THE UMBRAGE OF BLOOD AND SCREAMS

Those technically sound hundred-odd frames brim with unwavering precision that deliberately conserve the umbrages of blood fluttering and emanating from the killing fields. Even as modern technology has been of service to his work, artistry alone trumps this exhibition of illustrations by Chadrashekharan entitled “Chans” at the Town Hall.

Prof. M. N. Vijayan who inaugurated the exhibition remarked that the exhibition affirms the signature of an artist who is not afraid of technology and utilizes it. The painter’s doctrine lies in being sure about what to receive and what to discard. It is true that technology constitutes a crisis of imagination. The artist succeeds when he is able to view technology not as a hurdle and takes advantage of it.

He said that the answer to what if the elephant comes is simply to take a ride on it.

The inaugural function was chaired by U.A. Kadar. And M. N. Karassery, P. Surendran and Ajayakumar spoke.

The exhibition features Chans’s illustrations and graphic works for Malayalam current affairs’ magazines between 1972 and 2004.

The image of women writhing in the trident cravings of the communally crazed evokes Gujarat.

Graphic illustrations such as the bloodied scream of a used female body, blood-soaked devil rising up from behind a human figure, mutation of man into a vampire bat lusting after blood, mass rape of women etc. are getting much traction. The exhibition highlight has been the illustrations for the stories of O.V. Vijayan, V.K.N, M. Mukundan and N.S. Madhavan, among others.

A discussion on “literary works and illustrations” is scheduled for this evening on the sidelines of the exhibition. P. Valsala will inaugurate the meet.

The discussion will feature the likes of U.K. Kumaran, V.R. Sudhish, K.P. Ramanunni, N. Prabhakaran, Akbar Kakkattil, P.K. Parakkadavu, V.S. Anil Kumar and Jamal Kochangadi.

MADHYAMAM NEWSPAPER ( India) 2005