There is one corner at the Soorya Festival every year, far away from the music and sound it is often associated with. Colours do all the talking here on huge canvases. The painting exhibition conducted at the festival brings home to Kerala, the idea of ‘one painting at home’, an idea of frontman Soorya Krishnamoorthy. The current season has an ongoing exhibition of sketches by artist T.C. Rajan in addition to a painting workshop, where 20 artists mete out their talent till November 20. There is a buyer-seller interface where one can take home an artwork at the most reasonable rates — Rs 2,500 for one painting.
Krishnamoorthy feels, like any other art, painting too deserves due respect through somebody buying an artwork.
“Don’t we buy tickets to watch a movie at the theatre? Art is revered when somebody pays for it. Renowned names may find market for their works. But the people here are amateurs. This is a nominal rate to buy an original painting compared to the market price the world over. Until the previous year, we charged '1,000 per work. All raw materials to the artists are provided by Soorya,” he says.
T.C. Rajan, a self-taught artist and a senior project assistant with VSSC, has put up a set of sketches of Thiruvananthapuram for the show. His works, numbering 30 were completed in a year’s time.
Of this, a sketch on Kuthiramalika has a different story. “Photography is a strict no at Kuthiramalika. I obtained special permission from the Kowdiar Palace to sit there and do the sketches. Upon seeing the work, they expressed interest to buy it. After the show, the works would be taken away by them,” says Rajan. They also made him do an aerial sketch of the palace, which he finished within 13 hours.
The artist has worked on oil paint on canvas. The Padmanabha Swamy Temple, PMG Building, VJT Hall, Napier Museum, University College, Palayam Mosque and GV Raja Sport School are a few works to pick from.
“I used to be a national-level basketball player and GV Raja School, my alma mater,” he says. Rajan, who presented late Dr A.P.J. Kalam a portrait, was fortunate to receive a letter of appreciation from the former President.
“Recently, I did a six-feet portrait of Dr Vikram Sarabhai as directed by Dr Sivan sir, director of ISRO. I really feel proud to have done that,” he says.
This is Rajan’s second solo exhibition at Soorya Festival, after a hiatus of 18 years. Since all artists are working men, the exhibition is open from 5 pm onwards at Ganesham Open Air Theatre in Thycaud.
