There are two issues that artist Vimal Chandran all the time carries in his bag: his drawing pocket book and a set of watercolours. “I don’t know when inspiration might strike, and I prefer to be ready. I get it from my journey, films, songs and even from informal conversations,” he says. The Bengaluru-based artist just lately launched Songs for the Birds, a calendar with 12 of his artworks for the 12 months 2021.
Artwork from the calendar
“The works are from my sequence of illustrations referred to as Unposted Letters. I drew them through the lockdown with comfortable and vibrant colors, to remove the lockdown blues,” he says. The work have two central characters, a younger boy and a lady, as easy, colourless line drawings surrounded by a vibrant world. “Each bit tells a narrative. Whereas a few of them would possibly make you smile, others have a deeper which means,” he explains. The tabletop calendar comes with a picket stand within the form of a chicken, made by native artists from Palakkad, his hometown.
“I designed it based mostly on the little chicken that comes on this sequence,” he says. “I began the sequence in 2016. From then on, I hold the very best of my drawings of that 12 months for the calendar. Up to now I’ve completed round 200 works.” His illustration type is straightforward. “It suits my means of storytelling. I don’t consider that the work needs to be difficult to achieve an viewers. Although easy, my works can convey critical concepts too. For instance, my political sequence referred to as Social Strain talks in regards to the inequalities in society.”
Vimal is a self-taught artist who took up artwork as a full-time occupation in 2013 after quitting his company job. Up to now, he has showcased his works in 10 exhibitions in India, Dubai and the US. He says that probably the most thrilling factor in artwork is to get an concept to work round. “Each artwork created is impressed by another person. The true expertise of an artist is to place their distinctive perspective to it.”
Vimal just lately did a collaboration with photographer Ajay Menon, Avial band and Vivo cell to seize the monsoon of Kerala. “It was enjoyable and I may carry the scenes of my village throughout monsoon into my illustrations. We hope to conduct an exhibition of these works in Kochi quickly,” he says. “I additionally plan to launch an illustration e book with drawings from Unposted Letters.”
Songs for the Birds calendar is out there for ₹1,350. Go to https://www.unpostedletters.in.
