When attempting to depict an idea that is not in alignment with the power structures of society, a counter strike is guaranteed. A recent testament to this phenomenon would be the Information & Broadcast ministry’s denial to grant censorship exemption to Ramachandra PN’s Unbearable Lightness of Being—a documentary centred around the life of Rohit Vemula. To Benoy Janardhanan, a Kottayam-based art historian, this is a pain that’s collectively borne by anyone who’s part of the artist community. “Our works are out in the open, freely expressing our thoughts on a wide range of subjects. But, the retaliation to these are often covert in nature,” shares Benoy, adding that, his two-week-long exhibition titled Sour Taste of Power (Adhikaarathinte Aruchikal) is based on tussles and conflicts with such centralised structures.
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Finding faces
Exhibiting over 150 artworks—comprising of portraits and sketches of rooms—Benoy’s creations aim to remind us about some of the most important yet underappreciated personalities of our time. This 50-something’s portraits section features several philosophers and scholars of subaltern studies such as Susie Tharu, who was instrumental in publishing pioneering works such as Women Writing in India.
“I believe that these people deserve their place in history,” shares Benoy, adding that, his subjects include Poikayil Appachan, a Dalit activist from Kerala and Gram Prahari, a security guard he met in Uttarakhand. Keen on adding a personal element of each portrait, Benoy brings subtle detailing to his works, such as the use of purple tones in the picture of American author Toni Morrison.
Looking inward
A multimedia artist, most of his canvases are sketchbook-sized as he likes to move around a lot. “Documenting my living spaces is an idea that came to me when I started travelling extensively. It’s all about the way of perceiving a space from a transitory position. What I’m trying to portray could very well be the light in a particular room during my stay there,” explains the artist, who has exhibited over 40 interior sketches. Stressing further on the importance of democratisation of power, Benoy also makes it a point to call out the cultural elite, who are rooting for the sanctity of pure art. “Whether we like to accept it or not, art has a commercial value. By denying it, the so-called elite are tampering with a full-time artist’s right to make a livelihood out of his/her creations,” Benoy trails off.
Till October 16.
At Dravidia Art Gallery, Fort Kochi.
Details:9496454761