Emerging arts
The first sculptures were carved in prehistoric times. Small icons were made of terracotta or stucco, while large statues were carved in stone. Bronze made its entrance in the5th century, in the long narrative reliefs prized in India until the end of the 8th century.
Mural painting is an age-old tradition in Kerala. The oldest traces of wall art can be found in the Anjanad Valley, in the Idukki region. Then, in the temples, painting took off in the 7th century. Frescoes illustrate Hindu mythology. From the 9th century onwards, temples and palaces were frescoed with the support of the king.
Representation codes
The art of painting is strictly codified by ancient Sanskrit works. With artists adhering strictly to this code, Indian aesthetics evolved very little over the centuries. The arts are first and foremost at the service of religion. However, religion and everyday life are so intertwined that it's hard to tell them apart. Sculptors and painters happily draw from the pantheon of 33 million gods. The great Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - dominates. Each has several appearances and attributes, depending on the needs of the story. Their avatars are inspired by the animal kingdom. Indian artists excel in animal art.
However, standards have not held back the dynamism of Indian art. In every field, and without ever running out of steam, Indian culture demonstrates a masterful sense of balance, and an exceptional taste for detail.
Wall art
The most commonly used technique is fresco a secco. In this method, pigments are applied to a perfectly dry lime-based plaster. The Chitrasutra is considered the most complete treatise on representation. Written over fifteen centuries ago, it limits the chromatic palette to pure tones: white, yellow, red, black and "green earth", a light grey-green. These colors are used alone or mixed with coconut water. A fixative based on pine resin and oil gives the frescoes their final lustre.
The human figure is shown in one of five predefined positions, varying between frontal view and profile. Skin color provides information on the quality of the figure: the noble Satwa is green, the demons black, the villains white, the Raja or monarch red or golden.
The oldest murals in south-west India are those in the cave temple of Thirunadhikkara and Tiruvanchikulam. Kerala's masterpieces include the Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple dedicated to Shiva in Kottayam, the Ramayana frescoes in Cochin's Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, and the Vadakkunnathan Temple dedicated to Shiva in Thrissur. An annual festival is held in November-December at the Vaikom temple, which also features superb, colorful sculptures of deities.
Churches also feature frescoes, as in Ollur, Chalakkudy, Kanjoor and Mulanthuruthy.
Decline and rebirth
Under British rule, fresco art suffered from neglect. However, small-format painting developed through contact with the West.
Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) is a perfect example of the fusion of European techniques and Indian sensibility. Born in the royal palace of Kilimanoor, his drawings attracted the attention of the maharaja. The official palace painter and British artist Theodor Jenson, invited by the maharaja, ensured his artistic education. He traveled all over India to renew his inspiration. His goddesses took on the features of South Indian women. His scenes from the mythological epics of the Mahâbhârata and the Râmâyana earned him a solid reputation. Raja Ravi Varma is hailed as the artist who brought international renown to Kerala. His works can be seen at the Pazhassi Raja Museum in Kozhikod
As for mural art, it wasn't until India gained independence in 1974 that a renaissance began. This took place at the Centre for Study of Mural Paintings, in the Thrissur region.
Modern renewal
Sculptor Kanai Kunhiraman, born in 1937, is stirring up controversy with his oversized female nudes. These can be seen at the Malampuzha dam gardens and Shankumugham beach. Don't miss Mukkola Perumal's Trinity in Kochi; Thai (Mother) at Payambalam Beach in Kannur. Her style sometimes tends towards abstraction.
A pioneer among women painters, Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941) paved the way for a line of female talents. Amrita Sher-Gil received a varied education. Trained in music and drawing, she enrolled at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, then at the Beaux-Arts. She then concentrated on painting in the open air. Her style became more refined on her return to India. Painted in 1937, her South India trilogy, including Brahmacharis, remains one of her most accomplished works.
Contemporary trends
Indian sensibility combines with all the avant-gardes. On the current scene, we find the concerns of today, such as the environment with Shijo Jacob's installations and K.T. Mathai's canvases; the human condition with Gipin Varghese and Jalaja P.S.'s emotional portraits. Mathai; the human condition with Gipin Varghese and the emotional portraits of Jalaja P.S.
The master of abstract art is Velu Viswanadhan. Born in 1940, the artist and filmmaker moved to Paris in 1968. He exhibited throughout Europe, in Korea, Japan and the United States. He is taking part in Art Rises for Kerala (ARK) at the 2019 Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Sales of his paintings help fund the reconstruction work needed after the floods that hit Kerala in 2018.
In Cochin, numerous art galleries contribute to the dynamism, such as the visionary Kashi's Art Gallery (Burger Street). The Modern Art collection, hosted by the Kerala Museum since 1993, brings together the greatest masters of modern Indian art, including Raja Ravi Varma and Ram Kumar.
T. Kaladharan, winner of the Kerala Lalithakala Academy Award, exhibits worldwide. This painter and sculptor teaches with passion at occasional workshops. Represented by Gallery 27 in Cochin, he runs the Orthic Creative Centre and the Nanappa Art Gallery. Immerse yourself in his abstract canvases, flamboyant or monochrome, to feel the mysteries of South India vibrate.
