Celebrating the charms of idyllic worlds

KOCHI: Anujaat Sindhu Vinaylal is an influencer. Unlike many millennials his age, he is all for nature. All of 13, the teenager inspired his listeners - mostly comprising other children his own age - to look at the beauty of one’s surroundings and capture interesting moments on to the canvas. The Thrissur-based artist led the weekend workshop organised on the sidelines of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

Addressing the inaugural session of the day-long workshop ‘Drawings from Surroundings’ at the art room in Cabral Yard, he says: “In Kerala, we are much closer to nature. We must ensure to do our best in conserving it.”

A winner of Rashtrapati Puraskar in 2015 and the India Africa Forum Summit 2015 National Award, Anujaat’s works celebrate the charms of idyllic worlds. His works focus on how elements of nature share deep connections. Taking spirit from his childhood innocence, his works try to understand a pollution-free environment. “Art is a powerful way of communication and can express a point. As a visual artist, looking at and being a part of nature is my way of navigating life,” says the Class VIII student of Devamatha CMI Public School, Thrissur.

What is striking about Anujaat’s work is that his subjects are so connected to his surroundings. “I have been working on a series called ‘Goats and Their Life’ since 2014,” says the artist. His selected works from the goat series are featured in this year’s calendar for Peringandur Service Cooperative Bank.
The artist says he is inspired by his father who is a graphic designer. “My father and brother are my biggest inspirations. They introduced me to the world of art and were the first to teach me various techniques,” said the winner of the first Clint Memorial International Award 2014.

Anujaat started painting at the age of five and has been able to capture the beauty of nature through leaves, buds, flowers, goats, plants in his courtyard, and so on. “My intention is to have a visual conversation about nature through art so we can remember that we are deeply connected to the world around us,” he says.

At the workshop, Anujaat attempted to capture the beautiful elements of the state. In the forenoon, each participant created a painting based on their observation of the surroundings. In the second, he and the participants made a painting of a jackfruit.