Artist-academics of three fine arts colleges in Kerala showcase their works in an exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram

The faculty members highlight their skill and mastery in different media

Two hundred art works in various styles, forms and media — paintings, posters, sculpture, graphic art, typography and photographs, are part of an exhibition, Broadend, at the College of Fine Arts gallery.

Organised by PIPALTri, a collective of faculty members of the three fine arts colleges in Kerala, the participants in the exhibition are 36 teaching faculty members from the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikara and the College of Fine Arts, Thrissur.

Chandran TV, a coordinator of PIPALTri and a professor of art history, states that the effort is to transform the art teacher into an ‘artist teacher’. “There is a gap between students of fine arts and teachers. There is also a divide between what they learn and actual practices in the art world. This exhibition hopes to bridge those gaps and give students and teachers a sense of belonging. It also hopes to motivate students to have a sense of involvement and ownership about their work and practice,” says Chandran who has also displayed his works.

Whispering in a Speechless Moment in watercolour is a landscape with shrouded images gathered in the centre of the painting. Muted shades with a dash of a bold colour here and there capture the mood of the work.

Many of the participants are alumni of the fine arts colleges. It was interesting to trace the evolution of Gipin Varghese from student to academic. Lifetimes, a series of his works in watercolour, portray finely rendered images of people, birds, animals and foliage. Two of his works in the series are from his student days. The refining of his style and use of colours are evident in the series of paintings in no-corrections watercolour, one of the toughest to work in.

Woodcut works by guest lecturer Sagnik Samanta are sharp artistic reflections of the contemporary world. Someone Like Him shows Mahatma Gandhi leading a protest against regressive laws that seek to discriminate. They are shown confronting guardians of law and order; the gravity of the situation is conveyed through the black-and-white piece.

Meanwhile, Flight to Home, an evocative work in watercolour by Narayanankutty K, Principal of the College of Fine Arts, captures the desperation of people, especially men, to reach their homes during the pandemic. Lugging bags and suitcases, the men’s attitude and longing for sanctuary can be seen in their posture.