Kaanadha Karai, an exhibition at Lalit Kala, centres on the unseen Shores, where foundational forces like land, fire, and water interact to forge reality

Villupuram-based artist Kalaiselvan Kumar’s upcoming exhibition, titled Kaanadha Karai, which translates to Unseen Shore, is an exploration of abstraction, one which captures his visual language of portraying the universe. Starting from January 3, at the Lalit Kala Akademi, the artworks embody fluid movements of waterbodies, the shifting gradient of the sky, and the silent, swirling energy of distant galaxies. 

The concept centres on shores, where foundational forces like land, fire, and water interact to forge reality. “The paintings operate on the belief that in painting, there is no limit to imagination and no boundary for the search; it is a medium through which we can uncover the past while remaining free from the constraints of predicting the future,” says Kumar.

Unseen Faith by Kalaiselvan Kumar.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Most of the artworks have a heavy use of oil and pastel on canvas, which Selvan says is “purely intuitive.” For instance, one of the artworks, Unseen Faith, is an abstract study of conviction — the absolute certainty of things hoped for, yet unseen. The canvas is dominated by a surge of pure light that includes yellows, whites, and pale golds.

Another artwork, Divine Descent, speaks of the fulfilment of faith, where the vast unseen power makes itself visible. The entire centre of the canvas is a luminous yellow and white impasto. The thick texture makes the light feel like a physical, active force, emphasising that the ‘descent’ is a transformative exchange of energy between two realms.

“I use mild and solid acrylic layers to define the initial structure. Once dry, the application of oil colours allows the two mediums to merge, creating new structures, colours, and a dramatic visual feeling,” says Kumar.

“Using heavy impasto and thick, radiant strokes allows the texture to become as communicative as the colour itself… these colours strengthen the theme and the canvas, providing depth that reflects the complexity of the themes,“ he further adds. 

Ultimately, Kumar points out that Kaanadha Karai is meant to be a celebration of the beauty found in overcoming adversity and the quiet strength of the Phoenix rising from the fire. 

Kaanadha Karai will be on from January 3 to 9 at the Lalit Kala Akademi, from 11.30am to 7pm. Entry is free