Reimagining rural life through art

The works, predominantly acrylic-on-colour paper and plywood base, also reflect an evolution from a semi-realistic to a fully abstract style.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Centre d’Art, Citadines, an art hub in Auroville, has kicked off a new season with an expo of works by the Tamil artist K. Sridar.

The solo show, “Emerging” will showcase some of his acrylic works that reimagine the tapestry of rural life.

Growing up in Thondi Reddypalayam, a village on the Puducherry-Villupuram border, the artist draws from the evocative imagery of the countryside— paddy fields, temple festivals and street theatre. The exposure to orally perpetuated folklore from childhood also directs the recreations on canvas.

There is this abstraction, a poising at the intersection where the solid state ends and an amorphous space begins, that transforms a standard motif into something that is strikingly original and open to viewer interpretation. Like the mathematical infinity concept, the art leads the viewer down a wormhole of seemingly endless speculative possibilities.

“However much we push the boundaries of abstraction, I believe that all art originates in a state of reality….rather, our perception of it,” says Sridar adding that the viewers connects with it from their own experiences.

There are a couple of paintings that best illustrate the artist’s work philosophy—one inspired by Tholpavakoothu (shadow puppetry) and another with rich colour tones that was shaped by his love for Chola-era temple murals.

“There’s beauty in everything around us, a tea tumbler, a palm tree or even a cracked stone… even something formless or intangible like scent evaporating in the air.. we only have to open our eyes to it”, says the artist.

Sridar is exhibiting about 25 of his works he worked upon during the last few years at the Auroville solo. The works, predominantly acrylic-on-colour paper and plywood base, also reflect an evolution from a semi-realistic approach to a fully abstract style.

A few works are modelled on a paper pulp moulding technique that his mother was adept in, the artist says. Incidentally, his father was a traditional artist working with enamel for the Mariamman Koil in the village.

“My works are a culmination of conscious urges and subconscious stimuli. So, when I get started on a painting, there is an unexpectedness over the outcome”, says Sridar, who has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pondicherry and a master’s from Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai (formerly Madras School of Art).

Sridar has showcased his works at galleries in Chennai, Bengaluru and Puducherry and art studios in London.

The exhibition is on till September 7.