Clipping the right art

The brown clipboard, made of cardboard, a steel or iron clip on top, is surely a nostalgic piece to most, especially for those who went to school before the Internet era. A lot of memories are clipped to this rough-surfaced utility piece, which serves as a writing pad during examinations or even to scribble our thoughts when we get bored.

But have you ever imagined the humble clipboard as an artistic piece? A few artistic minds have envisioned exactly this and have elevated it as a medium to express their ideas.

‘Clipboard’, the exhibition by a mammoth 101 artists, which will commence on August 22 in Durbar Hall Art Gallery in Kochi is sure to be an interesting experiment.

Shijo Jacob, an artist and art teacher, who is the curator of this show, says that the show features works by veteran as well as budding talents from India and abroad.

“Well-known artists, photographers, art historians, art teachers and students are taking part in the exhibition. There are works from popular figures Vivan Sundaram, Zakkir Hussain, K.S. Radhakrishnan, Gigi Scaria, Ajayakumar S., T. Kaladharan, at the same time Clipboard has works by art students like Uthara Remesh and Midhun Raj. There are two artists from abroad,” says Shijo. Priti Vadakkath, Manoj Vyloor, K.T. Mathai, K. P. Reji, Anindita Chakraborty are a few other participating artists.

Shijo narrates how the idea of clipboard struck his mind almost five years back. “This was in my mind. One day, during my journey to Chennai with my friend, I saw a clipboard in a shop and this idea popped-up again. I discussed with him about the idea of doing works on clipboard. Then, we asked our other friends and decided to conduct an exhibition by 20 artists. But, the number grew up as more people were interested and we fixed on 100. Later we made it 101. That is our tradition, right?” asks Shijo.

What is special about clipboard? “Clipbaord had been a part and parcel of our lives. But, it has become an unwanted thing now. So, it has a history to narrate. Through these works, each artist tells his thoughts attached to clipboard, to the generations,” says Shijo, sitting at Durbar Hall, showing the works.

According to him, every artist has tried to find a new dimension to clipboard. For instance Vivan Sundaram has used terracotta pieces he had collected from the Muziris excavation site to make his clipboard work. Another artist has clipped a self-portrait drawn in paper on the board.

“Though clipboard is a small canvas, all artists have thought beyond that limitation. Some have used clipboard itself as the canvas to draw objects and carve figures. A few have painted landscapes on it. You could also find works in bronze, metal, paper, and clay pinned on it,” says Shijo, whose work is also displayed here. “I have done my work using found objects. It is in the shape of a home and I have painted a landscape on it,” he adds.

Another artist A.P. Sunil, who has created an absurd dictionary on clipboard, says that school life was the first image came to his mind when heard of this idea. He has carved a page from kids’ book, which reads ‘D for Dog’, with the image of a goat. “It shows the absurdity of our world,” he says.

Priti Vadakkath, another participating artist has carved the images of a boy and girl on the board, which looks like cookies.

“Clipboard reminds me of my childhood and art and craft periods during my school days. This works shows how education changes us- how we move to a new path sacrificing the innocence of childhood. The important things we lose while gaining education, I have represented using clipboard dust at the bottom,” she says. The show will be on till August 29.