From nature to canvas: An emotional resonance

Artist A Viswam’s collection of 35 paintings, Abstraction: An Emotional Resonance, captivates viewers with its play of colours and abstract patterns. Rooted in Nature, the paintings evoke a sense of peace and tranquillity. Viswam’s unique ability lies in his capacity to distil complexity into abstract forms.

A canvas engulfed in blue, a splash of red, a vibrant yellow that peaks through. Twenty-odd students of Art and Architecture flock it and discuss their interpretations in hushed tones. The play of colours and the abstract patterns captivates the audience.

Artist A Viswam stands amidst this chaos, observing the students. His latest collection titled Abstraction: An Emotional Resonance studs the walls of Chennai’s Forum Art Gallery. Thirty five paintings, which took shape over six months, are rooted in Nature and evoke a sense of peace and tranquillity.

When one grows up amidst greenery, it becomes the core of what they draw inspiration from, and Viswam’s art exudes this influence in ways that are as intriguing as they are captivating.

A Viswam, an accomplished artist from Keelavannam, Tamil Nadu, earned his Post Diploma in Painting from the Government College of Art & Craft, Madras, in 1978. He co-founded the Pallava Artists village in Padappai, and he’s a member of the Contemporary Painters & Writers Association in Salem. Since 1979, Viswam has exhibited his art across India and internationally.

Speaking about his artistic process, he says, “When I’m painting, it is just me and the canvas. Everything else fades away. The canvas has to invite me in, otherwise I cannot paint.”

Viswam’s style is characterised by a deliberate and thoughtful arrangement of colours. At the heart of his creative process, one dominant hue takes centre stage, strategically employed to accentuate various elements within his compositions. An untitled piece, dominated by greens that resemble foliage in a deep forest, also sports pops of crimson and yellow.