'Something Beyond' displays a world beyond the realms of the ordinary

Something Beyond, an exhibition of artworks by three artist brothers delves deep into the conceptual art, documentation and inspiration that they individually seek, to create their art. The eldest of the three brothers, Professor Dr Elanchezian creates conceptual art, juxtaposing images of Indian sculptures with relevant subjects that adapt to his conceptual idea. Elaiyaraja, the second of the three, skilled at rendering portraits without altering the original emotion and characteristic features of the subject, documents what he considers as special glimpses of Indian life using water colours. The youngest brother, Elaiyabarathy, derives inspiration from the French artist, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Though his source of inspiration is from a foreign land, he strives to bring out the quality of sketching possessed by ancient Tamil artists through his paintings.

Elanchezian’s conceptual art
Ancient Tamil music is based on two parental notes known as Kural and Ili. The same two notes are called sadjam and panjamam in Sanskrit. The Kural and Ili notes gave birth to five more notes. So, there are seven basic notes. However, later, additional five-minute notes were added as ‘Flat’ and ‘Sharps’. So, in total we have 12 notes. But why are we telling you all this? Well, in Elanchezian’s painting titled Sadjama Panjamameswar, the basic and additional five notes are metaphorically placed behind the Ardhanareeswarar-like figure as hexagons, which symbolise each segment of honeycombs. “I believe music is similar to honey. Honey is available in seven colours, and the sweetness varies accordingly. The parental notes of Tamil classical music — Kural  and Ili or sadjam and panjamam are metaphorically portrayed as Lord Siva and Parvathy especially in the form Ardhanareeswarar. For this, I referred to the Chola bronze sculpture of Vrishbarudar, and added my own creativity, converting it to half male and half female forms of Lord Siva and Paravathy,” says the artist.

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Next, a portrait of the Chola Emperor — Rajaraja Chozhan I has been aesthetically done with the background inscribed with the famous eulogy of Rajaraja, starting with Thirumagal pola perunilachelviyum. “The standing full figure of the Rajaraja I has been portrayed in vibrant colours, symbolising the immense contributions of Rajaraja, in true Fauvism style,” says Elanchezian.
In yet another painting on display, Elanchezian has done an empirical execution of the Great Chola architecture. “This painting contains a 250-page research on the erecting of Thanjavur’s big temple. The technique has not yet been revealed. Also, this painting holds a screen play of a historical movie, which if pictured will be one-of-its-kind.”

For Hence Get Married, the concept sparked in the artist’s mind in 2010 when he was a PhD Scholar and happened to see the image of a bronze sculpture with an iconographical idiom of Pallava era in the library. “The casual posture of Lord Shiva and Parvathy as newly-weds at the Yagakundam — a ritual fire square pit — motivated me to paint it conceptually and depict the need for marriage.” 

Elaiyaraja’s glimpses of Indian life
Skilled in portrait paintings in all mediums, Elaiyaraja’s knowledge on human complexion and the use of colour brings his paintings to life. The uncanny resemblance of every human expression and body 
language in his paintings are the distinct features, a skill he has honed through experience. The minute details on clothes, their proportions and forms have all been carefully given shape. “I have used water colour as the medium to portray the cultural glimpses of both urban and village lives. I don’t have drama in my art; I just document glimpses of the culture in day-to-day life in Tamil Nadu and the other parts of India, with utmost honesty,” says Elaiyaraja.

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Elaiyabarathy’s free-hand sketching
Elaiyabarathy is a multi-talented artist — he also plays the tabla. When it comes to painting, the artist is great at freehand drawing especially with his distinctive strokes that give his works a great dimension. Elaiyabarathy says he paints from his mind. But thanks to Toulouse-Lautrec, who introduced the free strokes in drawings, and which inspired Elaiyabarathy to excel in sketching, his acrylic and oil paintings murmur pictorially as an immortal melody. “Owing to the contemporary digital devices that artists today prefer to use, we have lost the skills of Pallava, Pandiya and Chola artists who had the greatest wisdom on drawing and modeling. All three of us (brothers) are trying to keep the old art alive,” says the artist. Elaiyabarathy sculpts his images and constructs architecture through his disciplinal rhythmic lines that depict the harmony of the painting. 

Till June 25. 10 am to 6 pm (except Tuesdays).

At Kadambari Gallery, DakshinaChitra.

rupam@newindianexpress.com

@rupsjain