Vijayan, a graphic designer for nearly half a century has become a full-time artist for the past two years. “I feel that abstract art is the best way to express myself as a full-fledged artist and I am deeply inspired by European painters especially the Italian school of painting,” he says. Bright, bold splashes of colour and strong brush strokes characterise his work. “I am not reluctant to use the brightest of reds and yellows in my palette. I believe that art should be colourful and bright, not muted and subdued. I start with a miniature and develop it into a full-sized painting. It takes me one hour to complete each piece as I build up inspiration and expel it in one intense burst of energy,” he adds. A slate grey Shivalinga, a newspaper collage with splashes of red, a fiercely intense yet formless face, bold and contrasting blues and pinks, yellows and blacks, reds and oranges, Vijayan's work carries its own distinctive brightness, definition and energy.
By contrast, Balachandran's soft watercolours are a soothing reflection of nature, pastoral scenes and seascapes. “I like to create gentle and soothing pictures that reflect the natural beauty of the countryside. The sea when it is stormy, the wildly swaying coconut palms in a thunderstorm, a farmer with his cows or the isolated figure of a young girl standing on a deserted beach are all subjects I like to recreate in my paintings,” he says.
In fact, Balachandran's atmospheric paintings, are clearly inspired by the topography of the place he grew up in and his works include beaches, rural vistas and seascapes which have strong perspectives, light, shadows and reflections. His painting techniques involve distilling the natural world to its fundamental elements and creating works of dramatic simplicity.
Both artists are displaying their works at Studio Bezel, Shrungar Shopping Centre, M G Road.
