Five on an artistic journey

KOCHI: Stopping at destinations of their choice, they capture facets of life’s changing perspectives on their canvases. The works of five MFA final year students of RLV College of Fine Arts displayed at Bindhi’s Art Gallery are thought-provoking. Anoop S Kalarickal takes you to the origin of folk art forms, to their elaborate style of dressing and presentation  The spectacular forms that evoke terror and fear take you to the time when they were a way of protest against the injustice shown to those in the lower rungs of society. Anoop brings to mind the myths associated with the ritual art form with his unique treatment and style. He portrays parts of spectacular form and embellishments and links them to stylised hand and legs in meaningful ways in his works. Rats take on symbolic hues in one frame. Sajo Joseph’s works depict trees of iron pipes branching out into different forms and bearing fruits of technology’s findings.  The black and red tones give an arid feeling. Titled ‘Doomsday Series,’ all the three frames exhibited by him show how metallic pipes are ruling the roost.  Amid the maze of pipes that twist and turn, he makes use of words to express his feeling that only a sharp eye can decipher. In one frame, he gives details of a metallic tap. Away from the objective depictions, introspection finds its way into Abraham Alex’s works. His series is about thoughts that run through his mind and he is a mute witness to the things that pass by in his works. In each frame, a few words are striking like ‘As expected same old story you’re a good for nothing,’ lingers in our mind. He brings out the different dimensions of relationship and the context of power and superiority remains a question in his images of muscle men gearing up for a fight. On another frame, the words, ‘I hope this is not the end, maybe its just a beginning’ spreads hope.Life in all its hues has been captured by T S Prasanth in his works. His crowded scenes are peopled with all kinds of emotions and expressions. He brings out the good and bad sides of public places where strangers rub shoulders and danger lurks in every corner. His frames are almost chaotic with people lost in each one’s need and activity. Prasanth has an uncanny way of bringing the crowd alive on his canvas. The heart is a symbol that stands for many things and Anoopkumar V S has used in different ways. In one frame a heart opens out of an egg shell. In another, it blooms open. He also depicts the heart on a lock with all its chambers locked, seeming to say that the warmth and depth of life remains locked. Anoop seems to be exploring the magic that the heart unfolds in his works. The potential and skill of the young artists reflect from each work.The exhibition will run through June 27.