Several years ago, back home in Madras, I came across a stunning piece of mixmedia artwork at Focus Gallery. An artwork of traditional old wooden doors that used to dot Tamil Nadu's agraharams, it made me rather nostalgic, as I grew up near an agraharam in Madras. I had fallen so in love with the piece, that I had never quite forgotten and could recall it years later in detail. A few months ago, I finally chanced upon the work again on Geetha's blog.
Meet the mystery artist. Meet K.R. Santhana Krishnan.
Santhana first began painting doors in 1996 for a final year project for his Fine Arts degree. 16 years, approximately 40 shows and 800 paintings later he continues...
Reminiscent of his hometown of Kumbakonam, these classic wooden doors and the homes within are slowly becoming yet another nostalgic remnant of a bygone era. He was inspired by the the Bengali artist Sanjay Bhattacharya, who similarly painted interiors as viewed from the entrance.
Deprived of people, these half open doors give us a glimpse of the everyday objects and lives of its inhabitants. Entrances or thinnais, had a pivotal role to play in daily life- it was where guests were received and business conducted on the raised seating areas just outside the doors. Doors which were fully opened only if the guest was a close relative who could be welcomed into the inner courtyard.
His acrylic on canvas works, depict the vibrant primary colours usually chosen to paint walls and doors, the peeling plastered posters and advertisements painted just outside on the walls.
Deprived of people, these half open doors give us a glimpse of the everyday objects and lives of its inhabitants. Entrances or thinnais, had a pivotal role to play in daily life- it was where guests were received and business conducted on the raised seating areas just outside the doors. Doors which were fully opened only if the guest was a close relative who could be welcomed into the inner courtyard.
A mix of acrylic on canvas and wooden models of doors (complete with old locks and stained glass), Santhan's eye for detail deserves high praise. His paintings capture the tiniest details that give us a window into the life of these agraharams- glimpses inside of aluminum milk cans, kerosene lamps, tulsi madams, turmeric painted to the bottom of doors to keep away insects and bugs, milk accounts scratched on wood or faint white numbers painted outside by the govt., to denote that polio drops were given to a child in the house under the immunization program.
His acrylic on canvas works, depict the vibrant primary colours usually chosen to paint walls and doors, the peeling plastered posters and advertisements painted just outside on the walls.
The colour above was popularly known as mittai pink.
As captured in the painting above, Santhana notes "In those days, they used stained glass or plain ones above the door to let the light in. But in the afternoon they would place usually pictures of gods to keep out the bright light."
Santhana has also painted traditional doors and glimpses of inner courtyards of homes in Rajasthan and Punjab.
For those of you in Bangalore, his solo exhibition, "Traveling doors" is on at Kynkyny art gallery, from Jan 21st 2012 to Feb 9th, 2012.
{Credit for images of all the artwork goes to K.R. Santhana Krishnan}
