Peace and Quiet presents artist appreciation session with abstract painter G Gangatharan 

Coimbatore-based artist Ishrath Humairah has not known Gangatharan G for an extended period of time. In fact, her first conversation with the Thanjavur-born artist was facilitated while she curated her first art show in the city, The Silent Tree, earlier this year. But, in her limited interactions with the 65-year-old artist, Ishrath observed that his style was singular in many ways, an aspect that fascinated her. “Nothing about Gangatharan’s paintings are predictable. There are times when he’d create a perfectly symmetrical sketch only to paint a sharp stroke through it and completely alter its appearance,” she explains. Attempting to further explore his design aesthetics,  Ishrath dons the role of curator once again for her latest project—a two-day Residency Workshop with Gangatharan—at The Peace and Quiet Store starting today. “This program is an effort to spotlight an artist’s creative process and the time taken to create a piece of art.”

Lesson plan
The intent of the workshop, however, differs for the artist whose live painting demonstration will be on showcase. “I have been a teacher all my life,” shares Gangatharan, a former lecturer of painting at the College of Fine Arts, Bengaluru, adding, “It is my vision to inspire a new generation of artists to take their craft seriously and explore different perspectives.” Though known for his abstract paintings of oil on canvas, Gangatharan explains that his entire body of work is primarily dependent on realistic drawings and figures. “The questions ‘what if’ and ‘why not’ have played a major role in shaping my artwork. Abstraction is a state of mind, and it’s only when you question the depiction of reality can you exist with a degree of independence from your visual reference.” 

Ambient mix
Describing his technique as a process of eliminating forms to create a language dependent on shape and colour, this Coimbatore-based artist is moved by atmospheric imagery. “I would go to the temple in my native place and watch the goddesses being adorned in brightly hued garbs and fragrant flowers. These images I have begun to associate with colours and forms.”  Biased in favour of warm shades like crimson, yellow ochre and red, the artist reveals that his paintings are never complete until he uses these colours. “This is the case even if most of my work features cool hues.”

Interactive sessions on from December 14 to 16. 12 pm to 6 pm.