“Nevertheless, he persisted”

“Nevertheless, he persisted”

“Nevertheless, he persisted” 40X60 Inches, Oil on canvas 2019

This oil paintings focus on the concept of “body” as the medium of protest. Inspired by the recent farmer’s agitation, the artworks bring forth the burning issue of marginalization of Indian farmers due to urbanization. During the farmer’s agitation, the pictures of bare chest farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar drew everyone’s attention. Apparently, by doing this, they wanted to highlight the problem that the benefits and incentives given to farmers by the state are nothing compared to the blood and sweat invested in the entire process of farming.  This protest can be seen in the line of women protests where body becomes the primary agent to draw attention of the policymakers and the public.  The concept of using “body” to stage protests highlights the urgency of the issue. Therefore, it is impossible to classify “body” as a concept owing allegiance to private sphere. It is indeed a powerful source of protests.

“Nevertheless, he persisted” 40X60 Inches, Oil on canvas 2019

“MinDrive” Sukesan Kanka Solo Art exhibition catalog.

THE LAST CONVERSATION

OIL ON CANVAS 30X40 INCH 2019

The last conversation – the  death of the writer Manoj Nair and floods occurred at the same time in Kerala. It was during the flood time that I had the last conversation with manoj Nair, who was spreading awareness about the way to assist Keralites. At that time, I never knew it would be our last candid chat. The interconnection between Manoj Nair’s death and flood is still vivid in my mind. As flood led to many unfinished projects Manoj’s death led to many unfinished wonderful projects that could have seen the day under his guidance. It’s a giant loss for the art world.This painting is also inspired by the composition, coloring techniques, perceptive, among others of masters. I have also tried to bridge the gap between classical and contemporary art.

Sanitization Sensation

Sanitization Sensation, Oil on canvas
40InX40In, 2020

This oil on canvas, Painting depicts the creation of a new war tool against the humanity. The universe is going through a dreadful and unimaginable war due to the emergence of man-made virus. The dreadful virus has impacted both rich and poor. The entire medical fraternity and scientists are fighting to protect the universe. Some of the  dystopian images that have emerged are disinfection and sanitization of once busy streets. People are under lockdown and away from others. This has changed the entire dynamics of our life. This is definitely a dystopian world.

CHIRA

Chira is a diptych painting concentrating upon river and the surrounding nature. This painting has been immensely inspired by Kerala. The primary goal while making this painting was to recreate Renaissance style of art using intense oil colours to bring out the real effect of the environment. Inspired by performance art, I have portrayed my characters in a theatrical way.

Migrant Land

This drawing is a chaotic presentation of a settlement formed by the migrants in a city, which are often well-connected people-wise but suffer from inadequate infrastructure support. It depicts day-to-day experiences of migrants in the tough lifestyle of a city. Moreover, one can see that the settlements, as witnessed in cities, are mostly located at the backyard of high-rising buildings, thereby making such places invisible to both people and the state. As such, the drawing is inspired from Passolini, who has vividly represented the low-income groups through his movies.

My Mother (migrant soul series)

A Lacanian perspective inspired me to draw this drawing. It portrays the longing for mother (also indirectly conveying homeland) by the migrants. One can observe a ‘nostalgic’ representation of ‘homeland’ longed by displaced people, who were forced due to several reasons to relocate, where the ‘mother’ is praying and paying obeisance to the nature. It’s a poetic presentation of longing for mother and nature, absent in a city life.

A Sunday evening ….. A surge of prickly thoughts….

This painting portrays the concept of ‘death’ and ‘destruction’. A woman sleeping in a coffin with eyes wide awake and the old man in hat are the two principal characters of the image, who are indulging in day dreaming about death and vandalism of world. Overall, the image is the fearsome representation of fears and nightmares that all mortal beings, especially human beings, live with like a dead albatross hanging around the neck. As historically witnessed, this constant war between people, groups for survival is unlikely to halt.

Les Tempes Moderness

This painting is a Pasolinian representation of Simone De Beauvoir, one of the leading French political philosophers of her time, whom I was referring at that time.  Passionate filmmaker Pasolini, who was also a poet and a painter, often experimented with head gears and the wardrobe to be used in his films. The primary characteristics of costume designs used in his movies were tribal and nature-oriented, with natural materials playing the key role. Hence, one can see a kind of similar representation in this painting, which also portrays the surrealistic world of a philosopher.

 

Proliferations ……(sculpture)

This sculpture installation was a part project work undertaken at the ‘Sakthan Tampuran Archaeology Museum’ at Thrissur (Kerala) in 2003-04, where I worked as assistant to well-known contemporary artists Valsan Koorma Kolleri and Alex Matthew, who inspired me to make the sculpture. In order to make this sculpture, I selected three huge Kerala’s local architecture material laterite stones and concentrated upon natural formation of ‘proliferated forms’ post rainy season. Hence, one can see how local natural elements/forms have played a key role in concretization of the sculpture.