Spotless expressions

Published in Weekend, 2006

By Francis P. Barclay

In a fresh spurt for youth and orientation, Kasthuri Sreenivasan Art Gallery, Coimbatore has called upon the third year students of the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, to display their tempo. Among the 32 students K Murugesan, R Rajendran, C Saravanan, R Achudan, K R Aneesh, G Kamalavannan and M Madesh, who call themselves the `Rainbow', availed the chance and brought their best which are on display.
For these artistes, who capture life from their locale and add a little aura in their own style, this show would be of paramount importance.
Their 66-odd paintings are simple and honest as they are. The sanctity of human life is one of the attractions in their works. Beauty in all forms is captured. The themes are confined to their own locale and happenings that
they came across.
They feel it amusing and treasured to limn the silent waters with small ships anchored and the serene frame of a girl and women caught near the doorstep. The expressions, that are holy and spotless, are collared with the
mild backgrounds.
There are no dragging stories to tell or concepts to explain their paintings, and the artistes don't want it either. They capture the humble happenings and luring scenery and give them fresh to the viewers. They just intend to transpire the simplicity and the abstract emotions that words can't explain.
They never missed to remember the old buildings and the sculptural remnants in their college and their classroom when they sat to paint. Their other attractions include the style in which the boat stands at the lake in Kerala
and the green in Kodaikanal. Innocence is persistent in their works.
LIFE IN `WATERS': Rajendran is from the Andamans and he specialises in water colours.
What is obvious in his works is this. He is very much attracted to the landscape in the island. Most of his 11 paintings are about the Andamans and the tsunami that ravaged the islands.
``Indeed, the islands and the people are very dear to me,'' he says.
Rajendran is more obsessed with nature and the place where he is. He is able to interpret the emotional radiations from still nature. No doubt, his paintings include the busy marketplace of Parrys Corner in Chennai and the
cycle rickshaw with the pains of the rider.
Water colouring comes at ease in his hands, and he never misses to pay attention to fine details, courtesy a couple of Calcutta-based artists and his interest.
EMOTIONS IN OIL: The works of Murugesan and Madhesh are based on oil and are more realistic. Their works capture the traditional households, especially the women standing near the flame, bearing resilient emotions in their faces.
``While the viewers see it as an exhibition, it's really an experience and chance for us to know them,'' the `Rainbow' says.
The exhibition will be on till Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. For further information contact 0422 2574110.