Chayamukhi, a different take on Kerala’s mural art

‘Chayamukhi’ is anything but conventional. This exhibition of mural paintings by students and staff of Pookkad Kalalayam in Chemancheri, which began at Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Art Gallery in Kozhikode on Tuesday, is a different take on Kerala’s mural art. The artists have experimented much in terms of themes and colours while staying true to the mural style of painting.

'Chayamukhi' has two parts. One is 'Sagara Neelima' that uses themes related to the sea and beach, and features common people, a contrast to the usual paintings in the mural style that uses mythical characters and stories. Here you find characters such as an ice cream vendor, a fish vendor, a groundnut vendor, children making sand castles, collecting corals and shells from the beach, mermaids, fishermen, and even Vasco da Gama and Lord Parashuram.

The colour scheme of the paintings is also quite different from the usual set of natural colours such as black, red, green, blue, yellow and white. Instead, bright and unusual colours such as light blue, pink, magenta and orange find place in the paintings.

The second part is 'Eka Varnika', in which very close portraits of characters from mythologies are painted in a single colour, yet following the Kerala mural style.

The exhibition features 42 paintings by 21 artists of Pookkad Kalalayam prepared over the last one year under the guidance of artist Sathish Thayat. Noted art critic K.K. Marar inaugurated the exhibition that will conclude on March 14.