A cluster of thoughts

Art can depict history, a culture and sometimes be a voice — voice for the voiceless. For artist K. Sudheesh, art is a medium to register his opinion on various issues.

An exhibition of his wonderful creations of art, which is currently going on at the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi art gallery in Kozhikode, is a collection of such observations. The exhibition titled Fables from Island Cherala comprises a collection of his artworks that were made during a decade.

The paintings are displayed in several series, and each series is about a particular theme. For instance, ‘Sufi and Yogi’, one of the series, contains paintings that deal with the idea of spirituality. Those works are inspired from the ideologies of Shivabalayogi and Bhai Sahab. The artist explains the essence and various stages of spirituality of human mind through the paintings in this series. Network, Island Cherala Colonial Memory, Island Cherala Green Wall, Images from the Earth and Sky and Water are some of his works on display.

“I strongly believe in the power of art as a medium to raise my voice. A lot of incidents that take place today are heartbreaking. We will never get peace of mind unless we try to do something. This is the method that I use to criticise the system of society,” says the artist. A majority of the works are his criticisms of contemporary issues. Portraits of different personalities who have inspired him are also showcased. Over a year and a half were taken to complete some paintings which have in-depth meaning.

“My paintings are all from my imagination and there is a lot of processing in them. Hence it takes time to formulate them,” says Sudheesh.
The artist, who is a resident of Kozhikode district, studied art in Universal Art School, Kozhiklde, and Govt College of Fine Arts, Thrissur. Currently, he works as a faculty in Sadhbhavana World School, Kozhikode. He has won many awards including the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Award.

The exhibition will conclude on May 20.