Name-PLACE-Animal-Thing: KERALA
Through this series I will share some of my artwork/photographs from when I painted/took photos, and also let you in on the what, when, how, why, who (if at all) and where of these pieces.
Watercolour. 2021.
I had started watching Malayalam films in 2021. Dileesh Pothan’s Joji (starring Fahadh Faasil) was the starting point. And since then I have only been watching Malayalam films (and even some of the Hindi series dubbed in Malayalam) hoping that someday I will learn Malayalam (or the subtitles will magically float in front of my eyes).
I am in complete awe of their cinematography. There is a lot of use of the aerial shot which makes for absolutely breathtaking visuals. Calming, even. Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Churuli (starring Chemban Vinod Jose, Vinay Forrt) comes to mind as well.
I guess that is how this Kerala landscape stuck— with its green fields, greener trees, blue ocean, yellow beaches, and red buses.
This I made for an art competition. We were in lockdown and Tara (my then 10 yo friend) and I decided to do an art competition for our friends and their kids. This was my entry. I won. “This is a unique perspective,” the judges had said.
Unique Perspective, huh — It is because I am incapable of drawing faces or people or anything for that matter from the front (or the back). I lack symmetry. They are scary, even. Hence, the aerial shots.
:) :) :)