The Hindu : Kerala News : Turmoil, in different hues

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Thursday, May 08, 2008
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Kerala

Turmoil, in different hues

Balan Komath with his paintings at the Lalithakala Art Gallery in Kozhikode.

The painting exhibition, ‘Varthamanam,’ by Balan Komath, at the Academy Art Gallery here is an artist’s sensitive but ingenuous reactions to the painful and perplexing realities of the world.

“I paint when the world pains me,” says Mr. Komath, whose 20-odd paintings, mostly in acrylic and Indian-ink, are on display here. Without resorting to any farfetched symbolisms, the artist tries to express his emotions in the most eye-cat ching way.

His title ‘Gujarat,’ which is a take on the recent communal carnage in that State, attempts to portray the acute and agony it inflicted on the artist’s mind. A few other titles like ‘May 1’ ‘Terrorism,’ ’Jeevitham,’ and ‘Peedanam’ are powerfully executed works of art.

Many mediums

He has also attempted on abstract subjects like ‘soul,’ ‘pain’ and ‘love’ introducing subjective elements without losing the aesthetic aspects of it.

He is at ease with different mediums like oil, pencil and water colour besides acrylic.

“But Indian-ink is my favourite,” says the artist. One of his works titled ‘Democracy,’ is a telling example of his dexterity with the medium.

His works communicate the impassiveness of an observer to the atrocities of the world.

This is the second exhibition of Mr. Komath, who is also a singer and a harmonist. After retiring from the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) as Senior Assistant Grade officer in 2000, Mr. Komath, who hails from Atholi in Kozhikode, is more actively into painting and music.

The four-day exhibition, inaugurated by cartoonist Paul Kallnode, will end on Thursday.

Jabir Mushthari

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