April visit to Cholamandal Artist Village
April 9th 2019
The last meeting before the summer was an excursion to the Cholamandal Artists' Village, with the aim of looking at other art forms and learning from dialogues with other artists. Eleven members of the Study Group were present.
Located in Injambakkam, the Village is India's largest self-supporting community of artists, who live and work in a 10 acre space. Established in 1966, painters, sculptors and mixed medium artists all work together, and the Village is considered the centre of the Madras Movement, which brought modernism to South Indian art.
We were taken around the Gallery by artist Latha Gopal, who is also the daughter of one of the founding artists Dr K M Gopal. Photography is not allowed in the gallery, but there were a beautiful collection of canvases, sculptures and photographs as well.
The members chatted and discussed in groups, admiring the brush strokes, colour combinations, lines and free expressions of the exhibits.
We were then addressed by founder artist Gopinath Pottekad. He gave us a picture of how the Cholamandal Artists' Village was formed, the artists behind it, how it used to be and how it is now. He told us about the commemorative book, the museum and the sculpture garden.
The members then visited the home of Sculptor P S Nandhan, a trained painter who now focuses on sculpture. The Gallery had many of his pieces and members had a dialogue regarding "Shunya", a faceless granite Buddha. He explained to us how he prefers to start creating from the base and work his way up. The "Buddha" is faceless, representing the void and nothingness, and by providing no feet, arms or face, he hopes the viewer will focus on the void.
It was an absorbing and energising afternoon, and there was much discussion about what we heard as we moved on to our member Chithra Rajan's home for high tea.
We thank her for her hospitality in opening up her lovely home to us. We enjoyed her garden with materials suitable for Ikebana!
A sumptuous tea and much laughter and camaraderie was a lovely way to end our Study Group year, as we said our goodbyes for the summer.
 |
| With Latha Gopal |
Located in Injambakkam, the Village is India's largest self-supporting community of artists, who live and work in a 10 acre space. Established in 1966, painters, sculptors and mixed medium artists all work together, and the Village is considered the centre of the Madras Movement, which brought modernism to South Indian art.
We were taken around the Gallery by artist Latha Gopal, who is also the daughter of one of the founding artists Dr K M Gopal. Photography is not allowed in the gallery, but there were a beautiful collection of canvases, sculptures and photographs as well.
The members chatted and discussed in groups, admiring the brush strokes, colour combinations, lines and free expressions of the exhibits.
 |
| Artist Nandhan |
The members then visited the home of Sculptor P S Nandhan, a trained painter who now focuses on sculpture. The Gallery had many of his pieces and members had a dialogue regarding "Shunya", a faceless granite Buddha. He explained to us how he prefers to start creating from the base and work his way up. The "Buddha" is faceless, representing the void and nothingness, and by providing no feet, arms or face, he hopes the viewer will focus on the void.
 |
| With members of the Study Group |
It was an absorbing and energising afternoon, and there was much discussion about what we heard as we moved on to our member Chithra Rajan's home for high tea.
We thank her for her hospitality in opening up her lovely home to us. We enjoyed her garden with materials suitable for Ikebana!
A sumptuous tea and much laughter and camaraderie was a lovely way to end our Study Group year, as we said our goodbyes for the summer.
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