Inimitable in his Indianness
PRADEEP CHAKRAVARTHY
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In his depth of knowledge the line between Rajam the artist and Rajam the scholar is blurred.
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S. Rajam
Stories with the theme of "those were the days," from Saraswathi Athai would always centre on the interactions with Rajam, and his wonderfully resourceful mother Chellama Mami, her neighbours at No.10, Nadu Street, Mylapore. When not listening to this, there was his painting of the trinity to look at. Something in those fluid lines, dreamy eyes and delicate deer like bodies and tender expressions evokes images of of wonderful things.
The simple colours and clean lines conjured up vivid imagination and also a yearning to meet the man. "He lives in Mylapore and I can always do it," I would reassure myself. Prakriti Foundation put an end to my procrastinations by organising not only an exhibition of his paintings but a speech from the man himself.
Adorned with paintings
Held at the Amethyst, the painting of Somaskanda at the landing set the tone for what was in store upstairs. The venue for the talk was hung with large paintings of the Ashtadikpalas and a smaller room beyond had other paintings, some of which were on sale.
Rajam spent the first few minutes talking of his mother and in those words were a paean to the forgotten craftspeople of India — innumerable housewives in the past century who had not only a fine aesthetic sense in what they did but practised thrift and respect to the environment much more than what is preached these days; either in drawing a kolam or in making careful use of scarce resources.
Rajam spent a major part of the talk explaining the depth of research behind his paintings especially of the eight guardians and the Navagraha. In his depth of knowledge of the ancient texts and of music the line between Rajam the artist and Rajam the scholar was blurred. His differentiation of Indian and western art was particularly useful, "Our paintings focus on symbolism, the strength of the line and the wash technique. The west focuses on naturalness, impression and brushstroke."
Admirable
Rajam's mastery of music and art was something to admire if not emulate, but I left the hall inspired by his value belief of being an "Indian artist, Indian in thought and concept." Rajam, after his degree at the School of Arts, had not chosen to imitate the western world but had seen the value and significance of his own tradition but even within that had created his own inimitable style.
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