New Delhi   

South Indian paintings on display

A four-day exhibition of traditional South Indian paintings and murals will be held at Indian Habitat Centre's Visual Art Gallery in New Delhi from August 12.

The exquisite collection of traditional South Indian paintings will include art forms that were patronised by powerful kingdoms like Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas, Pallavas, Nayaks, Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Odayars and Vijayanagaram.

Organised by the Chennai-based Raasi Art Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose objective is to re-organise, nurture and develop these traditional art forms in coordination with the government, non-government organisations and cultural organisations, the exhibition will showcase Mysore paintings -- depicting royalty of yore and characters from the great ancient epics -- and Tanjore paintings that show simple figures of various gods and goddesses gilded in golden sheen.

The exhibition will also display Kalamkari, an exotic art form consisting of hand-illustrated figures, designed and printed on cotton fabric, and Kerala murals that narrate an impressive story in "panchavarna" (five colours) namely ochre, Indian red, indigo, sub-green and lampblack. The human forms have stylised facial expression and gestures, with wide open eyes, elongated painted lips, exaggerated eyebrows and excessive ornamentation. -- Madhur Tankha

-- Madhur Tankha

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