Seasoned artist Bodhi Selvam’s and up-and-coming artist Mathew Raj’s works are similar yet different. Curated by Sadhna Menon of ArtnBlu, the show Kalpa, brings their works together and is currently on display at Grand Mercure Bengaluru’s Vasantha Art Gallery. Concentric circles are the key elements of both their works and Bodhi’s paintings also have Buddha’s silhouette as a prominent motif. For both artists, inspiration comes from the act of breathing — the basis of life. Mathew talks about how every line he draws consumes a breath, and Bodhi shares a similar insight.
“If one observes the action of breathing in and breathing out and the change it brings to one’s body, it creates an understanding of one’s self and existence,” explains Bodhi, whose works are a mix of acrylic on canvas and pen and ink on canvas. Although their inspiration stems from the same act, their works are distinct in their details. “I try to draw a straight line and when my steadiness fails, I draw a crooked line. The crookedness produces organic patterns, wiggles, and knots, which represent the ups and downs of life and also the creation of memories. I started each painting by creating circles with dots and each piece took several weeks to finish,” says Mathew, of his acrylic-on-paper creations.
Sadhna, who has curated the show, says both the artists’ works provide a sanctum of mental peace in today’s troubled world. “There is a synergy in their work. It creates calmness and peace, and helps the viewer slow down and focus on the purpose of life,’ she says. Both artists hope people derive some kind of tranquility from their work. “It is from the depth of all my experiences, observation, and meditation that I have given life to my paintings, and what one understands is also dependent on their own observation, experience, and understanding,” Bodhi signs off.
Entry free. Until June 30. At Gopalan Mall, Swamy Vivekananda Road
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