five Chennai-based artists explore different themes for their first show in Hyderabad

With more than 40 works on display, Thooriga The 4th Collective Exhibit 2024, a new art show to be unveiled this weekend in Hyderabad, has a wide canvas. ‘Thooriga’, meaning ‘paintbrush’ in Tamil showcases the works of five Chennai-based artists — Charanya Rajesh, Gayathri Balaji, Sathya N Prabhu, Yamuna Bala and Subhashree Sridhar, for the first time in Hyderabad.

The women as a team had earlier had shows at Artworld Sarala’s Art Centre and Taj Vivanta in Chennai and Auroville, Pondicherry. The Hyderabad exhibition is their ‘4th exhibit’

Celebrating womanhood

Inspired by realism, Charanya Rajesh likes to paint portraits and figuratives. Her nine works in oil pastels celebrate womanhood and highlight the bond women share with Nature, flora and fauna in the Indian cultural context. “I like to portray different aspects of womanhood — their courage, kindness, inner strength, and beauty through art,” she says.

The artist also pays tribute to Madurai, her hometown in Devotion, a painting depicting a Tamil woman in a traditional sari with a parrot. Charnaya calls the woman Meenakshi, a form of Goddess Paravati and explains, “The woman is in love with Lord Shiva and longs for Him.”

Inspired by sculptures

Gayathri Balaji’s works in acrylic and mixed media narrate stories of the marvels of Indian temple architecture. On choosing sculptures in temples as subjects of her paintings, she says, “I have always been fascinated by sculptures, especially the magnificent Belur sculptures; one wonders how these stone sculptures were created so many centuries ago with no modern sculpting tools and equipment.” The artist recreates the stone effect with textures in ‘Swapna Sundari’ to depict the beauty of a woman coyly looking at a mirror.

Passionate about art, she tries different mediums and plays with colours to explore the artscape. When not painting, she travels and takes photographs to use as reference for her paintings.

Old world charm

Tamil Nadu’s rich traditions influence artist Sathya N Prabhu who blends contemporary and traditional styles in her eight acrylic paintings. Adept at handling different mediums and printmaking, the artist captures the essence of Indian culture and epics.

Sathya draws inspiration from childhood, and her works look at how ancient temples served as focal points for economic activities creating job opportunities for artisans such as potters, weavers, garland makers, dancers and musicians who participated in rites, rituals and festivals of the temple. “My paintings portray events of the old times that I sometimes do not see now,” she says.

Art as an expression

With a background in psychology, Yamuna Bala’s paintings relate to an individual’s inward journeyl. “Art has been a way of expression. When life puts me in complex situations, I use art to speak. Things I couldn’t express as a woman are expressed through art.”

Yamuna is inspired by life and experiences, Yamuna says, “Anything that reaches deep into my thoughts and affects the core is portrayed in my paintings. Kadhai kadhaiyungal, her recent work is an emotional one done after her father’s death in 2023. The painting, she says is an attempt to pass on the legacy to the next generation. “My father was an amazing story teller who transported me to another world with his narration. The stories enriched my vocabulary and triggered my imagination. I began to see life from a different perspective and respected the perspective of others too.” Besides painting, Tamuna has also done a professional pottery course, and has some experience in sculpting.

Ode to simplicity

“My work is inspired from travel experiences and draws from culture and lifestyle as experienced by me,” says Subhashree Sridhar, who is displaying eight oil paintings in the show. An artist, graphic designer and illustrator, she is pursuing a master’s degree in illustration at Falmouth University in England, Subhashree is inspired by the colourful temple gopurams, its intricate architecture and the simplicity of street scenes encountered during her temple visits and city explorations.

“The paintings document my perception and reflections of these heritage icons and structures in a representative manner.” Besides painting, she also enjoys creating digital book illustrations, linoprinting and collage making for her sketchbook works.

Thooriga The 4th Collective Exhibit 2024 is on at State Art Gallery, Kavuri Hills between August 9 to 14; 11am to 7 pm

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