Calligrapher Artist Bhattathiri exhibits works based on Kumaran Asan’s poems in Thiruvananthapuram

exhibition of calligraphy works by artist bhattathiri on verses of kumaran asan in thiruvananthapuram

Celebrating Kumaran Asan, one of the greatest poets in Malayalam literature is veteran calligrapher Narayana Bhattathiri, better known to Malayalis as Artist Bhattathiri. The prolific artist who has been pushing the boundaries as a calligrapher over the last four decades, is holding an exhibition featuring verses from Asan’s works in connection with the 150th birth anniversary of the poet. The works have been showcased at Ka Cha Ta Tha Pa, Bhattathiri’s gallery for Malayalam calligraphy in the city.

“Since 2015, I have been posting calligraphy works on my Facebook page every day, and all of them have lines from Malayalam poems; some 200 of them are from Asan’s works alone. I felt that it would be apt to showcase some of those works on his birth anniversary,” says the artist.

On display are 31 works from the collection. “It was difficult to choose the best from the lot. So I decided upon a 20-day exhibition. It began on April 20 with the current set of works. Another batch from my collection will be showcased during the last 10 days of the exhibition,” says the artist.

Bhattathiri says that he has always loved the works of Asan, who brought about a revolution in Malayalam poetry with his writings. “Of the three names in the modern triumvirate of Malayalam poetry — Asan, Vallathol Narayana Menon and Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer — I have taken from Asan’s works more than the other two,” he shares.

The works on display have lines from some of Asan’s seminal works such as Prarodanam, Chinthavishtayaya Seetha, Karuna, Chandalabhikshuki, Duravastha, Veenapoovu and Pushpavadi among others. “I like to take verses that rhyme on the second letter and ones that have vrutham (meter). Some of the works were specifically done for this exhibition, like the ones with lines from Karuna and Prarodanam,” he says. There is more than one exhibit with verses from Prarodanam which Asan wrote in memory of his contemporary and literary giant, A R Raja Raja Varma, in 1919.

The highlight of Bhattathiri’s works has been the precision with which he blends excerpts from the poems into different geometric figures and shapes. “I don’t plan ahead as to which poem should be chosen. It is decided just when I start working. What I enjoy more about the whole exercise is reciting the lines as I experiment with the alphabet and words,” he says. As the letters go for a makeover with curls, twists and turns, the choice of colours enhances its visual appeal.

Lines from Asan’s lesser-known literary works such as ‘Thottathile Ettukali’, a cute poem on the spider from his anthology Pushpavadi, also find a place in this show.