Artists Directory >Muralidharan K

"Indian Mythology is a treasure house: I draw inspiration for my creative work.  A synthesis of mythological interpretation into simple and straight forms. I believe in the social relevance of the work of art."

Having been brought in a religious atmosphere, Murali feels justified to be attracted by the mundane things of life. The repeated impact of the images of Gods has been so strongly and deeply imprinted in his memory that they form a constant source of inspiration.

"Kamadhenu, the mythical cow-woman figure of the Indian myth - somewhere she is with pig-tails and elsewhere with a machine gun. A yellow Kamadhenu in a field of dark, opaque grass green. The humour is obvious. The colours are a mix of primaries playing in dark fields. "Nobody can teach you colour. It has to do with your feelings. A feeling of fantasy. So I think which colour will go. Now I am using white. It gives a feeling of a void. A timeless feeling. I am waiting. I don't know. I have a story. I saw the moon. Kept looking at it for several days. I got several days. I got several images. Perhaps I am going towards a straight subject. I don't tell stories. Its just inspiration!"

Muralitharan's present work embodies the transient nature of his generation where the traditional / mythological baggage slowly finds a place in contemporary times and in due course finds its own clear path through various journeys of growth to a space all its own, in this case one through colour and fantasy and simple childlike joy.

A Post Diploma in Painting from the Govt. College of Arts & Crafts, Madras, the Charles Wallace Trust Fellowship to work in Glasgow & the National Cultural Scholarship from the Govt. of India & the Lalit Kala Akademi Research Grant have contributed to fruitful work. The 7th International Triennale, New Delhi, the I and II Biennale at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal & the Festival of India in Sweden along with many regional art exhibitions, have shown his paintings.

Style

Mythological beasts, figures roam on this canvas of life that is Muralidharan. Vivid colours strong reds and black. His works are stories within stories. Muralidharan's favoured medium is canvas with mixed media materials, including sand.

Details

Exhibitions - Group

1975 - All India Fine Art Society, Delhi
1978 - Jehangir Art Gallery, Bombay
1987 - Culture House Sweden under Festival of India Programme
1989 - Bombay Art Society Tricentenary Show
1989 - Stockholm College of Art Sweden Art Gallery
1992 - "Poet Rambod" sponsored by French Consulate in France, Chennai and Hyderabad
1991 - Seventh Triennale, India

Grant & Scholarships

1989 - Visited Scotland on Charles Wallace Scholarship 1993 as an Artist residence programme
Guest Artist Student in Stockholm College of Arts, Sweden by invitation from Swedish Institute.

Awards

1979 - 86 - State Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai
1985 - All India Exhibition, Chitra Kala Parishad
1987 - All India Exhibition, Orissa Lalit Kala Akademi

Collections: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; Central Lalit Kala Akademi; Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal.

Address: No.9, Ramasamy Garden Street, Royapettah, Madras - 600 014. Tel: 831 781