Post-Independence Art

A renowned Indian artist depicts the beauty of nature and women in tandem

By A CORRESPONDENT

 

The trend among most writers is that they are inspired by the woes and difficulties around them. In contrast, most artists seem to be inspired by the beauty in their surrounding or just imagination.

Following the trend, renowned Indian artist Dr. Alphonso Doss has showcased various paintings depicting the beauty of nature, women and cultural heritage he has witnessed at various places, at Siddhartha Art Gallery.

Among the 22 paintings put up are the paintings of girls with various elements of nature, Hindu deities and Jesus Christ.

Paintings like 'Girl With Flower', 'Girl With Parrot', 'Lady With Lotus And Bird', among others, express the beauty of women and nature in tandem.

'Bali Dancer', ‘Goddess’ (money), 'Krishna' and 'Jesus' show the cultural heritage that the painter has witnessed in his vicinity and during his travel. Some paintings include independent elements of nature painted in a beautiful way.

The other paintings show the activities of people such as a couple while praying and while sleeping.

While, in most of the paintings the forms, shapes and color combine meaningfully to depict a impart a clear meaning, a few are semi-abstract which gives the viewer freedom to enjoy the paintings with his/her own perspective. All the paintings are soothing to the eye.

Likewise, Dr. Doss has also used symbols in some of his paintings. The painting of a ‘Mother’ to give the meaning of war and stimulates the thought of every viewer. In one of the paintings Jesus is painted to represent peace.

Dr. Doss, who is also the principal of the government college of Arts and Crafts, Chennai, is well recognized as a teacher and practitioner of art. He has organized countless exhibitions in India and abroad and participated in many workshops and festivals related to art.

Likewise, he has bagged several awards including the Nation Academy Award – New Delhi and Kali Das Exhibition Gold Medal – Bhopal.

Before the inauguration of the exhibition, Dr. Doss gave a talk program about the contemporary art in India and showed forty slides. He also demonstrated painting watercolor on canvas to the viewers.

The exhibition organized jointly by Siddhartha Art Gallery, Prakrit Arts, Chennai and B. P. Koirala India Nepal Foundation – Indian Embassy and inaugurated by the Indian envoy to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukharjee is on till August 19.