Spaces inside us

KOCHI: Nature inspires city-based artist Murali Sivaramakrishnan to paint. He continues to draw inspiration from natural forms and structures. Murali left his career as a professor to focus on painting and has been part of many solo and group exhibitions in India and abroad. ‘Interior Spaces’, his first virtual solo exhibition organised by Alliance Francaise De Trivandrum began on November 21 and is wooing viewers worldwide.

Initially, the exhibition was planned in April in Alliance Francaise De Trivandrum. However, the pandemic ruined his plans and he had to opt for a virtual one. “My last exhibition was called ‘Belonging to Earth’ and was held at Jahangir Art Gallery, Mumbai. Each painting exhibited there narrated a connection to earth.

Painting series’ are never planned. I was focused on spaces. So the next series concentrated on our inner spaces,” says Murali. Around 40 abstract paintings are part of ‘Interior Spaces’, and has been done across multiple mediums. 

This is the 17th solo exhibition by Murali. He’s happy that more people are able to view the exhibition virtually. “Definitely the smell of a canvas and a painting is missed. However, I think we should cope with it. The response is tremendous and I’m elated. Many people are taking a good amount of time to talk about the paintings,” he says.

Murali used the lockdown period to do watercolor paintings too. “That was a bit challenging. I posted a few on social media and they were well-received. I wish to do an exhibition with them. The challenge is to pick the best 40 or 50 frames from around 500,” he quips. 
View the exhibition at //artspaces.kunstmatrix.com