Tracing changes on canvases at Tangerine in Chennai

New Indian Express

07-08-2025

In Tangerine at Alwarpet, the clinks of cutlery, the fizzle of sizzlers, and ever-growing loud laughter from the diners play as the background score for the chefs who are at work. But also breaking away from this rhythm, the customers engage in conversations on moments — frozen and framed on the walls. The walls here are far from the white walls of conventional galleries as the restaurant, for over 15 years, has provided a platform for artists to showcase their work.
This time, it is 'Transitions', the latest solo show by artist Isaiarasi Annamalai. The small-format artworks focus on exploring the complex intersection between humanity and materiality. Humanity is rooted in compassion, empathy, spiritual fulfilment, and a sense of community; whereas the pursuit of wealth, possessions, status, and consumerism drives the materialistic world. 'My intention is to create a dynamic tension between these two worlds where contrasting elements coexist, interact, and challenge each other, offering the viewer a visually compelling experience,' says the artist.
Subtle but stirring
At the centre of the show lies a recurring duality between the sacred and the sterile, the rooted and the removed, the handmade and the high-rise. 'In one painting, I've depicted the transition of human living spaces from homes filled with emotional value to lifeless commercial buildings,' she says, adding that the painting reflects how the sense of belonging and memory tied to a place is slowly replaced by functionality and profit, turning once-loved homes into stationary structures.