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Wielding the brush for a noble cause

A group of city artists use their colourful strokes for charity, writes PRATHIBHA PARAMESWARAN

ENTERPRISING Committed painters PHOTO: R.M. RAJARATHINAM

Taking art to people is not easy given the cost of holding exhibitions. Despite the rising expenses, a group of five artists, V.N. Bharathan, D. Nedunchelian, V. Dakshinamurthy, S.K. Rajasekaran and K. Ravi — who call themselves the `Artyflys' — stuck together to display their works at the SGSY complex recently. It is said that colours express a person's moods and time and again artists have experimented with colours to convey their innermost thoughts and feelings.

Beauty in symmetry

For Ravi, beauty is all about woman and her form. Several artists have hitherto experimented with the theme, but the hallmark of Ravi's paintings is the way he exploits geometry to its potential. His women are characterised by a prominent mole on their cheeks, long braided hair, symbols such as lotus or veena and curved lines on their trapezoid hands suggestive of a women's curves, all features of a typical Indian beauty. "I see beauty in symmetry and that explains the use of geometry. For me beauty is synonymous with softness and gentleness," Ravi says. Perhaps his Radha and Krishna done in Tanjore style and the portrait of a lady with a bird in fluorescent colours deviate slightly from his typical style.

Human feel

Dakshinamurthy decides the subject on the foreground and the rest are blurred, free strokes of brushes. A festival scene or a vendor couple, one can fathom the form, but not the finer details. He prefers a Ganesha sans coronet, which he feels gives it a more `human feel.' The splashed colours that he leaves to dry over the canvas give the painting a tough and uneven texture. "I never take too long with my paintings," he shares and the strokes betray the swiftness of his hands. He prefers dark moody colours and his works are realistic.

Memoirs of childhood

Raised in a village, Bharathan's paintings are memoirs of his childhood. His images retain a rustic feel as his themes are drawn from the village side, some of which are even archaic. A piece on a frowsy Buddha painted on a derelict wall in a village with a row of hills in the background, depicts much of his nostalgia. So do the Grandpa's house and the tribal chieftain in prayer. A portrait of Ganesha wearing a tribal coronet and the profile of a young girl adorned in beaded jewels speak of his interest in tribal culture. His `East Mada Street,' a semi-abstract work portraying the temple street at Kumbakonam has the distinction of being selected for a national level exhibition. "I use acrylic colours for most of my paintings and use the opaque technique. As I don't add oil or water to the paint and give at least 10 coats, they stay for a long time without any damages," Bharathan reveals.

Abstract

Rajasekaran's paintings are abstract and he prefers to leave more to the viewer's interpretation. His inspiration is the nature and its force. "Rather than focusing on the physical features, I prefer to bring out the hidden part, the power and force of the elements," he explains.

The painting of a ball of water floating in space symbolising the changing phase of ocean, a city under the sea and an object in space, all are rather futuristic in themes. Turbulent landscapes and the image of a man pulling his bullocks towards a tree on a rainy day are less abstract.

Rhythm in strokes

Chelian's forte is the rhythm in his strokes. He treats painting as a performing art. The rhythm of percussion is all he needs to move his brush or fingers along the canvas creating images according to the beats. The painting of a Ganesha performing a cosmic presents a disturbing visual of violence and ferocity. He advocates his own form of expressionistic art, which he terms `emotionalism.'

Most of the paintings born in this genre are simply paints splashed on the canvas and later scraped into images.

His works based on Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta and Sittanavasal cave paintings are more than mere reproductions of the ruined figures. He glorifies figurines with broken limbs or corroded hands.

At present, he is obsessed with the Mohenjodaro and Harappan cultures.

"Art should also educate. It is a form that can carry social messages easily to the public," he opines. Though the five-some come under the same name — Artyflys, each differs from the other in their selections. But there is one common factor — their willingness to contribute their earnings towards the cause of orphaned children.

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