“Vedic Art does not teach anyone how to paint. No- Vedic Art is a way how to paint,” observed the late Curt Kallman, the man who introduced Vedic Art to the world. While many often gloat that we introduced the world to the Vedas, it was Curt Kallman, a Swede, who took nearly 30 years to develop and nurture the painting method of vedic art. The art is now being taught in more than 10 countries around the world.
Three artists – Pirkko Huttunen-Nieminen of Finland, Kate Maconachie of Australia and Linta Vuorikkinen also of Finland – are hoping to introduce the spiritual art by displaying their work at the Bharani Art Gallery in the city from October 23 to October 30.
The three artists met at Vedic Art course in Finland in 2007 and ever since have painted together at different locations in the world. Following the wishes of founder Curt Kallman, the trio have decided to exhibit their paintings in India. Having shown their works in Kozhikhode, Kerala, earlier this week, they are heading to the city to showcase their brush with nature in the coming days.
Pirkko Huttunen-Nieminen, who is an elementary school educator and Vedic Art teacher, said that she became interested and started to study the methods and adopted the principles explained in the spiritual art in her paintings. Her work including ‘Can you hear us world?’ will be on display at the expo.
Having graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art honors from James Cook University in Australia, Kate Maconachie has travelled extensively across the world and uses a combination of acrylic, tempera paint, metallic pigments, earth and natural materials to convey her feelings on the canvas. The painting ‘Goddess of all things great and small’ would be among the highlights of the show.
Linta Vuorikkinen, an early childhood educator, believes that through painting she could identify and understand the forces within the universe and have greater clarity on how they contribute to life.
Displaying the ‘Flight of the cosmic bird’, she would be expressing how the consciousness of an artist creates life on a lifeless piece of canvas.
As described by Curt Kallman, “The 17 Vedic principles of art can be used as a navigation map on our journey along the river of the history of art… Our inner driving force sets us in motion and guides us step by step into seeing how nature works. We begin to remember how to express ourselves from within, and delve deeper into the creative process.
This leads to expansion on all levels, both in art and in our lives.” With the exhibition on display for a week, the artists would be hoping that the expo would trigger interest about Vedic Art.
Speaking to City Herald, Bharani Art Gallery chief convenor N B Kaverappa said exhibition of paintings that explores consciousness through Vedic Art has been titled as ‘Returning to Source’ would be open to art enthusiasts from 11 am to 7 pm at the gallery situated at No M-1198, third main, sixth cross, Vivekananda Nagar.
