For his work that formed part of the inaugural Kochi-Muziris Biennale, K.P. Reji drew upon enchanting oral histories from South India to convey a sense of ‘his very own Kerala’. Stationed at ‘Pepper House’ in Fort Kochi, a lovely historical building, he blended local, everyday common elements so that the viewers can easily draw connections both with the setting of Kochi and with the painting.
A detailed note on the Biennale’s official website lauded this artist, hailing from a remote village, who endeavors to infuse into his work local oral histories. For example, the mystical myth of ‘Thumbinkal Chathan’ formes the basis for his painting that depicts a man lying down to form a dam, ready to sacrifice his life and save the farmland.
He arrived in Kochi a couple of months before the event’s launch date, he worked in the Pepper House’s lofty upstairs space. He has been quoted saying about his work: “The elements are from here. The colour pallet is very traditional, if you look outside the window you can see green and grey and so they are used purposefully. If you look out you can see the water, ships, and cormorants fishing … New images are coming and this is very positive for me as an artist.”
For India’s first international Biennale, he chose to highlight his connection with the homeland. And for this reason he did not just draw upon Kerala’s history as the thriving port-town of Muziris with connections to Rome and West Asia, but also on the local oral histories, which have for centuries informed Kerala traditions.
Reji sounded optimistic about the immense opportunities the Biennale holds for the state, citing that a majority of art events are held in bigger centers like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. He sees an excellent scope here to enhance cultural awareness in the South. He added, “Kochi holds many possibilities given its local historical monuments. A biennale should be about more than the artwork, the space should give something more. This environment will add more to the event, and I think Kochi can support that”.
A detailed note on the Biennale’s official website lauded this artist, hailing from a remote village, who endeavors to infuse into his work local oral histories. For example, the mystical myth of ‘Thumbinkal Chathan’ formes the basis for his painting that depicts a man lying down to form a dam, ready to sacrifice his life and save the farmland.
He arrived in Kochi a couple of months before the event’s launch date, he worked in the Pepper House’s lofty upstairs space. He has been quoted saying about his work: “The elements are from here. The colour pallet is very traditional, if you look outside the window you can see green and grey and so they are used purposefully. If you look out you can see the water, ships, and cormorants fishing … New images are coming and this is very positive for me as an artist.”
For India’s first international Biennale, he chose to highlight his connection with the homeland. And for this reason he did not just draw upon Kerala’s history as the thriving port-town of Muziris with connections to Rome and West Asia, but also on the local oral histories, which have for centuries informed Kerala traditions.
Reji sounded optimistic about the immense opportunities the Biennale holds for the state, citing that a majority of art events are held in bigger centers like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. He sees an excellent scope here to enhance cultural awareness in the South. He added, “Kochi holds many possibilities given its local historical monuments. A biennale should be about more than the artwork, the space should give something more. This environment will add more to the event, and I think Kochi can support that”.
No comments:
Post a Comment