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Striking murals
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A spirit of experimentation is in the murals by PR Amalraj, in the use of natural colours and charcoal
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Photo: VIPIN CHANDRAN
Inspired P. R. Amalraj
When an exhibition is called ‘Muras’, the mind subconsciously processes murals thinking it must be a typo. That is when the artist P. R. Amalraj steps in, “Muras in Spanish means walls.” The recently concluded exhibition of mu
rals by Amalraj were a treat for sore eyes.
Treat
Although most of the themes that he has transformed on to the canvas deal with the conventional themes of mural paintings, he has tried his hand at interpretation of historical themes as well. He says that his attempt is to broaden his horizon as an artist. “Rather than limiting the scope of my art (mural painting) I want to expand its scope,” says Amalraj, who works as 3d animator for an animation company. Amalraj did his BFA from the Sree Sankaracharaya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. He subsequently did 2d and 3d animation from Toonz Animation Academy, Thiruvananthapuram.
Ochre red and ochre yellow are the predominant shades, the shades of his Krishnas, gopis, Ganesha’s and dancing forms. “These are considered the most beautiful shades in murals, which is why there is a predominance of these shades in my paintings.”
Each frame was a story, and reinforces that adage ‘God is in the details’. The tiniest curl, the finest tendril, each leaf…every feature has been given the meticulous attention that each deserved. Acrylic is the medium of the majority of the paintings, but Amalraj experimented without colour and used charcoal instead. Understandably the effect is not dramatic as the other paintings. But then that is the spirit of experimentation.
There was a profusion of gods, but so were dancing figures, which Amalraj says he painted because he feels that painting a dancing form gives a painting fluidity and movement, which otherwise would be lacking. In some of the figures there is no escaping the influence of his training in animation.
These are just sidelights of the exhibition. The murals that Amalraj did using natural colours were the most striking.
The blues, greens and ochres were so striking in their impact that the stunning acrylic murals paled in significance. The shades were deeper and on the whole these murals were sheer poetry.
SHILPA NAIR ANAND
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