Attempt at Abstraction

Imprint – During my childhood, I was fascinated by the simple lifestyle of people living in our village. Even those who lived in a hut had natural artistic impulses expressed through the ways in which they decorated their homes. Rangoli (கோலம்) was one form of expression. The womenfolk would clean the floor of their hut, and smear it with a layer of cow dung. Walls were periodically painted with lime (சுண்ணாம்பு). Often they would stamp their hand prints on the wall with rice flour mixture or kumkum (குங்குமம்), as if they are imprinting their presence in their homes. I have depicted these handprints in this acrylic painting by applying the paint (Titanium white) directly on textured paper. The grey background is created by a layer of wide brush strokes superimposed with thick paint applied in streaks.

Imprint - Acrylic on textured paper - 14" x 17"

Home – Home (இல்லம்) is a place where one seeks happiness, peace and harmony. In this acrylic painting, I have tried to represent these qualities using geometric forms. Background is created with flat brush strokes using burnt sienna, which provides the earthen appeal. Overlying geometric forms are drawn with thick paint. Three white circles represent the purity of the qualities that embody our ‘homes’. The geometric forms are finely balanced in this composition to provide a holistic feel.

Home - Acrylic on textured paper - 14" x 17"

Honeycomb – This is an abstract representation of honeycomb (தேன் கூடு). Shapes representing the wax cells are depicted in darker shades, while the treasured honey is shown in golden colour to indicate its importance. In this composition, balancing of forms is essential to show the geometric precision of natural honeycomb. 

Honey Comb - Acrylic on textured paper - 14" x 17"

If you like this post, please share it with your friends, followers or contacts, by just clicking the 'Face book', 'Twitter', ‘Pinterest’ or 'Google +’ icons you see below the post. Feel free to post your comment/ feedback. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!