‘Roosters and bulls dominate my canvases’ – Kirubanandham – Lalithaa Krishnan,THE HINDU

An alumnus of the Government College of Fine Arts, both at Kumbakonam and at Chennai, N. Kirubanandham moved to Chennai in 1997 to pursue painting as a profession. “When I conceived a series titled ‘Childhood Memories,’ my thoughts flew to the images imprinted on the formative years of my life at my village Moongilthottam, near Mayiladuthurai. It was an idyllic environment, far removed from the chaos of the city. The first subjects that came to mind were roosters and bulls – ubiquitous inhabitants of every neighbouring barnyard. They dominate my canvases. The exclusion of human forms is a deliberate omission. I believe that all forms of life merit undivided attention; not just humans,” explains the artist.

“I aim to take viewers into a soothing space that offers an escape from the daily grind, with rustic vignettes that can relax and de-stress the mind – peaceful surroundings, lush green fields, ponds blooming with lotuses, livestock returning after a hard day’s work and temples silhouetted in the distance. If these scenes kindle parallel memories of viewers’ own childhood years, annual holiday visits to their native villages and grandparents, I know I have established a connect.”

Each canvas offers glimpses of everyday rural life. In ‘Childhood Memories IV’ the artist uses a window at left, its vertical bars etched in and echoing a splash of crimson beneath, as a device to focus attention on two roosters ambling through the yard, desultorily pecking for grain on clay-daubed steps. A rough wooden door frame offers an unbroken view of the axial corridor running through the dwelling to the back door, inviting the viewer to step over the threshold. In other works, a lone plant, tulasi maadam or water Lilies are accent elements, effectively throwing the main subjects into relief.

‘Roosters II’ is an eloquent proof of the artist’s confidence in his compositional strength. Here, he has boldly left the middle ground bare, a slash of stark white, which is the actual colour of the primed canvas, pulling off the striking contrast with panache.

In ‘My Bull’ and the ‘Resting Bull’ series, the artist resorts to abstraction to depict a single bull in Cubist forms, with geometric shapes intersecting at imaginative angles to form blocks of colour that both separate and integrate. The abstract treatment of traditional themes makes for an innovative visual experience.

There is an intriguing use of colour that finds expression in the multi-hued plumage of the birds; also in sunny yellows and luminous greens such as the fields framing a herd of cattle in ‘Return Home I’.

Even the rudimentary green blob that signifies the foliage of a sheltering tree in ‘Return Home IV’ fits perfectly into the scheme of things to accentuate the animals clustered at its base.

Linked by a thread of tranquilly, the paintings with simple themes showcase Kirubanandhan’s ability to stay true to the core and his well-honed technique, complemented by free flowing brush strokes and an unerring eye for composition. Interestingly, although the medium is oil on canvas, the impression is reminiscent of watercolours.

The artist’s works are on display till today, at Soul Spice Art Gallery, 21/11, First Main Road, CIT Colony, Mylapore, in an exhibition co-sponsored by the Ministry of Art and Culture and Nunkalai Kuzhu, Govt of Tamilnadu. Timings: 12 – 7 p.m.