Minimal art, maximum effect

Perumbavooru ninnu nammude veedukalilek  adhikam dhooramillennanu paranju kelkkunathu. Most netizens must be familiar with this sentence that went viral on social media and messenger apps when the Perumbavoor murder happened. These plain words accompanied by a few tender strokes in black against a yellowish backdrop were loud enough to halt people from scrolling down the screens for a second and think. That makes minimal art, a budding art form, alluring.

Nipin Narayanan, the man behind the Perumbavoor post, says that minimal art is a crowd puller. “When we have something in mind, we put a status on Facebook,” says Nipin. “Why not create a design that visualises our thought? It was this idea that led me to the world of minimal art.” He had begun his artistic journey doing typography and later shifted focus to minimal art. “I like doing creative works,” says Nipin who has a great fan following on Facebook. “That is another reason for choosing minimal art, which is simple and creative.”

Like Nipin, many artists are venturing into minimal art, making it a growing art form. If Nipin focuses on social issues and nostalgia, Ashiq Majeed specialises in minimal movie posters. Many celebrities have lauded his works. “My first minimal poster was for Munnariyippu. That was a fan-made poster," recalls Ashiq, a civil engineering graduate. His first official work was for the 100-day celebration of Bangalore Days, directed by Anjali Menon. “Minimal posters of Hollywood movies were my inspiration,” says Ashiq who recently made posters of Jacobinte Swargarajyam and Kali.

According to Sabareesh Ravi, a typography and minimal artist, this new form of art has just begun to flourish. “It is popular only among the online crowd who are exposed to world developments. If you exhibit a minimal poster in a village, the people there may not be able to recognise it,” opines Sabareesh whose typography of ‘Pappu’ and ‘Toms’ were a hit. “In typography, the artist plays with words. A minimal art can be made using colour, space, and negative space. Not many people try minimal art using negative space, here,” he adds.

What makes minimal posters more influential than mere words? “Because visuals have got that captivating power,” says Nipin Narayanan. “Everybody loves anything that is simple. It goes straight into the heart.” Nipin says he doesn’t  prepare before designing a post. “I write and draw whatever comes to my mind,” says he. “The success of an artist lies in choosing the right elements to depict the theme and arranging it properly.” A collection of his works is now compiled as a book and will be out in the market soon.

“In this age, most of us will be reading things on iPad or mobile phone,” explains Sabareesh. “Minimal art works fit into that space aptly. They are not congested, helping the viewer comprehend the situation correctly.”   “It is a good recollecting tool," “Ashiq Majeed concurs. “We release minimal posters online after the release of the movie so that the audience will recollect. Minimal posters can be used effectively for online promotion.”

Sunil Linus De, a mainstream artist, believes it is a positive trend. “Looking back, you could find that all new art forms evolved talking about social issues,” he says. “Minimal art is one such. Art will continue to evolve and new styles will pop up. All developments are positive. It is all about how you perceive it.”

In Kerala, movies, nostalgia, and current affairs are the main three themes dominating minimal art. “That is the weakness of minimal art in our state. The trend is yet to grow,” says Sabareesh. “Imitation is the curse of Kerala art scenario. We blindly follow westerners. That has to change. Getting inspired is fine. But, one has to experiment in his or her own way.”