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Magic of murals

Of murals that combine traditional styles and modern themes

PHOTO R: SHIVAJI RAO

INTRICATE CREATION Suresh Muthukulam with his work

The hall at the Amethyst glows with the green of the emerald, the red of the coral, the yellow of gold and the blue of the sapphire, as an art that once only adorned the walls of temples, churches and palaces in Kerala comes to Chennai. Goddesss Annapoorani stands with a gigantic ladle ready to feed the entire world, Lord Padmanabha reclines on his serpentine bed surrounded by the gods, and Lord Siva performs his resplendent dance — the beautiful works by Suresh Muthukulam carry forward the tradition of mural painting that goes back to many centuries. The colours used here are from Nature's store of leaves, stones and soil. Soot black and lime white also make up the colour vocabulary. The paintings are intricate and rich in detail with lush fauna and flora. The themes are from the epics, the puranas and history. There are smaller pieces too of Yalis that look like Chinese dragons and beam beatifically, animals that stand in disciplined rows and creepers that twine in profusion.

"Each colour is applied in the form of small dots," explains Suresh, who has trained intensively in this art form. "The knowledge of the Dhyana slokas is essential as the forms, colour tones, expressions and ornamentation have to adhere strictly to specifications. The artist sketches the figures free hand directly with the brush without using the pencil." The colours are also set. Green denotes Satwa (the noble), red, Rajas (the active), and white, Tamas( the dark and destructive).

Suresh is an artist who combines the traditional style with modern themes as well "as there is now a demand for such works".

"I come from a village, Muthukulam, in Alappuzha district that is located on the backwaters and so fisherfolk are a favourite subject," says Suresh, who began painting contemporary themes six years ago. He was urged to do so by viewers when he participated in an exhibition at the Habitat Centre in New Delhi. "One should have a proper grounding in the traditional to do this."

He certainly has, having been trained for years — first at painting schools in Haripad and Mavelikara and later for five years at the Institute of Mural Painting of the Guruvayoor Devaswom. "My master, Mammiyoor Krishnankutty Nair wanted to pass on the legacy. He trained ten of us," says Suresh, who is now the chief mural artist in the Government institution, Vastuvidya Gurukula at Aaranmula and has trained 20 students in a continuation of this legacy.

"The earliest mural in Kerala, belonging to the ninth Century AD, was discovered in a rock cut cave temple in Thirunanthikava in Kanyakumari district. Among the palaces, the Padmanabhapuram palace, the Dutch palace in Kochi and the Krishnapuram palace are richly adorned with murals. As a child, I used to visit the Krishnapuram palace. I was fascinated by the Gajendra Moksham depicted there." This was the beginning of his interest in the art. Later, along with other artists, he helped renovate the murals in the Padmanabhaswami temple.

Suresh's paintings of Mahatma Gandhi in the mural style are displayed at the art gallery in Rajghat and have won him much praise. "Former President K.R. Narayanan who came from a village near mine suggested the theme." His painting of "The Last Supper" can be seen at a museum in the Vatican. "I had introduced the figure of a lizard, as a symbol of ill omen, near Christ and I chose to paint Judas in bluish black, the colour of Ravana," says Suresh, who feels that art is beyond barriers of religion and nationality. His paintings adorn the homes of Mary Roy (writer Arundathi Roy's mother) and Dimple Kapadia. He was also involved in the Craft Map project of the Dastkari Haat Samiti.

The artist has worked for two years on this exhibition, which has 50 paintings on display. They are priced from from Rs. 3,000 to Rs, 60,000. The exhibition is on till October 11 at the Amethyst (Ph: 28353582 or 28351143).

KAUSALYA SANTHANAM

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