Simplicity is what shines through the Chinese brush paintings of artist George Fernandez. Though he has held 18 painting exhibitions so far, this is only the second time that the Thiruvananthapuram-based artist is focusing on Chinese brush paintings.
“I grew interested in this style of painting around 10 years ago and have been practising it since then,” says Mr. Fernandez, while stressing the importance of skill in this form of art. “It is just one brush stroke or one swipe of the brush that brings about a figure. Perfection can be attained only through a lot of practice,” he adds.
Around 20 paintings by Mr. Fernandez in the Chinese style are on display at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery in Kozhikode under the title ‘Peony’. They have been done using acrylic colours on either paper or canvas. The paints have been diluted so much so that the works resemble water colour paintings.
Most paintings are on natural objects such as flowers and birds. Only one of the paintings feature humans dressed in traditional Chinese costumes. “Nature has always been my greatest inspiration. Creating these paintings is a mode of relaxation,” says the artist.
Mr. Fernandez’s works are not highly priced. “I am more concerned about the joy of painting than the price,” he says, adding that he will never sell his favourite works.
The exhibition, which began on Saturday, concludes on Wednesday.
