The pandemic outbreak inspired Priya Manojan to organise an unconventional solo exhibition. She started her show on social media by revealing one painting daily. The artist, who has been part of several exhibitions in the past, found a renewed purpose while venturing into the new style of showcasing her art — inspiring viewers, especially youngsters.
Priya has been painting for more than three decades. Shortly after she graduated from the College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, she started her career as an art teacher. Now, with two decades of teaching experience, she is carving her own space in the art world.
“I never quit painting after graduating. So, all my works from the past 20 years that never found a place in any of the exhibitions were lying at home. This got me thinking, why not put them out so people can enjoy them. Along with all my older works, I also published various newer works, “ says Priya. So far, she has published around 147 paintings on Facebook, her main social media page. “Many of my students also follow me. So, I wanted my paintings to help them with their creative growth and understanding of how the world works,” she says.
The artist from Thiruvananthapuram is ecstatic after her exhibition with the attention her online series is getting. The exhibition titled ‘Prayatnam’ started on September 25 and ended on October 24, 2021. But Priya is still putting her art out. “Initially, I didn’t think many would notice my work. I’m not very active on social media either. However, gradually, I started getting hundreds of viewers. When I was about to close the show, many even asked me to keep going. It was really encouraging for me,” says Priya.
The world around her
Every morning, between 4 and 8am, Priya spends alone time with her canvas and colours. When the world is asleep, she finds her inspirations and colours. Oil is her prefered medium, but she also paints using acrylic, pencils and watercolours when she is in the mood. She finds her inspirations in the world around her — from Sree Narayana Guru to the Epics of Khasak, flowers and trees to imaginary deep woods and goats (her spirit animal) to the Covid pandemic, her works touch a myriad themes.
The use of colours and bold strokes help her paintings stand out. She always makes it a point to include many elements in her frames. The books she reads is an imminent part of her art. That’s why while painting Sree Narayana Guru she spent months researching and reading his works. The written words help her form a picture in her mind.
Lately, Priya’s paintings have a feel of illustrations. It started when she attended Kerala Lalithakala Academi’s camp on The Epic of Khasak, the famous novel by O V Vijayan. “The idea was to create a work inspired by Khasak as an illustration. I included all the characters that influenced me, Ravi, Appukili, the various students, and least of all the magical Khasak,” says Priya. With rustic brown and ochre yellow shades, she brought the village of Khasak to life. Priya is also influenced by the upheavals in society that affects common people — be it the pandemic, hunger or the oppression faced by women.
Tryst with murals
Priya started her study on mural paintings during the pandemic outbreak in 2020. It was hard to get hold of canvases during the lockdown. So, she started painting on the walls of her own home. This required her to change her style completely — from bold, harsh strokes to elegant curves and lines of murals. Priya also published a book titled The Creative World of Priya Manojan where she dedicated many pages to murals.