Artist RB Murari’s canvases explore emotional currents beyond language

Beauty Is Not the Point, a solo show of Chennai-based painter RB Murari’s non-objective works at Chitrakala Parishad, invites visitors to pay attention to what they feel while spending time with each canvas. Rather than depicting a specific figure, landscape or symbol, these paintings take shape in colour, grids, curves and textures that seem like visible traces of a personal, emotional attitude.

let the visuals speak for themselves

For Murari, the purpose of the work was not to create something that was conveniently beautiful; He wanted each piece to evoke a feeling that would resonate quietly in the minds of the audience. Talking about the showcase, Murari explains, “The world is full of so many stories; all I’m saying is that these are places that existed before language existed.”

The works themselves are roughly worked surfaces, scratched and drawn, creating a sense of restless movement, the underlying grids and compartments hinting towards a structure that tries to contain that energy.

Repeated motifs are found on the canvas, creating an almost rhythmic flow, a situation echoed in his earlier works. The palette shifts from earthy reds and browns to flashes of neon and metallic tones; The artist’s focus is not on a narrative or illustration, but on using the paintings as a channel for deeper, personal moments.

The legacy of art, and a break from it

Murari is no stranger to the art world – his grandfather, S Dhanapal, was a master sculptor who helped shape the Madras Art Movement, and his father, RB Bhaskaran, is a major figure in the Indian art scene. with beauty is not the issueMurari takes a bold, edgy approach to work that is somewhat distant from his roots.

Whether he is happy, bored or even feeling dull, he uses painting as a way to work out, expressing emotions. With this showcase, he brings out more intuitive ideas through the exploration of the inner self while “playing” on canvas.

Artist RB Murari

“The point is that you don’t have to understand it; just be with a painting and it will speak to you.” He recalls his conversation with a young girl, where she told him that one of his artworks looked like an elephant, with prominent ears and trunk, while her mother said it looked like Lord Ganesha. Art, he says, is about the discoveries and connections you make with each piece.

after beauty is not the issueMurari hopes to increase the scale and ambition of his canvases, building on the foundation laid by earlier exhibitions in India and abroad. As he looks ahead, his aim is simple: to make art that he enjoys, and let that emotional honesty slowly drive his work.

RB Murari’s ‘Beauty Is Not the Point’ will be on display at Chitrakala Parishad, Bengaluru till December 14.