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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Stories of life, space, and identity at Lalit Kala Academi
Mapping Memories is more than a visual showcase — it is a journey through the inner landscapes of its artists. Currently on at At Lalit Kala Akademi, in collaboration with The Hindu's Made of Chennai, each piece traces connections to spaces that have shaped the maker' identities and experiences. These vivid stories are told in oil, watercolour, acrylic, and sculpture. 'A lot of the artists who have shown their works do not have representation, and for us, it is important that they get their voices heard and that their creative expressions are seen. These are compelling narratives of each person and how they associate with the spaces that have been an integral part of their life,' says Upasana Asrani, one of the curators of Mapping Memories. For artist Balaramana from Koyambedu, his works are inspired by his life as a load worker. He says, 'Before I joined the Government College of Fine Arts in Chennai, I used to work with my father, helping him load and transport goods. I have seen the pain, the strength, and the silent endurance of those men every single day… Those experiences stayed with me deeply. So when I started learning art, I felt a strong urge to turn that part of my life into something meaningful through my work.' His piece, The Moment of Rest, is inspired by a photograph that he took during a photo walk in the local market. 'I saw a worker sitting casually on a garlic sack, sipping tea. There was something peaceful and honest in that scene, and it stayed with me. For me, my works are more than just observation; they are a tribute to the people I come from, to the backbone of our markets, and to the everyday lives that are full of untold stories,' says Balarama. For the past few years, the exhibition has primarily focussed on South India, titled Spotlight on the South, drawing artists with a connection to this part of the country. This year, for the first time, an open call was issued. 'We had almost 250 to 300 entries from all over the world, from which we shortlisted 70 artists for this exhibition,' says Upasana. Artist Punit Kadwane from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, uses acrylic and layered textures — that resemble fine sand — to create a tactile connection to the earthy essence of Vrindavan and the emotions embedded in our cultural memory. Titled Swaranbhuti, Sakhyam, and Companions, in one Krishna appears with his calf companion, in another, he is seen playing the bansuri — each painting evokes a moment where memory, devotion, and imagination intersect. 'The textures and symbolic elements serve as landmarks on a spiritual map, inviting viewers to navigate through layers of myth, emotion, and timeless love. My work seeks to reawaken collective memories, not through literal representation, but by blending materiality, symbolism, and sentiment into immersive, contemplative spaces,' says Kadwane. Artist and professor SAV Elanchezian's work on watercolour titled Sun commemorates the sun for elevating the unparalleled beauty of Pallava pillars. 'Though the pillars are architectural elements, the Sun elevates them as a sculpture as well. The sun demonstrates the subtle principle of art and architectural nuances and brilliantly casts the conceptual symbolism on the basis of aesthetics,' explains Elanchezian. Based out of Singapore, painter, sculptor, P Gnana's bronze sculpture titled Fierce Protector, shows a child on her mother's lap. He uses the lost-wax technique, an ancient Chola-period method that uses a wax mould to create one-of-a-kind pieces. (Once the wax is melted, the mould is destroyed.) The sculpture shows the mother and child with closed eyes, which he explains, 'the no eye contact is for the viewers to interpret the emotions conveyed, thus becoming active participants in the creative process'. Chennai-based artist Rajasekar A is showcasing his resin sculpture titled Mother, inspired by Raja Ravi Varma's Madri. 'I dreamt of creating a sculpture in its spirit — a work that could hold the same quiet majesty. But then a thought stirred within me: Varma was a royal; the women he saw and painted were draped in the elegance of palaces. If I were to recreate such beauty, who would my women be?' He adds, 'The answer rose before me, not queens of gilded courts, but the women who have stood before me all my life: my mother, my sister, my wife… women whose crowns are unseen. In my mind's eye, they did not stand holding silver trays brimming with fruit; instead, they stood carrying something far heavier — the home itself.' Mapping Memories by Madras Art Weekend is done in collaboration with The Hindu Made of Chennai, and is currently on at the Lalit Kala Akademi till August 14, from 11am to 7pm.
The Hindu
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Where myth and nature come alive on canvas
The ongoing exhibition 'Divinely Feminine' at Gallery Ekami, Kannur, invites visitors into a world where myth, memory, and nature come alive on canvas. It features the works of the late C.N. Karunakaran, an artist whose visual language blends Kerala's mural tradition with a deeply personal style rooted in femininity and the grace of nature. Known for his delicate lines and stylised figures, Karunakaran's work stands out for its distinctive portrayal of the female form. A student of the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, Karunakaran trained under renowned artists such as D.P. Roy Choudhury and K.C.S. Paniker. However, he soon moved beyond the framework of the Madras School, drawing inspiration from Kerala's rich mural tradition. His paintings avoid realism, favouring flat compositions, vivid colours, and bold lines that reflect the traditional two-dimensional style. 'His work draws inspiration from the past, but he never imitates it,' said art critic P. Sudhakaran, a member of the curatorial team. 'He reimagined tradition in a way that feels fresh and deeply personal. The women in his paintings are powerful yet gentle — part of nature, not apart from it. That close relationship between women and nature is what gives Karunakaran's art its lyrical quality. His trees, flowers, and figures seem to grow from the same root, blending into one another with effortless rhythm,' Mr. Sudhakaran added. The exhibition captures the essence of Karunakaran's work. 'We wanted people to see not just the paintings, but the world within them,' said Mahesh Ottachalil, the gallery's managing partner. 'Every line and colour carries emotion — an inner world shaped by reverence and imagination,' he added. The exhibition will conclude on July 12.
New Indian Express
09-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Confronting colourism and casteism
Protests in paintings Besides 'Dark or Divine', is a mixed-media work made of jute (koni pai cloth), yarn thread, and a body print. In this piece, Yazhini connects two protests that happened a century apart in different parts of the world. One is the Thol Seelai Porattam, the so-called 'breast tax' protest. In 19th-century Travancore, Nangeli, a lowered-caste Ezhava woman, cut off her breasts in protest against a tax that forced women like her to pay for the right to cover their chests. The other is a series of Western feminist protests: the 1968 'Burn the Bra' demonstration, 2007's 'Go Topless Day', and the 2012 'Free the Nipple' campaign. Lived experiences 'People often view feminism through a very narrow lens and say one is true feminism and the other is pseudo feminism,' she explains. 'The Thol Seelai Porattam was a protest for the right to wear upper garments by women from marginalised communities, while the Free the Nipple and Burn the Bra movements are often misunderstood as the right to not wear upper garments. Both are about bodily autonomy.' Born and raised in Chennai, Yazhini began her art journey in higher secondary school. She explored photography, dance, and theatre, but later chose visual art. After completing a BFA at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, she finished her Master's in Visual Art at Ambedkar University, Delhi, in 2024. Her work is shaped by her lived experience as a dark-skinned Bahujan woman in India. 'I've always received criticism about my body — like other women — not being represented or being misrepresented in mainstream media. These things led me to create politically. Everything I produce comes from or is related to my skin and body,' she says. On her goals for Dark or Divine, she shares, 'A seventh-grade girl once asked me about it after seeing my interview, and that made me feel that my goal was working. Conversations like these need to happen in various spaces.'
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Lending an artistic touch to the lives of common people
Inspired by the tales of ordinary people such as a farmer who lost his land to a thermal power station, a home maker who loves shell fish from the Ennore Creek, and a seashell picker who struggles to make ends meet, students of the Government College of Fine Arts have drawn sketches and made collages that are among an array of works on display at DakshinaChitra at Muttukadu as part of the Environment Action Month. The exhibition – titled Ghosts, Monsters and Dreams – also gives a solution to clean up the Ennore Creek, and safeguard it for future generations from the common man's perspective. It will be on till June 30. G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal, who inaugurated the exhibition on Sunday, pointed out that for thousands of years, people learnt everything through stories and tales. He stressed the importance of creating awareness about the environment through art forms such as music, dance, paintings, collages. 'These days, arts is being used even as a medium of protest. If Chennai is to become a climate-resilient city and march into the 22nd Century, technology and traditional knowledge should join hands,' he added. G. Karthik and B.M. Benisha, co-founders of Aram Thinai said the exhibition was the result of a research project funded by the British Academy and anchored by Coastal Resource Centre. 'We wanted to connect with the people of Ennore through their stories, and wanted more people to understand the importance of the Ennore Creek to the city,' they said. Pictures of the Kodungaiyur dump yard clicked by Sakthi of the Vyasai Thozhargal team are also a part of the exhibition. According to Anitha Pottamkulam, Director (culture), DakshinaChitra, this is the first time that they are holding month-long events for creating environment awareness. 'We have put together walks, art exhibitions, and even a programme on lime wash. We are looking to work with a range of collaborators, who are working with the community,' she said.
The Hindu
26-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Visual lesson from design professor
When assistant professor of Interior design and decor, Karthiga T from JBAS College for Women went out on an early morning ride to Marina beach at the end of last year, to catch the sunrise, what greeted her was a shoreline littered with plastic waste — bags, large water cans, abandoned slippers, mosquito bats, and other debris tossed ashore. Deeply disturbed by what she saw, this Velachery resident felt compelled to turn her emotion into action. 'This is when I decided to take this issue to a wider audience, but through the language of art. We need to keep the conversation going, one way or another,' says Karthiga. She later incorporated this into her PhD research project after receiving ethical clearance to collect coastal waste and transform it into art, which marked the beginning of her mural art, 'Coastal Cry in Plastic'. 'While my artwork used only plastic waste, our aim at the end of the day, was to clean the beach. Together with my students from JBAS, we collected all forms of coastal debris from Marina and Besant Nagar beach over a span of 30 days,' she explains. After spending another month sorting through the collected waste, separating plastics, and sending the rest for recycling, Karthiga began working on her mural artwork from home. Between parenting her toddler and teaching at college, she used whatever spare time she had — often on her terrace to bring the piece alive. The artwork is a statue of a pregnant woman form which has around 20 kilograms of plastic waste. 'I wanted it to be a commentary on environmental degradation,' says Karthiga. 'The mural work is constructed entirely from coastal waste which we collected where I mainly used plastic bottles, bags, caps, wires, and discarded containers. I wanted viewers to reflect on their own consumption and disposal habits, and think about the sustainable practises of these discarded items through the mural art,' says the interior decor professor, who used eco-friendly paints. 'This pregnant female figure is a metaphor for Mother Earth, carrying the weight of our waste,' she adds. Recently, in April, the mural was installed at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai. 'The mural now sits in a space surrounded by artists,' Karthiga says. 'I hope to create conversations and inspire more artists to choose sustainable practices in their work.'
