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Creative partnership

The works of Shalini and Biswajit Balasubramanian complement each other

HAPPY BLEND OF EXPRESSIONS Shalini's painting and Biswajit's cartoon

Though they have taken vows of togetherness, they are two polarities. His "Maiden Humour" metaphorically playing on the "Maiden" is his initiation into the world of mainstream art with the genre of cartoon, grounded in social milieu; while hers is "Detached Attachment," a philosophical take on woman, symbolised as a lotus, with her inner steel strength and emotional vigour to take on life in all its hues.

The show is a happy blend of social reality and an abstract inner journey of the woman. Shalini and Biswajit Balasubramanian are jointly holding a preview of their exhibition at the Forum Art Gallery, which later will travel to the Nehru Centre, London.

It is interesting to observe the dynamism of styles operating within the parameters of the same visual language; namely the design oriented broad, structured geometric planes of Shalini's with organicity implicit in the talking line of Biswajit. Nevertheless, their works complement each other with warm wit and humour, enhancing the aura of the woman who serves as the bottom line in both their works.

Shalini's philosophical predilection makes woman central to her concepts; conveying in her series of acrylic paintings and mild steel sculptures her journey both material as well spiritual overcoming travails and tribulations to declare her independent spirit. To translate these abstractions, she mediates through the timeless symbol of the lotus associated with Vishnu and creation, and a significant metaphor within the Indian philosophical episteme. But it is not mere fecundity that Shalini dwells upon; she transcends these to reveal many facets of the woman's character and her persona. Her small intimate two dimensional sculptures, reductive in style, but with emphatic design elements predominating, convey this idea eloquently and poetically.

Emotional dynamism

The broad geometric planes of her paintings have translated into sheet metal reliefs, evoking the steely core of the woman. In her paintings, the vibrant reds and fiery oranges juxtaposed with spiritual blues and purples are carried over in her sculptures too, maintaining the continuity of her thematic concepts. Her expressions in both sculptures and paintings convey an emotional dynamism, which makes her works autobiographical.

Biswajit has been attracted from his childhood days towards drawing, wistfully recalling filling the red tiled floor of his home with all kinds of imagery. Though he has had no formal education in art, his sharp perceptions and insightful memory have served him in recalling and rendering forms, shapes and images of every conceivable living element. It is this complementary talent together with his naïve and spontaneous approach to life that made him move beyond to express social sentiments and realities with sardonic humour and laughable wit. Having contributed to a series of leading dailies in Chennai, he also has published a book titled "Chennai Latte: A Madras Brew" to which he has contributed astute and discerning cartoons. His present series, "Maiden Humour," is a take on Shalini's serious perspective and provides vignettes into dimensionalities possible and capable of operating in a woman's mind. His nervous yet energetic line is punctuated with expressive floating dots and dashes and to reinforce the punch, he juxtaposes a dog with his figures. His figurative style is overtly persuasive capturing the spirit vigorously.

The show is on till August 15 at the Forum Art Gallery, Adyar.

ASHRAFI S. BHAGAT

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