Shaji Appukuttan
The geography, topography, and people of places like Kallakurichi, Dharmapuri, Salem, and Satyamangalam (of Southern India) encompass a diverse variety of surroundings that have literally and cross-culturally shaped the earth in multiple lines. And all that has blended into Shaji’s art as a visual anchor for the entire work. A few of the works are about the visceral trace of the social life of farmers and peasants in Satyamanangalam, as they are intuitively cross-hatched in these compositions. Again, the art appears to be documentation of artist’s extensive travels in these locations and more. Shaji Appukuttan was born (1970) in Kerala. He completed his graduation from Government Fine Arts College, Trichur (1985-89). His recent solo exhibitions have been Symphony of Land in Lalithakala Academy Art Gallery, Kozhikkode (2017); Karuna in White Walls Art Gallery in Ernakulam, Kerala (curated by Radha Gomathy); and Spiritual Earth in Durbar Hall Gallery, Ernakulam in Kerala. He has also exhibited in Lokame Tharavadu (the world is one family) in Alappuzha, curated by Bose Krishnamachari, for Kochi Biennale Foundation (2021).