Gayatri Artist

SIGNS OF TRADITION, NOT WASHED AWAY BY NEW IDEOLOGIES


The artist in Gayatri is under going a metamorphosis. From the method of his earlier works he has grown in to the philosophical maturity of facts. This growth is evident in the choice of themes, colors and drawings.
For any painter rural scenes always tend to be nostalgic. But in Gayatri’s paintings the anxieties of the rural folks, who are afraid of the urban culture are portrayed. He copies it through de-constructional interpretation and also makes vacuum a theme. These are discussed in the ‘Beyond the dreams’ series of paintings. But here it takes shape in three stages-worries and dreams, myth and dreams, culture and mythology- and points towards the de-construction of culture. The idea that when individuals become crowd culture is created is good for discourse. But as a peasant’s moral self mixes with his dreams it becomes a hesitation. The peasants left in this world are living with the traces of this hesitation. Their compassion evolves an inner text which draws them nearer. This is the specialty of the paintings in ‘The farmer couple’ series. In this series space is not diverged in to memories and realities. It develops a confronting view point. Vertical and horizontal frames are blended and real and abstract aspects are brightened up. Thus the ray of hope of the abandoned becomes their promised land in Gayatri’s paintings. Here we can see the slick of poverty and sorrow.
In his works Gayatri has tried to reproduce folklores using tribal symbols and colors. In order that these folklores not lose their identity and relevance he presents recent history as a back ground. Terrorism and communal riots achieve new dimensions in his paintings as still shapes and symbolizes lethargic figures of power. Thus at the material and spiritual levels they are the philosophies to overcome power.
Green colored women, red colored men, girl on a flying fish, birds sitting in leafs cats which have become pots, butterflies begging for life, coconut palms like camera obscure are genuine forces resisting the changing life. Their irregular encroachment produce a new ideologue in Gayatri’s paintings.
Hope, motherhood, memories of the village etc are the basic symbols of Gayatri’s aesthetic sense. But the simplicity and genuineness of primary colors creates a new path of organic. So animals and plants in his paintings, like traditional signs, do not get washed away in the flow of new culture and ideologies.

K.V.S.NELLUVAI.

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Monday, Jan 01, 2007


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Behind the bright images


Gayathri's crusade is against man-made inequalities. His ongoing show at Rossitta Wood Castle, Fort Kochi, is an aesthetic commentary on social and political ills









Gayathri's paintings on show at Rossitta Wood Castle, Fort Kochi, is a strong social and political commentary. And those who have seen his works earlier will once again have the pleasure of enjoying the fantastic use of colours, used so creatively to dress aesthetically the harsh, bitter truths that have always been the artist's pet subjects.

Mouthpiece


Gayathri uses his art and craft, the canvas and the brush as a mouth piece to project and paint social and political ills. Caricature, pencil sketches even sculpture is a more conducive medium to project the bitter truths than oils and acrylic. But this medium and the use of beautiful colours give the works a pied quality more like bittersweet medicine.

`Life is not beautiful' is one of the themes on show. The canvases under this are beautiful scenes from Kerala villages. Rustic life and the simpletons who inhabit the villages are Gayathri's protagonists. These men and women, the old and the young who live there are his heroes and heroines and the villains are globalisation and insensitive political positions. Coca Cola, the corporate `monster' as Gayathri says is shown draining away natural wealth. The recent temple controversy is colourfully and dramatically painted with a villainous looking swami and a woman behind bars. All is not well with the institution believes the artist.

Rustic imagery


Fruit, flowers, toddy, river, goats, trees, banana, fish and fowl are common images recreating the bucolic life. The countryside comes alive in all its slow and sure ways. A woman sleeping, a boy lolling about, thatched roofs sheltering hard lives, the old cherethi find artistic expression.






The paintings reveal the mind of the artist who is troubled by the inequalities in life, troubled by the exploitation and of the loss of innocence due to globalisation. But he's doing what an artiste does best.

Speaking loudly through his works. Only Gayathri's tone is cleverly camouflaged in colours, colours that will win a viewer over as birds fly, fish swim and the cock crows in the villages, the lines, figures, images all carry a strong critique on present day politics ad social life.

`The water theme park' deals with the war over water. Whether Gayathri has Plachimada in mind or Mullaperiyar his last word on water is out. The next decade will see the crass misuse of drinking water. From the western nada of Guruvayur temple and raised in Thrissur, the artist's touch is on the pulse of the people and more so of the downtrodden. He cannot but stomach their helplessness and uses his art tool to reach out and champion their cause.






The gay abundance with which he uses colours is because he says he has hope. That there will be a better ending and that's why the deep reds, blues, greens and bright yellows are prominently used. There is no place for grey and blacks, for whites and browns. Life is not beautiful but life can turn beautiful... .

Till then Gayathri continues to comment and comment strongly on social and political wrongs. The show is on till January 5.







PRIYADARSSHINI SHARMA



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SELF PORTRAIT
GAYATRI
Born – Guruvayur, Kerala, India
PAINTER.
Travelled extensively all over India from the child hood. Lived with untouchables and laborers in various parts. Studied the life styles of marginalized people. Worked as a freelance architect of low-cost construction theory and made more than hundred houses to dwell poor society.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Hotel Elite International,Guruvayur - 1977
Museum Gallery ,Trivandrum – 1980
Lalitkala Academy Gallery ,Kochi– 1982
Chitram Art Gallery,Ernakulam – 1986
Lalitkala Academy Gallery,Calicut – 1990
Bajaj Art Gallery,Mumbai – 1990
Jehangir Art Gallery,Mumbai - 1992
Jehangir Art Gallery,Mumbai – 1994
Taj Art Gallery,Mumbai - 1994
Jehangir Art Gallery,Mumbai – 1996
Museum Gallery ,Trivandrum – 1996
Chitram Art Gallery, Cochin – 1996
Leela Art Gallery,Mumbai – 1998
Jehangir Art Gallery,Mumbai – 1998
Lalitkala Academy gallery,Delhi – 1998
Jehangir Art Gallery,Mumbai – 2000
Lalitkala Academy Gallery,Calicut –2005
Lalitkala Academy Gallery,Cochin – 2005
Rossitta Art Gallery Cochin – 2006
Jehangir Art Gallery,Mumbai – 2007
Art Entrance Gallery, Mumbai - 2008
GROUP SHOW
Kerala lalitha kala academy’s Sponsored show,New delhi - 1977
Kerala lalitha kala academy’s Sponsored show ,Madras - 1980
National exhibition Mahakoshal Kala Parishad – 1981,82,83
Ravivarma memorial exhibition ,Museum Dept.Kerala - 1981
Lalitkala academy annual show-1976 to 1982
South Indian art exhibition,VTI,Madras - 1982
Annual show ,Chitrakala parishad ,Thrissur – 1983
Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai -1994
Affordable Art Gallery, Mumbai – 1996
Heritage Art Gallery, Chennai - 1997
Gallery Hues, Banglore – 2007
Juneja art gallery, Jaipur – 2007
Artchill gallery,Amber fort ,Jaipur – 2008
Lalitkala academy annual show - 2007

ART AUCTION
Aranyakam, an art dealing group cochin ,in association with hotel Taj Malabar cochin conducted an auction of ten paintings on February 5th and 6th 2007. It was the first art auction in Kerala.
COLLECTION
More than 100 paintings were collected by the art dealers and collectors all over the world.(the list will be get on request)
COMMENTS
The media like Hindustan Times, The Times of India, The Indian Express, The Hindu, On Looker, The Sunday Observer, Woman’s Era, Vanitha, and numerous regional publications written about works sparingly.
.LITTERATEUR
Published many studies on art and literature. Published 6 books also in Malayalam.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Directed short films, plays.
Acted in plays.
Designed numerous architectures.
AWARDS
Kerala lalitkala academy award – 1976
National award from mahakoshalkala parishad, MP – 1986
Landsmen award, Switzerland – 1986
Punjab Blood bank Society Award – 1987
Kerala Sahitya academy – 1996
Khasak award – 1996

ADDRESS
Sumeru,
punnathur road,
Kottapadi p.o
Guruvayur,
Kerala – India.
Tel:91 + 0 + 9495332671
91 + 487 +2550883
E