Shivam Selvaratnam’s Kaldoscopic Malay Canvas

A picture of Zen. In this way, the most late Malaysian artist Shivam Selvaratnam is remembered, who still has a leading female voice in the growing melting vessel which is Malayan Kala after independence. ‘Zen’ was not limited to his personality only – his canvas spoke of a calm confidence. Many times deep attention, and unexpected on others, the body of the artist spread styles and mediums, resulting in an oeuvre that resonated with many.

Shivraj works over 200 from Shivam’s six -ers career, curate by Shivraj Natarajan and Cyril Perera Sutra foundationN (Dedicated to promote and preserve traditional and contemporary performance arts), recently integrated into a book. Shivam Selvaratnam: A Life in Art The artist charts the life of the teacher, after more than 10 years of passing.

“When I was studying at the Malaysian Arts Institute, I was introduced to art history. We do not have a history like India, but an English Sir was a group established by Peter Harris, who was an Englishman. [in 1952]”Shivraj says on a phone call from Kuala Lumpur.” This was the first art group that was formed, and they would gather and paint every Wednesday. “Wednesday’s Art Group attempted to separate from eurosenteric traditions and designed artists with specific, modern styles.

Malaysian artist Shivam Selvartanam

In the world of color

Born in Kajang, Malaysia, Sri Lankan was surrounded by Shivam rubber gardens, tropical sunlight and abundant monsoon. And so, his canvas settled deep into his canvas, whether it was realistic or abstract, Greens and Brown were difficult to remember. But before entering the world of colors, he earned a degree in teaching in Malaysia, continued his studies at Manchester College of Art and Design (now Manchester Metropolitan University), and did a Masters in art and design at the University of London.

Shivam’s early western influence was Russian painter Vasili Candinsky and Swiss-German artist Paul Clay. And from Indian modernists, Bengal School of Art and Artist Raja Ravi Verma. In 2012, Shivarjah led the cures of all the artist’s work, marking Shivam’s first single show. Topic Rap in mayaIt was displayed at the Universe Malaya Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. During cursoring, lemon cream on biscuits, Shivrajah and Shivam will talk in length about the creative process behind every work spent in traveling with their husbands. Some of its most famous works such as Rain color series, Self -portraining, TransparencyAndPleasureAnd Mudhuli ragaThis volume is painted.

His family, whose personal accounts enrich the book, provide insight into the personal life and values ​​of the artist. Lakshmi Selvaratnam, her eldest daughter -in -law, said, “When we were children, her first remembrance as an artist was at her home. He was a child. [her paintings] At that time, unlike anything seen on the walls was colorful and abstract. ,

For Lakshmi, Shivam’s shapes and a sense of color were a point of intrigue. “Sometimes, some pieces become a mixture of sound and color, and there is a lot of expression of self -expression within it,” she says. On the other hand, his observation drawings and pictures show him penantic for planning and execution, and perhaps a mirror for his love for teaching.

Easy and curious

Shivam was multi -faceted. “We can’t frame her in a style. She was very courageous,” says Shivarjah. She was emotional about textile, jewelery design and printmaking – dubbing in both linocut and woodkat printing. How he analyzed the color theory in his abstraction, lived with Shivrajah. “A regular for the annual Margie festival of Chennai, he was influenced by Karnataka music and Ragas,

An educationist, she was always a teacher from the heart, who also spoke from her perfectist point of view for art studies. “She was comfortable, and was always curious,” says Lakshmi. The last piece of The Artist is the title of work Curiosar (2014) – – Which reveals his unique discovery of memories through hiroglyphic symbols (and makes the cover of this book) – Now it is in the National Art Gallery, as well as with another work title Malapataka (1962).

With artifacts and individual essays, the book charts well spent in the company of art.

‘Shivam Selvaratnam: A Life in Art’ is now on shelves.

The journalist is located in Chennai.