V Satheesan, a former art teacher of Kendriya Vidyalaya, is the only sculptor among the six Indian artists whose works will be on display at the L’Inde Art – Episode I: Home Away From Home at the Foundation Maison de l’Inde, CIUP, Paris. The event, from October 21 to 23, will showcase the works of AV Ilango, CN Karunakaran, G Subramanian, K R Santhakrishnan and Devi Seetharam.
He says, “Once an idea takes hold in my mind, it keeps haunting me to the point that I feel I cannot continue living without giving shape to that vision. I don’t make art thinking whether it will sell or not. Creation is a painful process, but it gives me indescribable joy and that’s why I do it.”
A work by V Satheesan | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Born as the son of a carpenter at Kappil in Varkala district, Satheesan’s foray into the world of art began at a very young age. As his father could not afford to buy him toys owned by children of the expatriates in his neighbourhood, young Satheesan used to make replicas using the wood and tools at his father’s workshop. “I found great joy playing with the toys that I made myself. I believe this activity opened the path to my artistic life,” he said.
Joining the College of Fine Arts College Thiruvananthapuram was a turning point in Satheesan’s life and his artistic sensibilities were further nurtured during his time at Delhi University while pursuing his post graduation. The art galleries in the Capital was his classroom and his refuge from the scorching summer heat.
Satheesan’s commitment to art is forged in the fire of rejection, loneliness and the pain of not being understood. According to him, music and arts teachers are not given respect in schools. They are considered as second grade staff by the management and this attitude trickles into the minds of students too.
He said, “I have faced a lot of troubles during my tenure at a school in the city. I was publicly humiliated by people who have no knowledge about art. The management tried to stifle my creativity and artistic career in many ways.”
A work by V Satheesan | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The artist attributes this apathetic nature in schools to the lack of proper aesthetic buildings in our educational institutions.
“Art is not considered as a profession in India unlike in Europe where children are introduced to great masters from nursery. We should change our curriculum to improve the aesthetic sense of children because art makes us humane.”However, Satheesan is positive about the future of art in the country as he is seeing a surge in the number of visitors to art shows.
What he lacks in monetary rewards, he says, is compensated by the lasting relationships that he has made over the years. An accomplished artist, he has won several honours, including the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi award for best sculpture and has conducted exhibitions across Kerala and other parts of the country.
This unassuming artist, completely committed to his passion, now dedicates his time to working at his studio in Kudappanakunnu. He also dreams of building an art retreat where artists can stay, work or just be in the company of kindred spirits. He says, “I have overcome all the troubles in my life through my work. My life is a constant quest for that unattainable satisfaction. But once I become satisfied, the artist in me will die.”