is conveying an untold story of a recluse community. The villagers practise ‘uruvilakku,’ an ancient punishment of ostracising individuals for breaking village laws.
In his paintings, he has tried to portray the trauma of isolation that haunts an outcast even after death. The artist says he and his family have been meted the punishment. He tries to speak up against this ‘unjust’ practice that still prevails in his village.
From oil paintings to pencil sketches and portraits of favourite movie stars to beautiful introspective creations, this youngster’s works show versatility in both technique and subject. Subhash is a student at RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Thripunithura.
The expo, organised by Sri Satyasai Orphanage Trust, concluded at the Russian Cultural Centre on Saturday.
