My Artistic Journey
Birth, Life and Death are the three most significant events
in each one of our lives; Birth and Death are not in our hands but our lives
can be moulded with choices we make -given a particular direction. My life too
is a bundle of choices I have made in which art has been the central guiding
force. I completed Diploma studies in painting from 1984-89 at the Govt.
College of Arts and Crafts. It gave me solid foundation skills that shaped my
artistic career for the rest of my life. The skills I imbibed in painting and
sculpture gave me confidence and a facility to experiment and explore different
styles, subject matter and expression. When I was a resident artist at
Cholamandal Artists Village, Chennai, I had met eminent artists like Douglas
who played a crucial role in making me a ‘thinking’ artist. But my journey to
MS University, Faculty of Fine Arts, for postgraduate diploma studies in
painting changed my world view and brought tremendous impetus for my
creativity.
Art historical and critical exposure in the Faculty of Fine
Arts, MS University, Baroda enabled me to make painting a creative and cerebral
exercise. Discussions and dialogue with eminent artists in Baroda such as KG
SubramanyaN, BV Suresh, Vasudevan, artist Indrapramit Roy and many others
helped me relook my journey as an artist. It also gave me ideological bearings as
an artist and gave my works a new perspective. In other words, it was my stay
and work in Baroda I was introduced into the culture of dialogue and discussion
on ones work of art.
The ideological underpinnings of my works are inspired by my
reading and reflection on Dravidian language, culture and history. I am deeply
affected by the cultural hegemony and environmental onslaught in the name of
so-called 'development'. In my works, I tried to capture and bring out the
expressive manner of unconsciousness mind and the layering technique I use in
my visual practices also connected with the same idea of mind layers and the
time layers of archaeology, where I talk about the contemporary socio-political
condition and the life pattern of the people in a figurative and narrative
form.
My recent body of works come from my disenchantment with the
present; an expression of my angst experienced during these hard times. Artists
in the modern era responded to the signs of their times by inventing
appropriate styles, initiating various avant-garde art movements. They were
true to their times; expressed their individual and collective protests to the
many problems affecting the society. Artists of our times need to reflect and
respond to the crumbling of democracy and liberal values in our politics. The
country our forefathers built with secular and liberal values is being
destroyed overnight. It is time we stand for our constitution and as the
artist, we can do it with what we are good at. Making work of art that speaks
our inner voice - a melody that heals the deep wound caused by hatred and
division.
The expressionist forms and colour in my paintings are my
response to the present cultural and political upheaval. The psychological
impact of the present turmoil is expressed through figures, symbols and broad
colour strokes. The paintings are my testimony of an emotional and
psychological rendering of the impact of the present world.
-Michael Irudhayaraj
