Durga Das

Inauguration of Varnaraga Malika 2004, March 21 - bySri. Vijayakumar Menon, art critic . Varnaraga Malika is an art performance with paintings and music. Here I am trying to realize the gradations of the ultimate reality in the form of motherhood. It is here in our mother, in our mythical mother and mother nature .

Visitors in between paintings.

Paintings and sculptures juxtaposed against the invisible forces of destructions, where artist is sitting as a living sculpture weilding Nandakaveena.

Collaborating artists - Mr. Hari (Ganchira)
Mr. Ajayakumar (Idacka)

Folk dancers (Kuthiyottam) narrating the local mythology of Mother Goddess.

Exhibition came to an end with the Ritual dance using Palanquain of Chettikulangara Bhagavathi.

An Idol suited for cosmic Mother Goddess is musical instrument . Here Malayala veena is becoming a functional instrument.

Debate is being conducted by Sri. Vijayakumar menon, [Art Critic. ] Sri. TAS Menon, [Ex- Principal], Raja Ravivarma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikkara.

Smt. Sarada Sivanandam[collaborative musician] expressing the concept of Motherhood through Karnatic Raga-alapana in front of painting.

1988 - Yuvajanamela Art Camp, Idukki, Kerala.
1990 - Kerala Lalithakala Academy Art Camp, Thrissur, Kerala.
1990 - National Art Camp by Kerala Lalitha kala Academy, Ponmudi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
1990 - Folk Sculpture - Garuda
1993 - Purogamanana Kala Sahithya Sangham Art Camp in Mahi, Kerala.
1995 - Regional Camp of Central Lalithakala Academy, Ootty, Tamilnadu.
1997 - "Shadows" - Kerala Lalithakala Academy Art Camp, Thrissur.
1998 - "Chamayam" Traditional and Folk Art camp by Indira Gandhi Manava Samgrahalaya, Kozhikkodu.
1999 - Art Camp by Peoples Participation Programme, Idukki.
2000 - "Manaveeyam" - Millennium painting of Kerala

1993 - First solo show TRINITY -Jehangir art gallery Bombay
1995 - Trinity sponserd by Kerala lalith kala accdemy, Mavelikara
2004 - Varnaragamalika Village Art festival Mavelikara
2005 - Malayalaveena Music with painting.
2006 - Colours of joy Group show by lalitha kala akadamy Kerala Thrissur
2007 - Group show by Banner Mavelikara , Kerala.
2008 - Group show by Kalakshetra ,Harippad,Kerala.
2009 - Jalatharangam Drawing installation ,Karippuzha ,Kerala.
2010 - Street painting against alcoholism , Mavelikara Kerala.

Shri V.K.Sreeraman[Film actor] is inagurating the show ,conducted by Kerala lalith kala accademy,Thrissur,Kerala,India.

Smt. Sandya [D.I.G] lighting the ceremonial lamp.

Painting Installation with music performance

The `Colours of Joy' brought together three artistes with distinct styles.

A week-long painting exhibition called `Colours of Joy,' held under the aegis of Kerala Lalitakala Akademi in Thrissur, gave art lovers a chance to admire the artistic reflections of Murali Nagapuzha, A.T. Durgadas and G. Unnikrishnan. Although the works are very different in style and execution, the three styles were inter-related as they presented various visages of contemporary India. Durgadas, a graduate from College of Fine Arts, Thiruvanthapuram, depicted the artist's rural background and folk beliefs. Colourful streams and strokes dominated by curves made the mythological series, inspired from the folk tradition of his village, Chettikulangara, more captivating.



The painter, an ardent aficionado of Kathakali music, has brilliantly portrayed the late Kathakali musicians Venmoni Haridas and Kalamandalam Hyderali on canvas. The euphonious Kathakali padams sung by the duo have been visually translated through the beautiful images and curves in the background of this painting. The work itself depicts the last scene from the story `Kiratam,' wherein Shiva disguised as Kirata blesses Arjuna after giving him the mighty arrow `Pasupata.' This work was a fascinating blend of myth and realism.

Street painting against alcoholism