Poetry on a palette
Head to Samarpanam at Forum Art Gallery, where Thejomaye Menon’s art breathes life into poems by Jyothi Ganesh
Each artwork o ers a visual interpretation of a poem, creating a dialogue between the written word and visual art.
Poetry is often enjoyed with a healthy side of imagination. However, picturing words as images is a skill not everybody possesses. Some end up being visual learners. If you fall under this category, head to Forum Art Gallery where art exhibition Samarpanam is on display.
This unique showcase features paintings by Thejomaye Menon, inspired by poems from Jyothi Ganesh’s book of the same name. Each artwork oers a visual interpretation of a poem, creating a dialogue between the written word and visual art.
On the ground ¡oor of the art gallery, with paintings all around, a crowd gathered on April 8 for the opening of the exhibition, that also features an evening of slam poetry. Thejomaye and Jyothi sit in front of the audience while the poems are read out with dramatic ¡air. Instead of just listening, the audience is asked to look at the artwork inspired by the poetry.
“Thejo and I have been friends for a long time, and I asked her a few months back if she would be interested in bringing alive my poems as paintings. She readily took up the oer,” says Jyothi, adding that the idea for this project came from her personal experience of visualising her previously written poems as raagas.
One captivating piece, Lotus, depicts the poem’s words: “Blossoming in muddied mired waters, long stalked buds opening to the rst rays of the sun, at dawn”. Jyothi’s evocative language is brought to life through Thejomaye’s brushstrokes showing lotuses in water and a ray of warm sunlight upon them.
“She (Thejomaye) has taken o in a dierent direction, deviating from her usual style, and interpreted them in her own way. The artist should have the liberty to do that,” says Jyothi.
“An invisible force guided me through the artistic process, as is the case with many other artists who speak of a gut feeling when it comes to their art,” says Thejomaye.
Another painting, Sunlight, showcases Thejomaye’s artistic vision. Inspired by the words “Light blinding white and stark, characteristically crystal clear,” she portrays both light and darkness, two sides of the same coin. “There is life in sunlight,” she explains, incorporating leaves within the light.
This exhibition pushes Thejomaye’s boundaries. “As a gurative painter, this is my rst entire body of work focussed on one theme,” she says. “It has been challenging to interpret and simplify my thoughts,” she adds.
Samarpanam is on display at the Forum Art Gallery, Adyar until May 11. Entry is free.