Lights on graphic art: We scan everything in this world including money, but we do not scan humans to understand them, says Vimal

Kumaran P

With what could be the rarest art culture that took place in Bengaluru recently, around 20 artists across the country participated in a National Printmaking Camp in the month of January. Artists burnt the midnight oil to bring out their best ‘Art’ and showcased it in Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (CKP) organised by Lalit Kala Akademi (National Academy of Art, New Delhi). News Trail took a sneak peek of some of the artists and their incredible works which is still being showcased at the galleries of CKP.

Artists who have produced their best graphic prints at the 2nd Print Biennale India (International Exhibition of Graphic Prints) from February 10 to 23 2022 is a part of the 2nd print Biennale India, which organised a national printmaking camp for 20 artists who participated in printmaking National Camp.

“There are 200 plus artists who participated from 14 countries and they have produced their best art form in the graphic printmaking. This was an opportunity for artist and art student to understand the technique of printmaking,” said SA Vimalanathan, an alumnus of CKP and an artist from Bengaluru.

SA Vimalanathan is a painter and has a deep interest in printmaking. He loves the media because from childhood he has been seeing printing machines and playing with ink because his father is a printer.

While talking about the work that was displayed at the galleries, he said that he uses woodcut as a medium where he cuts, engraves and scrapes the wood with his own handmade tools to get a relief print (surface print). Talking about the Untitled art piece that was displayed, he said, “I use QR Code which is trendy in the contemporary world where we use to scan for the domestic purpose. In my woodcut, a QR code represents the code language of an individual. This has to be decoded from an inner eye. The flower represents memory and the hummingbird for humans. The life tree on the body keeps you fresh and keeps you grow.” Several people even at the gallery were seen scanning this art piece which has the OR code.

Vimalanathan says, “We scan everything in this world including the money, but we do not scan the humans and understand people.”

These art forms stand out as an example of bringing graphic printing into the limelight. This art form started with wood cutting, movable types (letterpress) and silkscreen. Then evolved is the lithography, offset and now we have reached digital printing.

“The graphic printmaking is a dying art and we are striving to keep them alive,” added Vimalanathan who was among the best artists in the gallery.

This show was organised by Lalit Kala Akademi in collaboration with Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath CS Krishna Setty, former chairman and administrator of the Akademi, New Delhi conceptualized Print Biennale India and he brought the 2nd print Biennale India to Bengaluru which happens once in two years. With the effort of CS Krishna Setty, the show is tied up with the support of Dr BL Shankar, President of CKP and Professor KS Appajaih, general secretary of CKP. The show was inaugurated in the presence of Dr Nandalal Takur Vice-Chairman Lalit Kala Academi and Ramakrishna Vedala, secretary in charge.

This 2nd Print Biennale India is a cohort of 14 countries participating in the exhibition and won several awards competitions for different print techniques.