Visual artist Taarika John celebrates Kerala’s classical art forms with an illustrated book

Illustrator and visual artist Taarika John explains how she came to create her illustrated book, Sacred Rhythms, Painted Faces, on 10 classical art forms of Kerala and Kerala-inspired art generally. “The longer I stayed away [from Kerala], I gravitated towards Kerala,” says the artist who studied art in Bengaluru, and divided her time between Kochi and New York, where she completed her Masters from the School of Visual Arts. 

With her latest book she dives into classical dance/theatre/music forms like the ensemble Panchavadyam, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, Theyyam, Pulikali and Kummattikali among others. The book, illustrated in the deep, jewel tones with striking images, can be starters to these art forms for children as well as for culture-curious adults. 

The illustrated book, ‘Sacred Rhythms, Painted Faces’ celebrates Kerala’s classical art forms
| Photo Credit:
Prem Sam Paul

Taarika has done her research on each form, speaking to experts, reading up on the Net and watching performance videos on YouTube. For instance, she speaks of her research on the hairstyle for Mohiniyattam, to figure out which side of the head the dancer puts up her hair in a bun. 

She had been collecting bits and pieces of information as a foundation. As part of her 100 Days of Kerala series on Kerala’s traditional art forms and culture, on her Instagram handle, she has showcased similar illustrations of traditional art forms. The ones she has used in her current book, however, are new. 

From Taarika John’s illustrated book, ‘Sacred Rhythms, Painted Faces’ which serves as an introduction to some of Kerala’s classical art forms
| Photo Credit:
Prem Sam Paul

This work has been something with which she had been toying for a while. “I wanted to work on a Kerala arts related book. As I started spending more time away from Kerala, I wanted to do it more. I did not know so much about Kerala and wanted to know more, which compelled me to start on the book.” The book delves into aspects of the traditional art forms like the mudras [hand gestures], the symbolism of the make-up, musical instruments and other details. 

What is interesting about the book are the visually appealing illustrations. Taarika confesses that as an artist she feels compelled to draw images which are not stereotypically ‘beautiful’. “I don’t want to draw idealised images. I want representation — to see myself, to see people I know.” Hence the conventionally pretty pictures in shades of cream and off white are few, instead the skin tones are deep and rich.

Her aesthetic, in all her works, has been consistently Indian contemporary and she has strived to maintain it even in this book. “The kind of colours and the typography, for example, are important for the art [in this book]. Even when it came to the illustrations, a suggestion was to make the illustrations of some of the artists ‘delicate’. But that would be going into stereotypes. I wanted to go into darker tones.”     

As part of her freelance work, Taarika has worked for the United Nations, Columbia University, Levi’s, Loewe, Wipro, Adidas, New York Times, Nat Geo Traveller among others. Her other works includes comics and zines like the colouring books, The Malayalee Alphabet and The Secret Garden, notebooks and journals, fashion accessories and home decor.   

Sacred Rhythms, Painted Faces priced ₹1,750, is available on taarikajohnshop.com