Soil is very closely related to man’s existence. It is where the civilisations are deeply rooted. In Indian culture soil is ‘mother’ and ‘goddess’. It is nature itself and subsequently is the most exploited.
Artist Manu Kallikkad, known for his Limca Book of Records entries in collage and his 3D street paintings, has for the first time organised an exhibition of paintings.
‘Varayanam’ is however not just another painting exhibition, but a revelation that the medium and style has a great role in making the artist’s statement.
‘Varayanam’ is a collection of around 25 paintings that are striking for three aspects – the medium, the style and the theme. Soil is the medium here.
The artist has used soil in different textures and shades to bring about a hitherto unseen effect on the canvas. A normal viewer finds it difficult to digest that he has not really used paint. “I have tried to bring about that feel of the mud huts in North Indian villages,” Manu said.
He has developed a style of his own that is quite different from any seen so far and at the same time making it as simple as possible. He has made various figures out of just single strokes or lines.
And to top it all, he has chosen the ‘Aadi Kavyam’ (the Ramayana) as his theme, for he believes it is the ultimate depiction of the Indian civilisation and held more meanings than what is out there in the open.
“It is the story of the ultimate sacrifice of a woman, born from soil and ended in soil, and of a man, with all his powers was helpless during several occasions in his life,” Manu said.
The exhibition, organised by the Bankmen’s Club, was inaugurated by writer Shoukkath on Saturday at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery in the city. It concludes on August 31.
