By Nature’s Force: Veli Vetridamaakha Nagarkirathu–The solo Art Show of artist Vijay Pichumani

Chennai, 2nd July 2024: Art Houz Gallery Chennai, has organized the solo show of artist Vijay Pichumani titled – ‘By Nature’s Force: Veli Vetridamaakha Nagarkirathu’ at Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre. The exhibition features a diverse collection of prints, woodcuts, mixed-media works, and sculptures that unveil how the artist transformed his experiences into visual narratives. Chief Guests Shri K.S.V.V. Prasad, Commissioner of Customs (Import), Mr. Pa. Ranjith, eminent film director, and Mr. Rayan Ibrahim, Principal Architect, Rayan Ibrahim Architects inaugurated the exhibition, with Dr. Ashrafi S. Bhagat, an art historian, critic and curator and, Mr. Joe Malloori, Actor, writer and poet serving as the Guests of Honour.

‘By Nature’s Force: Veli Vetridamakha Nagarkirathu’ invites viewers to delve into deeper meanings and connections about identity, tradition, and human experience within their community while provoking contemplation on memory, movement, and nature’s enduring influence.

For artist Vijay Pichumani, the force of Mother Nature is the critical element that echoes through his works. His knowledge, skill, and talent make him a versatile artist through his unparalleled connection with man, humanity, and nature. This could be attributed to his upbringing and childhood memories from a small village in Kanyakumari.

Often termed autobiographical, Vijay’s works explore the world around us, with the artist using his experiences that have shaped him at every stage of his career. These experiences encompass the sights he saw, the sounds he heard, the people he met, and the emotions he experienced over the trajectory of his travels. Like trees in the natural realm, the material wood plays a significant role in his art practice, evoking a tactile quality.

Each work of Vijay Pichumani is an anecdote of his experience with nature. This includes his observations, metaphors, and relativity of particular elements with people around him. To make his work more effective in conveying his experiences, he often sought to connect the concept with the medium and technique. Through this, he reveals to the audience the adventures that define him as a person.

On View: 30th June 2024 – 4th July 2024

Venue: Lalit Kala Akademi, Regional Centre, Chennai; Timings: 11:00 a.m – 7:00 p.m