Art Houz presents Scaffold 2017, an exhibition where artists Shinod Akkaraparambil, Sujeeth Kumar
Sree Kandan and Vijay Pichumani, express their introspection through their art. Scaffold is a platform created by Shinod to encourage collective thoughts of likeminded artists. Scaffold began in 2013 in Delhi in collaboration with Sunil Sreekantan and others. After four shows in Bengaluru and Chennai, they are returning with their fifth installment. What you need to check out this time? Shinod’s dog obsession!
Shinod’s I don’t want to swear you is a collection of 162 watercolor paintings of dogs on canvas. Was he always a canine lover? Quite the contrary. “I was bitten by a dog once when I was a child and have hated dogs ever since. Only when I came to Chennai, I have learnt to take care of dogs. I am now more confident about treating dogs.” In these simple creatures, Shinod found a metaphor for human hypocrisy. “Dog is a swear word and also a loved pet! That is how the society contradicts about dogs,” he said.
Shinod is a 42-year-old Chennai-based artist and illustrator who is known for his watercolor paintings like The Holy Anomaly, Point Blank 365 and Of Human Bondage of many others.
Complementing his efforts are college mates Sujeeth Kumar Sree Kandan and Vijay Pichumani alumni of the Government Arts College, Chennai, who also happen to be from the same village, Marthandam.
“My road trips and the places that I had visited always gave me goosebumps whenever I thought of them. But every time I thought of the past I couldn’t recollect it in a proper channel,” said Sujeeth about his installation Questioned time and space, but it whacked me back… This is a spin wheel type installation that when spun creates optical illusions. Another artwork on display is the Memories of Mountains, a montage of figureless mountains, representing the fading memories of the past.
Vijay Pichumani is considered the "wood guy" of the three and will display two of his works. The Mortal is my body, immortal is my mind is a personal expression of the insignificance of human triumph in relation to the colossal universe.
The wood work depicts an eagle which personifies the human mind that soars high with knowledge. The eagle is surrounded by an effect that creates an illusion that it is flying in mud.
“The wood work suggests that the human brain irrespective of its greatness was made of mud and will go back to being mud,” says Vijay, discussing his art. With sublime artworks laced with subtle metaphors, Scaffold 2017 is all set to enthrall art lovers in Chennai.