This botanical painter is charting spatial and endangered species of Western Ghats, a brushstroke at a time

Nilagiri Chillappan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

At the intersection of art and science, the vegetation is located within the scope of illustration. For Suresh Ragavan, a bird artist, who has worked as a botanical painter in the Botanical Survey of India for 33 years, has not only been the source of his bread and butter, but also the inspiration that promotes their passion for nature. This passion has now translated into a single exhibition – the title, brushstrokes of Endemic Ecos – in his compositions, 157 of which beautify Kadambari Art Gallery, Dakshin Parent Museum, Chennai.

Suresh captures subtle details like ovary size, stamen arrangement, or leaf location when working under Microscope: Photo credits: Special arrangements

“A botanical painter faces many challenges, both of both artistic and scientists. One of the scientific accuracy is achieving accuracy -even the most untouchable mistakes in the count of a leaf can also reject botanists. The effort can also reject the botanist. Efforts.” Efforts. The microscope requires to work. There is also a challenge to interpret incomplete or delayed samples collected from the region. Above all, patience and accuracy are constant companions in this demand, but re -present the work.

Vigars’s sunbird | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Suresh, a graduate from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai (1988), began his professional journey, operated by a mission to use art as a tool for protection. In doing so, they have documented and painted a huge array of species including wild animals, orchids, butterflies and especially birds.

They have studied and illustrated over 157 endangered bird species, ensuring that each physical feature – beak, legs, feather patterns, body posture, and even mines sexual duality between men and women are represented with honesty. “Overall, I have about 550 paintings. This exhibition only shows endangered birds in the Western Ghats, which I have documented for years. Pallass eagle, mangrove pits, nilgiri thrush, sunbirds, vigars, flammable, Nilgiri, Nilgiri, Nilgiri, Nilgiri, Nilgiri Bulbil, Nilgiri Bulbil, Nilgiri Bullbil, Nilgiri Bullbil, Nilgiri Bullil, Nilgiri Black-and Orange flycatcher, ”he says.

Black-end-orange flycatcher | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The spectrum of vegetative painters spreads a colorful trajectory. Encyclopaedia Britannica quoted classical pharmacists, artists and physicians as a picture of Creteus, the king of Mithradates VI, Pontas (120–63 BCE), as the first known vegetative depiction. In India, the first form of vegetation art detects its roots for illustrations in early archaeological sites and ancient manuscripts. Despite the facility of high -end cameras and mobile phones, this area of ​​art still flourishes today. why though? “Despite all fancy cameras, a botanical Illustrator captures what the lens often misses – the euphoria, emotion and essence. Cameras can distort the colors or miss the small structures hidden in the shade, while the brush highlights them with accurateness. A plant – it explains it,” Suresh is called Suresh.

Great Hornbill | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

For his words, Suresh’s work stands for sensitivity to its scientific accuracy and expansion. He uses water colors on paper as a medium of his expression. Their paintings are widely accepted in academic letters, protection reports, exhibitions, and they serve as visual records of species that are rapidly threatened by housing loss, climate change and human encroachment. Many of his paintings focus on the Western Ghats and the spatial and endangered species of India, which highlight their delicate existence and immediate need for their safety.

Suresh has used water colors on paper as his expression. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

On performance at Kadambari Art Gallery, Dakshin Pachr Museum, Chennai by 2 June; From 10 am to 6 pm; Weekend till 7 pm. The entry is included with the regular museum entry (closed on Tuesday).