Memory takes shape in coal and wood at Mahalakshmi Kannappan’s show in Hyderabad

At Srishti Art Gallery in Hyderabad, a series of layered, abstract sculptural works in charcoal and wood take center stage against a striking red painted wall. In a play of light and shadow, artist Mahalakshmi Kannappan explores themes of migration, instability and uncertainty – ideas that speak to identity and the emotional shifts that shape us.

Mahalakshmi Kannappan Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The show, Bloody Dark Body, features a color palette designed by architect Sona Reddy, with a curatorial note from Bose Krishnamachari, co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Bose’s text decodes the metaphorical richness of Mahalakshmi’s layered forms. Lakshmi Nambiar, founder of Srishti Art Gallery, says, “‘The rough edges of work are the negatives – fractures that happen in anyone’s life. And then comes peace, healing and restoration. This is what makes us who we are.’

By Mahalakshmi Kannappan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The title of the exhibition, coined by Bose, carries a layered symbolism. ‘Body’ refers to both the physical human form and the sculptural body of work. ‘Dark’ along with the use of graphite and charcoal alludes to the emotional darkness we face in moments of struggle. ‘Bloody’ represents the inner – the pulse of life that runs through us all.

Mahalakshmi, born in Coimbatore and based in Singapore, first performed in Srishti in 2024 as part of the group show Triloka. “My practice is about fragility, memory and endurance – and how to express these ideas through physical transformation,” she says. Living away from India for the last 15 years, his work connects memories of home with memories made abroad. She muses, “There are some memories we want to forget, and some we want to keep with us forever.”

By Mahalakshmi Kannappan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In her search for physical expression, Mahalakshmi experimented with turmeric and cotton thread for over a year before finding her voice in powdered coal. “Charcoal has a special character,” she says. “It can be put together, but also stained and air dispersed.” The duality of the medium – delicate yet strong – echoes her central theme of endurance through instability.

Working with waterproof birch plywood sourced from India, the artists begin by applying a mixture of ground coal and glue to the wood, letting it dry before dismantling and reshaping the sheet. “I’m always thinking about how much to break, how much to keep – until it evolves into a shape,” she explains.

By Mahalakshmi Kannappan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A former graphic designer who was attracted to monotone, Mahalakshmi spent two months at Sudhakar Chippa’s Banyan Art Studio, where Bloody Dark Body’s works took shape. “The subjects change as I work,” she says. “What I start rarely remains. The process dictates the final form.”

Bloody Dark Body, an exhibition of abstract works by Mahalakshmi Kannappan is on view at Srishti Art Gallery till November. 2