This art exhibition at DakshinaChitra tells stories on environmental decay through a non-linear narrative

Artist Murali Sivaramakrishnan’s work forms narratives through fragmented yet deeply evocative pieces

Environmental decay and degradation find expression in the Fragments of Earth and Life art exhibition at DakshinaChitra displaying Murali Sivaramakrishnan’s body of work. Each artwork is a subtle expression of the space that exists between earth and life. Murali emphasises that the degradation of the planet is a reality that looks us at the eye.

Previous works of the artist like Touch of Earth and Belonging to Earth have also used bold strokes and earthy tones to depict the earth’s active degradation. However, in this exhibit, the artist has focused on the interconnectedness of earth and life and “the synthesis of life forms”. “Earth is a living thing and what I try to represent is the animate nature of Earth”, he says.

The style of abstraction that Murali uses is Lyrical Abstraction — an abstract art movement which is lyrical in form but does not portray human emotions like agony and pain. Instead, looks beyond human individuality. The arrangement of the artworks at the Kadambari Art Gallery do not follow chronology — their non linearity allows spectators to begin viewing the exhibit from any end of the gallery. . T

The artist believes that in contemporary times there is a tendency to trivialise real world issues like climate change. Through his works, he attempts to boldly outline environmental issues and changing climatic patterns at the heart of precarious human experiences like flood, draught and famine. Each piece is open ended for visitors to form their own interpretations.

Murali Sivaramakrishnan, in addition to being a painter, is also a successful academic and has taught literature at Pondicherry University. . Over the years, the work of the artist has evolved from watercolour sketches to abstract paintings where his style yearns to evolve freely.

The exhibition is on till October 2 at the Kadambari Art Gallery in DakshinaChitra.