KOCHI: At the sprawling grounds of Mahakavi Kumaran Asan Memorial Park at Thonnakkal, one could see the sculpture of a woman whose head is buried into the earth. Some of her hair stands is scattered on the green lawn. At a glance, one can see the resemblance of the black concrete sculpture to Mahakavi’s poem ‘Veena Poovu’. There are three sculptures crafted by prolific artist Kanayi Kunhiraman on the 75 cents of land inside the sprawling park as a tribute to Asan and his poems.
The veteran sculptor’s second work in the park represents many woman characters from Asan’s poems. ‘Veena Poovu’, ‘Chinthavishtayaya Seetha’, and Karuna — riveting poems by Asan — are the main inspirations behind Kanayi’s recent works.
One can see Seetha who prefers to disappear under the earth for a lifetime with Rama and Vasavadatha from Karuna in the enigmatic art piece. The park opens towards the first art piece named Swathandryam. It is inspired by Asan’s short poem collection ‘Manimala’. The unconventional piece has a pair of hands that are cuffed. The third work is a big geometric figure shaped like a woman standing in front of a door panel. It’s Savithri, an upper-caste woman who fell in love with a man from a marginalised caste.
The artwork successfully conveys the relationship between Savithri and Chathan. Lotus flowers and agriculture tools are strewn on the ground surrounding the figure. More than a representation of the character of the poem, the sculptures are also a clarion call of social reform concepts portrayed by Asan. Kanayi has wisely etched the social reform elements that Asan depicted in many of his poems through the artworks.
The sculptures will be open to public viewing in the coming days say the memorial trust officials. According to M R Sahridayan Thampi, secretary of the Mahakavi Kumaran Asan Memorial Trust, the project is a dream come true for him. “We are overwhelmed that the project will be completed soon. It was an outcome of dedication by Kanayi who stepped up for this Kavya Shilpam without expecting any monetary gain. He has also sculpted a life-size bronze sculpture of Asan inside the park. The expenses incurred for the project are around Rs 1 crore,” he adds.
Due to health reasons, Kanayi was not available to comment on the project. A source close to him explained the multiple meanings of his works. “The sculpture of the woman is one of the most relevant works in his career. It also portrays the strength of women in Asan’s poems,” says the source.