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Sunday, Nov 12, 2006
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New Delhi

Lending some colour to water

Madhur Tankha

Weeklong exhibition by artist Ajith AKG is on in the Capital

WATER SERIES: A painting by Ajith AKG

NEW DELHI: Even ancient mythologies proclaimed that water was the very source of life. Pure water, odourless and tasteless, continues to sustain all life forms on our planet. Where there is water there is life and where water is scarce life is a struggle.

Bearing all this in mind, Ajith AKG, an artist from God's Own Country, brings out a visual feast on his pet theme with a weeklong exhibition -- that began on Saturday -- of watercolours at Travancore Palace Art Gallery here.

Titled "Water Colours", the series beautifully portrays imageries of water through close-ups of drops to distant views of the vast ocean. The world of watercolour art has changed very much.

With the introduction of newer, light fast pigments and the fact that acid-free papers have much durability and quality, the world of watercolour art has changed drastically indeed. These works have been methodically done on acid-free watercolour papers made from cotton rags.

Consistently experimenting in watercolour art, the artist has actively taken part in camps and workshops over the years. His collections have been shown across the country as well as abroad. He has won laurels at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Youth Festival 1999 and the National Youth Festival 1996.

"Ajith exploits the fissured quality of paper itself creating rich contrasts in texture between lines and painted sweeps. In his earlier works, the colour washes clarified landscape features in a slightly conventional manner. Later, he moved beyond the conventional technique. He experiments with new techniques and possibilities maintaining the accuracy and palpable three dimensionality," says art critic K.C. Chitrabhanu.

Observing that Ajith's work although consistent was not formulaic, Chitrabhanu notes: "His manipulation of formal elements is masterly, his new exploration suggests an expanding range of pictorial possibilities and signals a new invigorated direction in his art."

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