Contemporary artist PR Sugathan prefers showcasing life’s harsh realities and societal issues without the pop of colour. He expresses them in black and white, with shades of grey in between. His exhibition Out of the Black at Sutra Art Gallery in Jew Town, Mattancherry, features monochrome paintings reflecting his ruminations on the current state of society.
The artist has used the ‘smoke’ technique, where shades of black make the audience take the conflicting issues of the contemporary world with all seriousness. “The technique involves using smoke from a kerosene lamp to make impressions on paper. Once the black tone effects are given using the smoke technique, acrylic and watercolour mediums are used to give final touches on the canvas,” Sugathan explains.
“I am in the process of developing more techniques within the artform to express my thoughts and narratives. I have always felt most artists tend to portray the colourful side of life, or use loud colours to convey issues. Presenting society’s problems as stark as they are can unsettle minds. To me, art isn’t just a pleasant visual experience with vibrant colours.” Sugathan’s frames are themed on subjects such as politics, religion, greed, superstitious beliefs and heinous crimes. About 25 paintings, on canvas and paper, are exhibited at the gallery.
“The world runs on logical terms. However, society tends to move towards irrationality. For instance, superstitious beliefs are getting deepened, and issues such as caste still persist in the modern world,” says Sugathan.