‘Blend of Hues’, a group art show at Kerala Lalithakala Akademi art gallery, Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, showcases paintings by 15 artists who have known each other for over three decades. While most of them are alumni of Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts (RRVCFA), Mavelikara, the others are their friends from their art circle.
“We are the first batch of students of the five-year national diploma course and had passed out in 1992,” says Sajith A Remady, an alumnus of RRVCFA and a former art teacher. Mini Sharrma, also an alumna and curator of the exhibition, adds, “The course was introduced after protests by the students. Once it was launched, our seniors and juniors had also attended the course. So, 75-80 of us passed out together.”
This is the third show curated by Mini. On display are 49 paintings in acrylic, watercolour and mixed media.
Keeping it simple
Talking about the realistic nature of many of the works, Mini says, “We wanted it to be like that. A layman should understand what the artist wants to convey instead of the latter having to explaining it. The art should appeal to the eye and bring joy to people’s minds — that has been our objective.”
Landscape, flora and fauna, people, places, day-to-day sights and spiritual aspects are among the subjects taken up by the artists. There is diversity in terms of style, theme, presentation, colour scheme, and texture.
Some of them have not shied away from experimenting. For instance, Joseph Francis, a batchmate of Mini and Sajith, has created 3D effect on a set of five paintings in acrylics. Titled ‘Nature’, the paintings are centred around vignettes from nature. “It is important to do something new and the attempt has been to create a three-dimensional effect on a two-dimensional canvas. I have tried a novel colour scheme and texture,” explains Joseph. He runs an advertising firm in Pala, Kottayam district.
It is again the choice of colours that lends freshness to Sajith’s paintings in acrylics, especially in the two paintings in ‘The Tree’ series. “The tree with golden leaves is an attempt at making the work appealing and rich. It is also a reminder to society about the need to save trees because they are as precious as gold. It is the same thought that applies to the ‘Golden tree and red birds’, the other work in the series,” he says. The artist has also celebrated the farmer in ‘Farmer the protagonist’. “He is equal to god for he feeds people from all strata of society, irrespective of their social stature or profession,” Sajith explains.
Mini points out that she is gradually shifting to semi-abstract style. “I have been doing realistic paintings and felt that I should do something different to establish my signature style. That’s why I started doing semi-abstract works,” says Mini, now a full-time artist after resigning from her teaching job of 22 years.
The exhibition is a second coming of sorts for artists such as KG Reji, according to his friends Sajith and Francis. In the five watercolour paintings of his ‘Landscape’ series, Reji has beautifully portrayed vignettes from nature with perfectly balanced use of colours and strokes. “He is an exceptional artist. After he moved abroad, he didn’t pursue art. We are happy that he is back to what he does best,” they say.
Among other works are those by artist couple, Manoj TS and Lekha Manoj, both working as art teachers in Munnar. “Although we didn’t study at RRVCFA, we came in touch with the students there while studying in Kottayam and that friendship is still intact,” says Manoj. One of the stand-out works at the exhibition is Manoj’s — ‘Broken Hope’. In focus is the eye of a woman. “It reflects the agony and pain of a woman whose dreams and hopes have been shattered. The sense of loss that she feels has been conveyed through her eye,” says Manoj.
The exhibition is on till May 30. Time: 10am to 6pm. Entry free.
